WEST COAST BAJA 2017!
This was my first Baja, and I must say I really enjoyed it! I liked the relaxed atmosphere, and not having to wake up at 05:00 and start racing at 06:00!
Prologue
Saturday mornings time trial was exciting, Le Mans start and all! I was in the second bunch, had a good start, and got out first. Lead the way to I think the 3rd or 4th corner, overshot, got passed, but luckily took the place back quickly. Navigation was OK, stopped once when I was uncertain, and Hentie (my team mate) caught up to me. We concluded that we were ont he right track and carried on. The terrain was brilliant, much like we are used to back home. First lap went OK, with me and Hentie leading. We caught up to some guys, the dust was bad in some places, but managed to pass them. I think I got through easier than Hentie and won the first heat.
Then it was the final, the first ten guys, one lap race. We all set off, Hentie got to the turn first with me in second place. Superman nearly colided with Donovan, but both luckily came out OK! Hentie lead for about half the lap, overshot and gave the lead to me. We came to the pan neck in neck, and I managed to beat him by a fraction (when I beat himn it is only because he had bad luck!) So a good result for the Upington Rally team, starting out on the first stage in 1st and second place.
There was not a lot to do on the bike that afternoon, cleaned it up a bit, new air filter and that was it. Scrutineering was a breaze, except for my helmet. I replaced one of the plastic visor bolts, which broke, with an aluminium one. That can be viewed as a modification and could compromise safety. Lesson learned!
Stage 1
We sarted of at 07:00 (a respectable time as mentioned before) had a short liason and got to the special. I lead the way, and manged to cock up within the first 15km`s! Hentie caught up to me and the Donovan wo was in third place passed us both. As we were heading East at that time the sun was quite bad, but I managed to pass Donovan, who was riding very conservatively, unlike his normal self! The lead swopped back and forth a few time between me and Hentie, till we got lost when I was leading the way. my navigation was not on the number! we lost a hel of a lot of time till we found our way, up the pass. Now I must confess, in the sand and on the fast twisty stuff I am OK, but not in the rocks! I struggled to keep up. We caught back up to about 4 or 5 guys, went the wrong way again, back tracked, found the right route and went down the other side of the mountain. We kept going like this for a while, riding, stopping, finding the route, going again, till a certain mr Ellis came flying by! He was doing the off road class and made 1 hour up on us! That guy is seriously, or maybe dangerously, quick. We got to the dsp aproximately 90km before Alexander bay, and got some fuel. Thanks Chrstelle! I did not fill up, partly it is only 90k`s left, and partly because I wanted to keep the bike light. I knew i would struggle to keep up with Hentie. David Ellis was also in dsp, apperently he had GPS issues. We set off, doing about 135km/h when David came by..... on his back wheel. have I mentioned that he is quick? Hentie chased after him, and it became apparent that the pace is going to be hectic! I tried to keep up, when with about 40km to go to Alexander bay, I had a look at my fuel situation, or lack thereof. I gues I had about 2 litres left, maybe a bit more. Shit! I tapped off and started going very conservatively. With about 10km to go, I ran out, flipped the bike to get all the fuel to the left side and set off again, very carefully. Right at the beginning of the speed zone, about 3km from the refuel I ran out for the final time. Stopped, got my tow strap out and waited for the first guy to come in. Lucky for me it was Donovan who stopped, I got hooked up and we set off, not wasting any time. Thanks Donovan, really appreciate it! at the turnoff to Alexander bay I went wide, trying to keep the strap out of the wheels, overdid it and the strap broke. I told Donovan to go. I thought I remeber it to be down hill to the gas station. NOT. started pushing, and breathing hard and sweating. One of Kobus Potgieters guys came running up to me, and helped push the last 300m about. Thanks a lot, I did not get your name, but at that moment you were Superman!, the good deeds didnt stop there. the shop was closed and we could not get any water. Annelize and Jeanine luckily had water, and they gave me noughto fill my camelback. Thank you, without that the rest of the day would have been brutal!
After the refuel I set off again, only seeing Hentie and David`s tracks. I went on steadily, it must have been around 11:00, 11:30 and it already was very hot! the track got sandier and looser the farther it went. The 2 Mocke brothers caught up to me, and passed me. At 1 point I reset me ICO when I stopped to open the fuel valve for my rear tank. I did not axactly know where I was and went of behind the Mockes. Things did not add up to the raod book, and when I went over a dune, there the finish of the off road class were. Idiot! I had to back track a few km`s going next to the track, didnt want to connect a off road guy! Eventually I found the way and got going. At that point i was hot and a bit tired, even felt nauseous for a while. I caught up to a few guys just as we got to a 6okm/h speed zone. the speed zone ends when we turned off that road. The guys in fron of me missed the turn or was slow on the gas and I slip[ped by, for the last 3km`s or so to the end of special. I must say I was spent. It was one of the tougher days I had on a bike.
Got back to our lodgings, drank e few cooldrinks, showered and started on the bike. Luckily there was nothing to fix, so it was only an oil change, air filter, back wheel and general checking of everything.
Riders briefing started a bit late, as we had to whait for Alex. Then the shocking news dropped. When you hear about the death of a rider it gets to you, and you reconsider a bit what you are doing. Alex asked if we wanted to race the next day, and Gary`s teeam mates said that they felt he would have wanted us to coninue.
The emergency personel had an info session about hydration, which I listened to very attentaivley for once.
Hentie won the stage by a massive margin, I came in at about 7th place.
Stage 2
The next morning all the rally class riders came together and we decided that we are only going to race to Alexander Bay and do a liason back. The forecast for the day was something like 37degrees at the sea, so you can only imagine what it will be in the sand and mountains. There were talk of over 50 degrees in stage 1.
To be continued....
Topic: Willem du Toit Dakar 2018 (Read 17531 times)
