What an event! My first PD, and it kicked my ass. We had delays early - lost a guy (found him later), one bike's clutch eating itself mid-trail, pissed-off Caledon resident driving his Ford Excursion into my path to block the route, and then a long time helping a water-filled DRZ out of the pond until the sweepers caught us. I need to prepare more if I'm gonna try this ride next year. Congrats to all entered and rode so well - cool machines and lots of talent. Thanks to all who put that event on - what a ride! Jesse
Everbody take your helmet off and raise a pint to all those who participated in the P2D yesterday. And a second pint to all the Rally Connex crew who worked hard to make this possible. I was sweeper with Osteo from Orangeville to Kinmount, did 300 km of the trail then an immediate 200km ride home in the rain. I thought sweeping meant i wasn't supposed to get bucked off over the bars. A 750km off/on road run is incredible, I can only imagine and wait a couple years till the next one. Cheers to those that gave there all. PS. I would've had pics but i smashed my camera
Now that's one ugly hooker !!! (Good thing he is cheap.) Sorry to hear about all the incidents but it sounds like fun was had by most. Amazing that Lawrence got that Varadero to the end, it looked quite out of place with cast wheels and all. I was at tech on Friday and at the start on Saturday, it was a lot of fun, next time I might even have to try it myself. Looked to be a very well run event. Well done everybody !
Ok so I just got off the phone with Alexdiablo... He didn't break his collar bone but mess his shoulder up pretty badly...And Rum (darren) broke his arm... Even though Alex's shoulder is messed up I can tell he is smiling ear to ear.. And he nothing but laughs... I can't say much else as ALEX says he has lots to post, and pics.............
Hey Guys, we're back!!! It is funny, the reporter arrived, the reporter reported and I still did not get to meet him! I guess arriving at lunch at 4pm is just a little late! I supposed I should write a ride report, but in truth being a sweeper the things you see are either nothing, or nothing real good :eek1 So, some quick stat's: Total Entries: 103 Total Started: 98 Total Full Completion: 33 That made it to Dacre (but not completed entire route): 88 Those numbers are off the top of my head, I will check in with Kevin and confirm later. Bike Casualities: Watered out: 2 Gear Box problems/tranni/shifter/chain: 4 Complete lost rear subframe on trail: 1 Collision with Deer: 1 (this occured at 5:30a in the fog about 30km from the start) Collision with ATV (and bike won, but possible splintered tibia not so good): 1 Flat Tires: ?? Lost gas cap: 1 (mine!) Cracked engine case: 1? Various other crashes: lots! I'm sure there are other stat's, but those are the things I know of. We did the sweeping duties different this year than in previous years, I swept with Ian (Ian, you still have the SAT phone) for a large section, then swept the last section with Seth from Vermont. The other Sweep team swept the beginning and middle sections... so we switched, therefore their stories are different. I also gotta say, the day could not have been better!!! sunny, sorta humid, people were fantastic, great! The sweepers pulled into Dacre at 11:00p last night, 1hr later than in 06', making for a full day for sure. As you guys are aware we had a tech inspection, if you failed any 1 part you could not enter unless you fixed the problem: Wheel Bearings that were Shite: 10 (at least) crazy Brakes: 2 or 3 Failed Sound test: 0 (but there were 1 or 2 real close) cut off was 94dB Chains: 2 (adjusted too tightly that I saw) missing drivers license: 1 missing insurance: 1 Other stuff: ?? How many problems during the day were associated to what we found ?? as I said they had the opportunity to correct the issues, but were the corrections 100%? Someone was there with a bag of wheel bearings, not sure if he gave them away or sold them, but he would have made a killing if he was selling! I'll post pictures later, gotta do some cleaning, but I'm sure other guys have better pic's than I do. oh - things I saw in my sweep of wildlife!: (this was during one of the hydro lines), and let me tell you that section was scary in the dark where basketballs and footballs littered the trail in between puddles and ruts. Riding a 450exc with not the best lights and needing to be somewhere else faster than you can go! Deer: 2 water snake: 1 (unless it was a brown stick, not sure! frogs: 1,000,001 mice: 5 White owl: 1 Oh - of note to mention, as this should be mentioned... in 3 years running only 2 girls have participated - Mary Ann (twice) and Alison (once). Mary Ann, this year had to bail due to no fault of her own (and I think could have completed), but Alison actually completed Those 33 that completed this year surely deserve , those 88 that made it to Dacre do deserve and the remaining that did not complete and did not make it to Dacre due to injury definetely deserve cause, they gave it everything and I'm sure would rather have been drinking beers, telling lies and kicking it up at 11:00p last night instead of being in other places. More later, D p.s. - I was not in any group in the middle Gibeman is mistaken, no one really wanted to see me during the day, I did not really want to see anyone in truth (as that meant they either had problems or were going a bit slow) and truth be told I was riding pretty damn hard the entire day playing catch up after each time I did have to stop.
