I knew it!!!! I was on to something with the ART underwear thing a few months back!!! Way to go Jason!!! Super proud to ride an airhead!!!! I'm assuming you're deep in a jack and coke right now....you certainly earned it!
Well done to all the guys, but especially Jason on the that monster, :huh Brett - on your Dakar Challenge and 4th John (Jaybo) on you outstanding, trouble free run. South Africans Glen and Guy, and Manuel for finishing despite everything. It was superb to follow you all.
Well that was just about as amazing an experience as they get. Thanks for the support along the way, guys, I feel privileged in a big way. Im also shocked, awed, humbled and touched by the Caldecott award. I dont even know how to respon to that, other than its now one of my most treasured achievments. I was bummed to sit on the bike for the last time this morning before loading it up... Not sure i'll get the chance again to hear it roar. This was an expensive adventure, and Paul would prefer a rider who was better at putting power on the ground than I. I need to learn more about suspension, and find a faster pace. But everytime I do something new its more experience i didnt have before, so i'm not disappointed. I never did figure out how to ride the rear wheel with throttle properly. Im grateful for the support and the opportunity I've been afforded, and I just love the feeling between start control and finish control. I dunno whats next but im really looking forward to it. As a lot of you guys know the other competitors are one of the best reasons to come do this. I made a lot of new friends. I wont bother naming names because they were all important. Anyway thanks a lot for following, and now im going to make a list of stuff i broke in the last week that is going to make me broke till Christmas, Lol!
Thanks very much :hatsoff A possibly incomplete list of items broken/damaged and/or replaced/repaired during seven days: Right front header (dented, not dead) Three throttle cables Right hand grip and throttle assembly ICU Coil (prophylactic replacement) Plug wire Brake cable Starter motor (valeo dropped magnet, not my fault!) Top air filter Drive shaft boot (pierced by stick) Tires/tubes (3 fronts 3 rears i think) Gas tank Rear Tank mounts Left footpeg Gear shift rubber bit
Yea but you got it to the end. I'm not sure how many rallys that bike has entered but I've seen a few dnf's. Some one will know the figures of starts v finishes. I dont think the builder would know what to do if it didnt keep breaking.
Well done Jason and congrats on the AC award. I only watched the safari from my computer but I had you down for that award a few days ago. I would almost give my left nut for the opportunity do do the safari on a machine like that. Awesome stuff.
Evening One and all. That was the best Safari ever.!! Nothing but praise for the organisers, just brilliant. If any of you guys want the time of your lives, YOU NEED TO DO THIS EVENT. I have a bunch of pics as you can imagine. At the moment I am looking at a 4000K drive home which will take 3 days. When I am back I see what I posted and put up some more images. Here's a couple to get it started. Jason at the finish. A really good job to get it home.
My gear needs a clean. Fist the dust/dirt then the champers. It'll be of to mr nikon when I get back.
Take a bow yourself too Ross. You never fail to amaze with your photo's and anyone that saw and spoke to you in the Safari would have seen your passion and dedication. You were virtually a walking (slouching?) zombie for the entire 7 days! Can't wait to see what else you have hiding in the collection, but the few you've just posted up here are first class (even "Alas poor Yorick, I knew him well") and really wet the appetite.
+100,000 Absolutely brilliant I am a bit of a photo nut myself and have a large collection of professional photos from various rallies around the world including the Dakar, and I can honestly say that these are among the best if not the best rally pictures I have ever seen.
Brilliant stuff Jason!! Congratulations on the Andy award, you totally deserved it Interesting to see the long list of broken stuff...People forget how expensive rally's really are and how much they break bikes. Are going to see a full RR on your experience? I see you have a Gopro as well....