SUPPORTING COMRADES IN THE DAKAR

Have you been watching the televised reviews of DAKAR? It’s the most gruelling, challenging motorcycle competition any rider could ever dream of riding—the top test of rider skills. Most wouldn’t last the first few hours. Have you seen the footage, the terrain, and the stage route details? This year the Dakar, a destination in Africa is still used as the name of the event, regardless of the race being moved to South America, finish line Buenos Aires. It was too dangerous to run the event in Africa due to political unrest which if you remember this caused the 2008 DAKAR to be cancelled! In watching the footage, South America looks even more challenging!

I am so proud to actually know and have motorsport comrades riding in this competition. These are Netherlanders-- Mirjam Pol one of the few women (officially registered as Gesina Maria Pol) riding Honda start number #48. Then there’s Gerrard Rond a former motocross champ and no stranger to Dakar where he rode his first in 1986. Gerrard and I ran the RaceGirl Motorsport off road days together hosted at his special 40 hectare (including lake) location. He’s on a KTM, start number #156. Then there’s the famed former Dutch MotoGP racer Jurgen van der Goorbergh. Jurgen has a strong motorsport background, very accomplished, on HONDA with start number # 57.

All my comrades are still in the game and at the time of this writing riding out stage #8 of the 15 stage competition. I’m so very proud and honoured to observe their fight in the DAKAR. Indeed I am jealous, as I too would love to add this competition to my list of motorsport accomplishments—who knows!

There were 235 motorcycles entered and started, not including the 44 participants not quad and not quite motorcycle sector that were bunched into the motorcycle start category—that’s 279 total. Sadly there has been one motorcyclist death, indeed there can be others before this race ends.

At the start of stage 8 today, 137 motorcycles remain—that’s less than half. THREE CHEERS to Mirjam, Gerrard and Jurgen—still in the game!

Each year, particularly for the past 8, I’ve enjoyed cheering on comrades in the Dakar (the Dutch have a strong presence in all categories) makes the DAKAR even more exciting bringing me even closer to this amazing race!
Check out the DAKAR website—exciting info available to view!

MOTORCYCLE NEW YEAR WISHES 2009

Someone once said-- the New Year is another chance to “get right” all the stuff you didn’t last year! Lucky us!
Looking forward at this new year, the fact that we're starting off economically challenged, observing more evidence of the not-so-positive reality causes me to recall a true Dutch and practiced value-- “less is more”. I think this “less is more” philosophy just might be the ticket to getting us through the concerns that surround us; prepare us for challenging times ahead. With Ducati not participating in the Canadian Thunder race series this year and cancelling out of BSB (British Superbikes)—Kawasaki announcing its discontinuance in MotoGP (can’t believe that one!) its proving to be a crazy year ahead in motorsport.

There’s such a buzz in the motorcycling industry, among others, reflecting concerns for motorcycling—some say it’s a luxury and will suffer, where others state motorcycling excels in tough times. These questions were put to me during a recent interview for a Clutch and Chrome podcast—how I personally felt it may affect the activity.

Well, we need it. Certainly we’ll elect common sense, caution and may not opt for that 2009 model upgrade or the new Akrapovic exhaust (darn!). Perhaps try to get another year out of our riding suit, even though we’d love a gear fashion upgrade. It’s my opinion we'll continue to enjoy our riding—its really our survival outlet and there’s no better way to get away from it all than when riding, absorbed, focused by the road.

Indeed a ride costs a bit of gas expense (thank goodness for the drop in gas prices!) and even if our rides might need to be shorter, our track days fewer, knowing that motorcycling is part of our life, seeing our bike standing in the garage or the driveway is a great inspiration of escape.

I’m sure you’ll agree, it’s the simple sensation--
the “less” that gives us all that “more”.

Best wishes to you and yours for a most joyful and healthy New Year!
May you continue to ride along the road of your dreams in 2009!
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And remember you’re the one steering!