oh - 1 more thing, I gotta give some props to Team Kaboom as we all know they worked really really hard and unfortunately sounds like they suffered really hard as well. But when they rolled into tech inspection on Fri, truly a sight! 5 spotless, and I mean spotless, shiny, you could see your reflection in them 950's, matching T-shirts, hell they all probably wore the same underwear! they were a sight! And then someone said... "do you realize that is $100,000.00 in bikes right there, that team alone!" and as I know, this is true, not including accessories! damn skippy!! Trust me guys, Dacre missed you! D
Where do I start?!? :huh<o></o> <o> </o> 4:16am - Our assigned start time.<o></o> <o> </o> 4:15am...... I look up at the start line, race face on...... Months of prep and team training rides have come together all for this moment. We couldn't be more ready for this....... 30 seconds to go....... WAIT!!.... WTF was THAT?!?!?! - a black cat runs across (NO LIE!). <o></o>Now, I'm not superstitious, but come on.... the best known karma bust in the book - A BLACK CAT! Did someone run into the bushes with the damn thing in a cage - what are the odds!?!??!?!<o></o> <o> </o> 4:16am - Here goes nothing! I pull away from the start line fumbling with my GPS. I can't seem to get the route to display properly. On top of that, insane fog makes for an interesting first few hours.<o></o> <o> </o> 4:45am - Rumrunner (Darren), in the midst of passing numerous teams + a wrong turn, manages to loose three teammates at the back of our pack. So there I am with Alex and KTMike. I finally get the GPS work and we start blazing rubber.... full attack mode!!!. We begin picking off teams as if they're standing still, thinking we need to catch up to Darren and Jason. The fog is so thick, I resort to using the GPS to navigate any oncoming turns!<o></o> <o> </o> ~5:15am - Alex, KTMike and I have passed something like 14 teams at this point and Darren and Jason are nowhere to be found! We come to our first trail section - a rock strewn trail that quickly finds us battling the heavy bikes among all the rocks. At this point one or two teams make easy pray of us. Moments after we clear the section, we need to stop so Mike can clean is goggles. WTF... out of nowhere Darren and Jason pull up beside us. Turns out a few teams made a wrong turn near the very beginning (including them). Karma is on our side at this point.<o> </o>We set off as a team (once again!)... we quickly catch up to the two teams who have passed us. The big bikes are pounding off the km's as we rip at 140-150kph!<o></o> <o> </o> We pull into Turf Tractor and Trail sometime around 6am?! - we find out we're in 3rd place at this point! Having started 16th, this is good news.<o></o> <o> </o> On our way to Creemore now, where we have planned for our first gas stop (250km's after the start). A quick detour up someone's driveway is our only miscue amid a very fast pace. <o></o>We pull into Creemore only to find a banner - GO TEAM KABOOM!!!! thanks to KTMike's brother!<o></o> <o> </o> A quick refuel + smoke brake for Alex and we're off again. The route is a blast - really fun stuff. The bikes are running great, no flats, everyone is haulin ass. After a few long sections of gravel roads we are up against the <st1lace w:st="on"><st1lacename w:st="on">Simcoe</st1lacename> <st1lacetype w:st="on">Forest</st1lacetype></st1lace>. Much to our surprise we find a huge sign posted "NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES" - we pause for a moment, then giv'r! <o></o> <o> </o> Awesome fireroads - fast, smooth! - but - we hit a mud hole. Everyone get's around it clean except for Alex ("the bike decided to take a different line" - but of course! ). Him and I struggle for 10mins trying to get the bike out. After laying it down on its side and sliding it sideways for a bit, do we manage to get it out. And we're off again.<o></o> <o> </o> Darren's leading, and doing a damn fine job of it - fantastic pace. I'm pulling up the rear - and with a big smile on my face to see everyone doing really well.