Author Topic: From "Para" to Dakar. (Read 42733 times)

1190 · « **Reply #80 on:** May 19, 2016, 11:03:18 am »

http://www.afriquiamerzougarally.com/en/

Looks like Marc Coma is giving a workshop at the rally !

Newsletter...

http://www.afriquiamerzougarally.com/en/newsletter-2/

gser · « **Reply #81 on:** May 19, 2016, 01:45:38 pm »

Joey , saw your "CV" on ADV Rider-forum.
I hope you get some sponsor miles from it as well. You are fetching it !
Good luck !

Crossed-up · « **Reply #82 on:** May 20, 2016, 10:56:00 am »

I love it that rider number 72, Junichi Kawamoto from Japan is riding an Italian Beta! What a great surname.

All the very best Joey, and to Walter, David and Vincent. Have a great race!

T9ER · « **Reply #83 on:** May 20, 2016, 07:11:49 pm »

Ok so 30 hours of travel ended up closer to 35. I only got an hour and a half of sleep in 45 hours. And the rally hasn't even started yet!
So we arrived in Marrakesh but our transfer wasn't there. Vince and I sorted out our phones and managed to get hold of them after a while and a couple hours later were on the road. And thus started the scariest drive I've done in a long time. We were picked up by Yusef and Mohammed in an old Prado. Yusef was driving and clearly had aspirations of being a WRC driver one day. The small issue of other drivers being on the road was not going to stand in the way of his destiny. Mohammed for all I know was just there to fill the empty seat and jabbered away in Arabic on his cellphone most if the time. The road was really narrow and winded through the Atlas Mountains. Yusef was flat out passing on solid line blind corners, missing trucks and busses by millimeters and driving so close to the back of guys I could read the washing instructions on their shirts. It was insane. I was feeling seriously car sick no doubt the altitude and of lack of sleep didn't help. I went a nice light shade of green and we pulled over twice as I was about to chunder but I managed to keep the cookies in the jar.
By no small mirical we arrived alive at the hotel at 1am. We hit the sack and were gone.
This morning we woke up to an incredibly beautiful Moroccan hotel right on the edge of the mighty Sahara desert. The dunes are right outside the door and they are massive. Some of the riders were testing bikes today but we just took it easy as our team only arrives tonight. We did meet up with Walter Terblance and his team, really cool guy and his team are awesome too. We chilled and chatted with them for a couple hours about Dakar, racing and life in general. They have a great rig complete with aircon bedroom for the riders, fridge, freezer, washing machine, toilet and shower. I think I want one!
Vince and I had a swim and basically just chilling now in anticipation of the madness to soon follow.
The other teams are all slowly arriving now.

Thanks for the continuing support guys, chat soon.

Geel Kat · « **Reply #84 on:** May 20, 2016, 07:30:45 pm »

Joey, give it your best.

WTF am I saying, we know you will give it your best and much more.

Have fun

T9ER · « **Reply #85 on:** May 22, 2016, 06:32:57 am »

Did some training with Mark Coma on reading dunes today.

T9ER · « **Reply #86 on:** May 22, 2016, 06:48:10 am »

Sorry guys the wifi is super slow and there's no cell coverage here making it very difficult to post.

Mark Coma did a workshop on Dune riding yesterday. The different types of dunes, how to read them, body position and things like that. Pretty cool. It was in Spanish, then translated to English and French. The language barrier can be a big problem. The majority of people can't speak English here including my Machanic, Christophe.
I also went out with Vince to do a bit of testing in the dunes at about 1pm. Man, it's so difficult to see when it's up or down or off camber. Every thing is the same colour and it just blends in. I can't even judge my speed! They tell me it's easier in the mornings. I really hope so.

Today we do about a 40 km shakedown loop followed by a short super special to determine starting order for the first real rally stage on Monday.

T9ER · « **Reply #87 on:** May 22, 2016, 06:51:30 am »

Gonna try send some pics again.

T9ER · « **Reply #88 on:** May 22, 2016, 06:54:10 am »

Numbers on.

T9ER · « **Reply #89 on:** May 22, 2016, 11:53:32 pm »

Prologue don and dusted. 51st out of 102. So all good so far. Tomorrow it really starts. The wifi here is terrible now that all th teams have arrived. I will try to post pictures again but otherwise will catch you up when I get back. 👍

B.V. · « **Reply #90 on:** May 23, 2016, 06:44:58 am »

Quote from: T9ER on May 22, 2016, 06:54:10 am

Numbers on.

BlueBull2007 · « **Reply #91 on:** May 23, 2016, 10:04:07 pm »

Go Joey!

He finished SS 1 without any reported issues

T9ER · « **Reply #92 on:** May 23, 2016, 10:25:19 pm »

First stage

Today was the first real stage and it was really tough! There was lots of dunes and the navigation was on a whole new level to what I've done. They seldom send you on paths or tracks the majority is just a compass heading and a distance. Naturally you can't ride as the crow flys so you end up zigzagging through obstacles (dunes, dongas, washouts, etc) and so your distance is out as well. Really challenging.

I chose to ride it slower and navigate 100%. It worked well as I hit every waypoint today but tons of guys past me. A good strategy I think as 11 riders (of 102 total) dropped out today. 5 of them with injury. On guy on our team broke his shoulder and was airlifted. No one too serious but mostly broken bones.

I drank my full 3L camelback by the 60km mark with the next chance of a refill at the 120km checkpoint. I was super worried as it was 45deg today and dehydration was a real concern. At about kilometer 70 there was another rider that had crashed and there were 2 choppers on the scene. Marc Coma was in the scene and I asked him for some water. They gave me another 3L that really saved me today. I'm gonna carry a lot more tomorrow.

Later there was some really big dunes and I struggled in the midday sun. I went over the the top of one and it was super soft the front wheel just vanished and I went over the bars. Hit my head and rang my bell good and proper. But I got the bike up after a few minutes and composed myself and carried on. I had to pick the bike up a number of times in the dunes today, it really drains you. I need to work on that big time.

I also stopped and helped riders twice that had run out of fuel. I had plenty and no one else was stopping so that cost me a bit of time and positions but not fussed about that.

The provisional results came out and I was 84th but then they posted the penalties for missing waypoints and I've moved up to 70th.

A finish today makes it a good day all in all but lots of lessons learnt and lots to still learn.
Need to raise my game big time if Dakar is to be a reality.

Long day ahead tomorrow with more dunes and dry river beds.

Thanks for the support guys as always. 👍

BlueBull2007 · « **Reply #93 on:** May 23, 2016, 10:55:56 pm »

Flipping awesome Joey.

Dont push too hard, 70th is excellent for your first dune stage. Rather finish the day. You will see even if you finish 70th every day you will find your self in the top 20-30.

The knock on the noggin is a good warning - sand is flipping hard when you crash. If you are confident, push in the morning but with caution, but never when the sun is high.

The tracks do help a little with reading the sand.

I'm gonna stop lecturing now

, I'm just worrying, and faffing but am a totally stoked fan!!

Enjoy it jou yster!

seankriel · « **Reply #94 on:** May 24, 2016, 08:00:10 am »

Well done Joey!!

Keep the navigation up and you will climb the ladder slowly. Most of all enjoy each moment! That is the reason you doing it!

Strong's for stage 2!! We keeping a eye on you!

gser · « **Reply #95 on:** May 24, 2016, 08:12:26 am »

Sand much firmer in the morning , becomes more lose as the day temp progressively rises , agree with BB.
Your nav skills especially in the northern hemisphere where the shadows are on the "wrong" side is impressive Joey ! especially when coming from the southern hemisphere for the fist time.
Looking forward to hear from you again later today.

Black_Hawk · « **Reply #96 on:** May 24, 2016, 08:16:41 am »

Well done Joey

gser · « **Reply #97 on:** May 24, 2016, 08:29:23 am »

Sorry guys , my pc and service provider did not talk well together.
Sorry !

Rokie · « **Reply #98 on:** May 24, 2016, 03:09:24 pm »

Go Joey!!!!!!!

Rooting for you, big time!!! Well done on the first dune stage. Absorb the learnings and just give us more of the same - focus, flow, finish.

Rokie · « **Reply #99 on:** May 24, 2016, 04:41:49 pm »

Looks like he nailed today!
Well done Joey!!