Fat Guy Follies

While trying to reconcile my lack of success in the Baja, I decided it was a matter of money. The fast guys could afford to pre-run the course for weeks in advance, and they could afford helicopters to fly overhead and warn them of any hazards over the next rise or around the next corner. I started to look elsewhere, and discovered that the Dakar Rally (Originally the Paris Dakar but now moved to South America, due to the unrest and dangers in Africa), did not allow prerunning, or helicopters. Given the lack of success at getting my local pub to buy a Helicopter I figured this was right up my alley. Besides they did several thousand miles over many days rather than just one, how hard can it be?

My good friend Pablo attended this years race when it came through Antofagasta, and shared some insights and his pictures with me. As a privateer, you can have your spare parts shipped to the next camp on a truck in a container. At the end of each days ride, you service your bike yourself using the parts in the box.

Then you unpack your tent, and find a level peice of dirt and sleep for a few hours. Notice the size of the tent in relation to the rider. This is because you don't get to shower for a month, and your feet smell so bad, they cannot be in the same tent as you.

Or, if you are the prince of a small oil rich country in the middle east beginning with the letter Q,

Or you happen to ride for the Orange Mtorcycle team things are a little different. After each days ride, you have a team of mechanics remove the engine from your bike, rebuild it, and fully service the custom space frame chassis bike,

while you get a relaxing massage from one of the teams many doctors, and therapists.


Something just aren't fair.
Cheers
Back To Baja Bryan