Jacko does GS Trophy Africa 2010

[tankgirl]

:notworthy:

 

[Jacko]

Make for great reading. Thanks Jaco
Nog kiekies asb?

You know it already, but for the benefit of others, one of the proper photographers posted a lot of pics on advrider.com

Start here:

https://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=552152&page=11

 

[krister]

It was getting very hard for me too, as I haven’t ridden sand for a year. Now, ideally I should’ve been settling in, finding my sand legs so to speak. But as I was shadowing a Jap I couldn’t stick to one track as they’d madly fishtail from one track over to the other, making deep, unpredictably oscillations in the porridge-like sand.

Last year, on our way to the R.A.W. week I also fell along the West Coast. Metaljockey was riding ahead of me. MJ is an awesome rider, but he does things differently to me. Firstly he’s very tall. Secondly he rides a 650. So he sits in most sand, now and then poking out a spidery leg and conserving energy. This also means that he would change tracks quite often, drifting from the one track to the other, staying upright and doing a lower speed than me.

So I would fall back, accelerate, catch up with him, get caught in one of his sitting-lane-change-trenches, almost lose it, slow down, let him go, etc. I should’ve overtaken him, pure and simple, but in trying to be ‘nice’ I didn’t. The result was that as I was accelerating back to me and the HP2’s sweet-spot speed in sand, I approached a corner – and my front wheel found one of his moats. Result!

Suddenly I had that same feeling again. I would accelerate to pass a Jap when he’d suddenly change lanes. Unlike Metaljockey he had no control. But the effect was similar – I didn’t have a straight rut in front of me. Only a jagged, deep rut that switched from the left track to the right track every couple of meters.

I cannot tell you how many times I almost fell. You know the feeling: You realise this is getting out of hand. But somehow you save it. You giggle, curse, shout, all at once. Then you hit the next deep, unpredictable rut left by an erratically riding Jap.

When Tohru feel for the umpteenth time I made a decision. We were all grown-ups. I was going to pass him and every other Jap. That way I could ride the sand, without dealing with their erratic riding. Now and then I’d sit down or stop, see if they were okay and take it from there. Behind me Roger, Gerber and Warren were sweeping. We were taking strain.

Jaco, I can totally associate with what you describe above.  Riding sand is MUCH harder when you are riding with (read:  behind) another rider - especially if he (or she?) is riding slower and at inconsistent speeds.  This is one of the reasons why riding together can be risky, as you don't determine your own speed and line and often you are forced to jump lanes.  All of this saps mental and physical energy and tears at confidence...

In this regard, I would like to ask you (and other WDs) what the solution is.  Would it be riding alone or far apart from fellow riders?  Also, does this not become an issue at off-road training courses like Countrytrax or ADA?

 

[user 5710]

:thumleft: :thumleft:

Great report

 

[Thump]

well done guys

 

[roxenz]

Thanks, Jaco! Dit was baie plesierig om te lees. En baie bly om te hoor daai blinged up pompie van jou perform nou weer!  :thumleft:

 

[Skaiidawg]

....and must say agree with the American thing...having recently been over...met some really nice folks there...

I am 40/60 on this one, 60% of the Americans I have met and worked with was arrogant beyond believe and had the "America is God's gift to world rule and liberation and whatnot" attitude. The rest is good honest people that I like.

Thanks for the report Jacko... :thumleft:

 

[DirtRebell]

Thanks Jacko - goed gesê :thumleft:

 

[topbox]

....and must say agree with the American thing...having recently been over...met some really nice folks there...

I am 40/60 on this one, 60% of the Americans I have met and worked with was arrogant beyond believe and had the "America is God's gift to world rule and liberation and whatnot" attitude. The rest is good honest people that I like.

Thanks for the report Jacko... :thumleft:

+1
a guy asked me why we haven't invaded Zimbabwe yet, it's for their own good
my reply: hows that working for you in Iraq

 

[fat b]

Flippen lekker RR guy !  :thumleft:

 

[corcorlia]

Well done Jaco!  Very nice report!!!  Thanks for sharing.  :thumleft:

And well done to the SA Team!  ;D

 

[Frog]

Thanks Joco. You're a legend :thumleft:

 

[wacko]

Thanks Jaco,

Makes very good reading.

 

[Die Rooi Baron]

Blerrie nice, Koos!

 

[Aquatic]

Make for great reading. Thanks Jaco
Nog kiekies asb?

You know it already, but for the benefit of others, one of the proper photographers posted a lot of pics on advrider.com

Start here:

https://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=552152&page=11

It's a Depeche Mode moment!

Just can't get enough, I just can't get enough!!!!

BTW I never said the "fall guy" was you. I asked if it was you. Just stirring and hoping you would be watching and then give us SOME scraps of what was going on.

My thoughts from the start were that you were 1 lucky bugger to get the invite. And from reading your RR it seams you realised the privilege and made the most of it. And did all the envious(myself included) WDs proud. And the lack of your face on all video, but a brief glimps while driving a tractor says there were a bunch of journos behind the cameras, and not on bike that were REALLY jealous

Good on you mate, looks like it was fun. And you guys did SA proud with helping the "Nips". Seems the other teams were too competition focused.

 

[letsgofishing]

Man, there are some GREAT pics on the ADvrider site!
Jacko, any idea of the story behind this?

 

[Jacko]

Man, there are some GREAT pics on the ADvrider site!
Jacko, any idea of the story behind this?

A few kms from Country Trax, Jan du Toit's farm outside Amersfoort, one of the UK journalists made an "error of judgement" and "left the road after losing control".  :biggrin:

He wasn't hurt seriously.

 

[hondsekierie]

Thanks vir die tyd wat jy ingesit het vir hierdie lekker RR ou bulperd. n Glimpse from the hoekie perspektief altyd lekker :mwink:

PS: Jy's besig om goeie brownie points te score vir jou legend status ot:

 

[Marnus]

PS: Jy's besig om goeie brownie points te score vir jou legend status ot:

En miskien jou houtlepel verloor in die proses...

 

[Fenderbender]

" Da Jacko " is in da house !!!    Lekker Koos , ek is so jaloers op jou dat jy dit 1stehands kon ervaar .  :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft: