OK, this is the third attempt at writing this piece, twice now i have managed to loose all of it before posting!
The Dessert race. (also known as the Toyota 1000 desert race, but I choose to ignore it due to my allegiance to Mercedes Benz and Mitsubishi Motors)
As usual for the national races it was me and Hentie, but this time we would be joined by Donovan, who you propably know, is also entered for the 2018 Dakar. He drove from Cape Town to Upington, slept over and we all set of the Thursday before the race.
The trip went quite OK, except for the customary run in with these guys
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1462981693744965&set=a.1462981633744971.1073741827.100000994462108&type=3&theaterThe next morning we had to do documentation, and for once it was not at 05:00 in the morning! Afterwards Xavier Gavory of ASO gave a Dakar Challenge prsentation as this event was a Dakar Challenge round for the cars
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1462981743744960&set=a.1462981633744971.1073741827.100000994462108&type=3&theaterAfterwards we kitted and that is when I realised that I left my inner booties of my Tech 10s at home. Not the type of thing you want to realise just before you are about to set of on a 1000km off road race! I put on as much socks as possible and went of.
Qualifying went OK, and I finished 3rd in Seniors, Hentie 4th. He had problems with arm pump, which continued to plague him for the rest of the weekend. Donovan was 1 st in the WOW class (he had some issues with licenses etc. and could only enter in that class. Ryan Bland (also entered for Dakar) managed a 7th. His results got better as the weekend continued.
We had a bit of a runaround that afternoon as there was some confusement regard the number of fuel cans each competitor needed. The shops here is nothing to look at from the outside, but they do stock everything, and so we managed to find a few more jerry cans.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1462981897078278&set=a.1462981633744971.1073741827.100000994462108&type=3&theaterhttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1462981830411618&set=a.1462981633744971.1073741827.100000994462108&type=3&theaterSaturday
We started a bit after 07:00 and from the go the pace was high. I soon started to get arm pump and did not manage to get into a rythm. As the day went on it got better, with the terrrain varying between twisty bits, fast flowing sections and sand straights were you keep it pinned and just hold on!
The day went OK fo rall of us, and all agreed it was quite enjoyable. I thin kthe quad guys and okes on 2 strokes were not impressed, they just lacked the top speed of the bigger bikes. That all changed the next day. One big problem was side by sides as well as quads that all started in front of the bikes. Not easy to pas those guys in the dust!
Results:
Hentie 2nd in seniors
Me 6th in Seniors
Ryan 11th in seniors
Donovan 1st in WOW
Rest of the day was spent prepping bikes and getting ready for the last day
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1462981910411610&set=a.1462981633744971.1073741827.100000994462108&type=3&theaterhttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1462981997078268&set=a.1462981633744971.1073741827.100000994462108&type=3&theaterOnly the best for our bikes!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1462982007078267&set=a.1462981633744971.1073741827.100000994462108&type=3&theaterhttps://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1462982063744928&set=a.1462981633744971.1073741827.100000994462108&type=3&theaterSonday we set of in the order we finished on Saturday, which meant for me 29th, with the 1st quad right behind me. I am very ashamed to report that he and another one caught up to me and passed a few kms before the first refuel. This day was much tighter and rougher, as it was the loop that the cars did the first day. This and the aches and pains carried over from the Saturdays +-450km of racing meant that it was HARD. I had a nice off after refuel 2 on the second loop, and from there on changing from a comfortable pace to a cautious one.
All of us managed to get through the day (with varyinfg amounts of Myprodols and other pills)
Hentie 3rd Seniors
Me 5th Seniors
Ryan 7th Seniors
Donovan 1st WOW
Overall
Hentie 2nd Seniors
Me 5th
Ryan 7th
Donovan 1st WOW
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1462982087078259&set=a.1462981633744971.1073741827.100000994462108&type=3&theaterWe were all a litlle tired and sore!
All in all it was a great weekend and a HARD race. Some lessons was learnt like remember your booties, and look after your butt, so it was a good for Dakar prep.
PS thannks to Donovan for the pics!