<o></o> <o> </o> KRASH - KABOOM - OH KRAP!!!!!!<o></o> 9:38am - We've covered 310km's in 5hrs:22mins up to this point. We see we're riding just parallel to Hwy. 400 (just North of Barrie, next to a place called Martinville). Darren see's a fence up ahead and very bare tracks, so he takes a left hand turn up what looks to be a goat trail. The rock strewn trail quickly narrow's and grow's very steep. Darren might as well be on a trials bike at this point - it's next to impossible to get up it - Doesn't stop our leader from attempting the impossible. Next thing we see, the bike is caught up in the rocks and kills any momentum he has. Now, picture a 490lb bike (full of fuel) on a rocky up-hill in this situation; it falls over (with no chance of saving it). Darren comes down hard on a fallen tree - he hear's a snap! The impossible has happened.<o></o> <o> </o> We call Marvin (our fantastic support driver) and tell him to hold steady until we figure out how to deal with the situation.<o></o> <o> </o> I've seen some crazy shit in my short 27 years, but to see Darren back on his bike at this point is pure determination and valor. This guy has the heart of a lion. Of course he's in no shape to finish the course but he decides to jump on Hwy 400 and get to a Hospital. Off he goes.<o></o> <o> </o> 10:15am - Deflated but no defeated, Alex, Mike, Jason and I prepare to head off. Lawrence Hacking passes us at this point - handling the Varadero quite nicely might I add.<o></o> <o> </o> 10:20am (no joke - only 5mins later) we blow through a waypoint, I look back and give the signal to turn around..... then turn the bike off onto the side of the trail and prepare to pop the clutch and spin it around. As the bike is perpendicular to the trail I hear ---- MIKE!!!!! I look up and there's Alex's front wheel coming straight at me (~50kph). With no time (or space to react) our bikes go KABOOM! I'm thrown off the bike, as is Alex.<o></o> <o> </o> I get up to my feet as quickly as I can, dazed and wondering WHAT THE HELL just happened.... I see Alex's foot is pinned under his bike. After we're both on our feet - we figure out that he was looking down at his GPS at the moment I looked back and gave the signal - something I failed to see.<o></o> ......remember the black cat at 4:15am I told you about.... go figure!<o></o> <o> </o> Alex determines his collarbone is broken, as he's lost all range of motion. Mine is seriously eff'd - but not broken.<o></o> <o> </o> .....So here we are, months of training and prep.... faced with the ultimate decision... do we continue?........... Hell no! - but can we ride into Kinmount via paved roads - Maybe?!<o></o> <o> </o> 11am - Kinmount - GAME OVER.<o></o> <o> </o> <o> </o> So there it is in a nutshell - errrrm.... bombshell!<o></o> <o> </o> Darren went into surgery this morning and needed a plate + some screw’s – broken ulna! Alex’s collarbone is not broken but the soft tissue damage is enough to sideline him for a few weeks. My collarbone is banged up, but not bad given the circumstances. <o> </o> <o> </o> Below are some pics, there's a bunch missing so I'll have to wait for Alex to post them.<o></o> <o> </o> But before I let you go, I wanted to thank the team for all the effort they put in. It's an enormous undertaking to prep for something like this. It really does give you an appreciation for amount of work one would have to amass to even begin considering doing the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Dakar</st1lace></st1:city>.<o></o> <o> </o> A big thank you to Marvin Frank - our support team leader, the man behind the scenes.<o></o> <o> </o> A hug to every team member's family - thank you all for the "time off" so we could have our training rides.<o></o> <o> </o> A firm hand shake to Dennis, Kevin, Jim, and rest of Rally Connex crew for putting on an outstanding event. The sweep riders deserve a big hellll yaaaa too!!!!<o></o> <o> </o> <o> </o> So.. here are some pics! - more to come soon!
