Badlands
Alexander arranged the Badlands especially for us guys going to Dakar to get some proper navigation practice and nice time in the saddle.
We started in Upington, which made it very convenient. If I remember correctly we were 13 at the start.
This was not a race, just a great group of guys doing some navigation riding on excellent routes.
The first day in Upington and ended in Springbok. We started of with a liason to Pofadder, and from there the racing section was mostly on the Oranje 4x4 route, more or less the same as day 2 of the 2016 Amageza. This place is one of my favorite places to ride a rally bike, with fast sweeping tracks. My bike started a fuel leak on the way to Pofadder. The rear tank had a crack in it, which I thought must have happened during my off the other day. After speaking to Bart (van de velden racing) i heard that it was a problem with the earlier efi rally bikes. One of the bolts on the inside of the battery bay push through and the tank cracked. Anyway I set off with fuel leaking, but it stoppd soon, as I drain the the rear tank first. The pace was quite high as I chased after Donovan and Jethro. Both me and Donovan had the same strategy for the Badlands, to be in front so we can navigate! This ended up in lekker racing, with Koos mixing it up with us. Through out the 4 days it was usually one of us in the lead, with the other 2 chasing and taking over the lead when one made a nav error. I made a mistake or 2, but found the way again and was first in.
I tried to fix the tank with steel epoxy that afternoon, and it looked like it would last.
Two of the perks of the Badlands was the we slept in beds, and was allowed to have beer at dinner! The cameraderie between the guys was brilliant. We really had a chance to get to know one another, even though a lot of us raced together quite a few times.
Day 2 was from SPringbok to Port Nolloth. We started off with a tra liason, and the special started at the pipeline climb of 2016.
The previous evening there was a discussion about the ridabillity of the last bit, wich Alex warned us last year not to try....
I started first and pushed hard to try and get away from the other guys. Iwent OK up to that last section. Icant remeber exactly, but the next moment I was on that section, without even realising it! I got stuck, and as I was trying to push, walk force the bike up, Donovan came past me, only to get stuck a bike lenght further up. A lot of sweating struggling followed. The next moment Thomas Eich came past us both, easily making the climb! Not good for one's ego!
Eventually i got to the top, but not without damaging my still tender ribs from my crash 2 weeks prior. I popped a Mybulin and carried on. I amaged to get to thre front once again and was opening the road for nice long way, till I made an error and Koos and Donovan caugth up. The lead swapped between us to Alexander bay at wich point I was hurting quite bad. I took another pill (2) and sat for a while, even contemplating taking the tar road back to Port Nolloth. DOnovan set off, with Koos a short while behind him.
Eventually i got on my bike and decided to just cruise the ruote to Port Nolloth. After a few kms I caugth up to Koos, who had issues with his nav equipment, and he decided to follow me. I was really slow, and it must have been frustrating for him! As time went by and the meds started working I got a bit of pace back. Amazing how effective pain meds is, happened a few times during the race where I felt bad and sore only to be close to nromal a short while after taking pills!
Me and Koos went a long, and at one point Donovans tyre tracks went left at a T where we should go right. At that point I realised that we were in front, but had to push as he would figure it out and be chasing hard! Me and Koos got to the finnish together, and had a short liason to the hotel.
Bikes was serviced and rehydration started! A few guys, whos names will not be mentioned (Bill, Charl and Petrus) came in quite late, but they made it. Unfortunately Jethro got caught up in a peice of fence, was thrown off his bike and injured his ankle. Alex RG had a issue with his shock and also was out of the rac.... sorry meant adventure
Days 3 and 4 to follow
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Topic: Willem du Toit Dakar 2018 (Read 17539 times)