Just arrived home from the P2D. As one of the official finishers (Team Ride-On-Time..(Brian, Alex, Dan, Ron and Tom (me)) .. I can say without hesitation that keeping 5 riders all together as you chase every waypoint on the GPS over 800kms is no easy feat. What a day. We were fortunate to not experience any flat tires, watering out or mechanicals. That last 90kms after Bail-3 was going to be grueling enough, but negotiating the most technical bits and bogs in pitch black using feeble, bouncing headlights was pretty intense (especially after 16 hrs on the bike already). Never so happy to see a fire road in my life. We all agreed afterwards that had we had a major mechanical or drown out in that section, we would have been searching for an abandoned hunting cabin to break into and hunker down 'til daybreak. Thanks Rally Connex. Thanks to the great workers at the Dacre center for all the great cooking and hospitality, and congrats to every rider who swung a leg over a bike and headed out into that cold and fog at 04:00. Good on ya ! Tom
Pic's Here's the link to my smugmug page with the pictures, I have 9 pages worth (no I am not posting them all here!), but there might be an individual picture that someone wants in there somewhere so feel free to look. Dennis's smugmug of P2D 2008 Otherwise here are a few samplers: The route - 22 pages worth of topo maps! Team Kaboom! Trickling in: Some Sponsors: Pretty Impressive I thought! and this is not even everyone! not sure I would ride around with a gas can on the front of my bike! Part of the grid Pay Attention! What do you call a Gay Dinosaur??!!! 3:00a, do you know where your children are?! Official starter: Helmut Klassen (sp?) Here they are! After the deer! Mtrhead73 (Ian) sweeping Couple o' sponsors: Parc Ferme (only 88 bikes, missing 15) Orange Brooms!!! What's missing??! In case you were confused! That's all I got, anyone else? D
Just got home to my nice cozy and most importantly dry apartment in Rutland Vermont. Crankshaft, Crankshaft wife, and I took the ferry across Lake champlain and then parted ways around 7:30 pm...as they live in Burlington and I in Rutland VT. The rain was coming down pretty good and with a backpack full of crap it was a chore to cover the final wet miles. Still very much worth it as the Rally Connex guys put on a hell of an event and those trails were fantastic. We have a lot of riding in Vermont that is similiar but nothing that goes on for that many miles (1.6 Km ). I was unable to enter the event but volunteered my help and ended up working the start, the first check point, and running sweep. I rode from Lunch to bail 2 with Jim on the 950R and then I rode from bail 2 to bail 3 with Dennis. We helped out 2 teams from lunch to bail 1....one being Brock who was having issues with KTM airbox/water in the carb....Jim had a water bottle trick that seemed to work as we they made it to bail 1...and then bailed. The second team was a pair of riders on DR350's. One was having issues with throwing the chain which was super loose. No one had a wrench suitable for loosening the rear axle...lucky he didnt have a flat. From Bail 1 to 3 we had no rider contact and spent the time dodging the bigger rocks and wildlife. The "hydro line" (power line for those in the USA) was a challenge in the dark. Theres nothing like coming over a crest at 35 kmh blind and having the bounce off soccerball rocks. I spent a good portion of the section dreaming of a bigger driving light. We made it back to Dacre around 11:30 pm. Can't wait to ride the route as a competitor.
This is the section I was sweeping and funny, the actual trail the guys were supposed to ride is immediately beside the 400, there are no trees separating the trail and the highway (so if you recall trees to your right, you were off the route). When I came down the rock strewn hill and saw the numerous tire marks turning immediately left up some crazy little path I was wondering where everyone went, when you were supposed to turn Right around the fence into the driveway, then left on the other side to pick up the trail along the 400. I saw maybe 5-6 sets of tire tracks actually doing just this. Strange indeed! D
Fak that was some fun shit. Typing with left hand so no ride report yet. Big thanks to the Rally Connex crew for a very professional event. A BIGGER thanks to my Team Kaboom team mates, truly guys I would go to war with. I didn't take any pics, but the Barrie Hospital did take a few for me. And they even let me park my bike up by the emerg doors A nice lil titanium plate and a half dozen screws as door prize. Can't wait for the next P2D! DW
Good thing Kaboom had to step down... Starting off in 16th and making up 13 posistions in under 400k... You might of made it look easy.... Again though with the Karmic Irony...... Black cat, 13 passes......... I see it as you came out on top.. As I sat here at home practicing wheelies on SLAB you guys were doing what we all have dreamt about at some point... Taking on a ADVENTURE.... It's not A2b but how you get from A2B that is what really matters. Just going to take you an extra year to get to B.... Alex, Darren, Take it easy and heal FAST.... THe bikes OK? ??? OH AND THERE IS NO F'N way I am not going to be part of the carnage next year.... I am DEFINETLY NOT MISSING OUT ON THIS IN 2009...... What team is accepting applications for members..... I will have my 950 for it.....
