So, what can we do better next year -- Dakar Coverage?

[troy safari carpente]

a PM PM'd 2 PM

[PackMule]

Originally Posted by JayBo1

I'll be keen to do regular Rally Radio updates next year. Those were absolutely magic from Ned and really caught the imagination of the ADVRider supporters. I've done them before from the Australasian Safari bivouac with SafariBerg. Of course Ned has set a very tough act to follow in many more ways than one, but I'd do my best - always in more ways than one! (This does of course rely on the ASO accepting my entry when the time comes)
Ciao
JayBo

Looking forward to it, Jaybo!

Here's a call from the Safari: http://traffic.libsyn.com/rallyraidio/08OzSaf09.mp3

Ned really laid some fantastic groundwork this year. I hope we can keep it going!

[dentvet]

We already have a man on the ground in Bluebull. Lets get him to ride for two weeks straight. He weaseled into some great spots, sneaking past controls into the bivvy etc. With a little more planning and support, he could do quite a bit of spying for us. i think he's polylingual, too.

[thegraydog]

I didn't see much video this year -- likely because of the small hose at this end.
But dang, could we have THREE seconds of any given scene, to look at the landscape or follow the bike? The compilers drink too much RedBull....

[VxZeroKnots]

PackMule et. all I'm not sure what the communication constraints are but is internet always available in the bivvy? how possible would it be to utilize existing services like Skype for the call-ins to reduce cost, or perhaps simply record the call-ins to .mp3's then zip them all up and FTP them stateside where they can then be put into your boradcast and reserve sat calls for the priceless interviews to reduce expenses?

Also I know there was some concern about the broadcasts being able to be viewed on tablet devices and web-TV's which from what I understand for the most part was not a problem. If some sort of HTML5 container with flash fallback needs to be developed so as to reach the broadest audience then as a web-developer myself I'd be willing to donate my services to facilitate your needs as best I'm able.

I'm sure there are others on here with the know how as well who feel the same about this indispensable service you provide and we should all pool our resources to help those who have provided what is probably the most comprehensive coverage of the Dakar available.

Even if you just want to run some ideas by someone who deals with spreading content on the net day in and day out please do not hesitate to PM me and we can start a dialogue for next year's needs.

[PackMule]

Originally Posted by thegraydog

I didn't see much video this year -- likely because of the small hose at this end.
But dang, could we have THREE seconds of any given scene, to look at the landscape or follow the bike? The compilers drink too much RedBull....

Interesting comment on the compilation. I'm hoping to speak with one of the people involved on RallyRAIDio. Perhaps I can get some insights. This year the video did seem different than years prior. Really seemed like they blew over the whole privateer aspect entirely. That used to have a nice focus.

[doyle]

Originally Posted by PackMule

Interesting comment on the compilation. I'm hoping to speak with one of the people involved on RallyRAIDio. Perhaps I can get some insights. This year the video did seem different than years prior. Really seemed like they blew over the whole privateer aspect entirely. That used to have a nice focus.

As far as I can tell, the absence of VW dealt a big blow to the budget of the video production. I'm thinking VW funded more than we realize.

[doyle]

Originally Posted by VxZeroKnots

PackMule et. all I'm not sure what the communication constraints are but is internet always available in the bivvy?

Even cell coverage is spotty let alone any reliable internet coverage. The ASO provides it but at a significant cost and as far as I know, only in their tent set up. Sat calls are pricey too. I was trying to set up a pretty significant interview that ended up falling through but to be honest, I was sweating that they were going to give me a sat phone# to call the rider. I don't mind paying, but at possibly $10-15 per minute, it get's pricey for a hobby.

[VxZeroKnots]

Originally Posted by doyle

Even cell coverage is spotty let alone any reliable internet coverage. The ASO provides it but at a significant cost and as far as I know, only in their tent set up. Sat calls are pricey too. I was trying to set up a pretty significant interview that ended up falling through but to be honest, I was sweating that they were going to give me a sat phone# to call the rider. I don't mind paying, but at possibly $10-15 per minute, it get's pricey for a hobby.

I hear you, that is what I figured.

[jeep8]

On board video from a bike(s) would be interesting, like going down the giant hill, or thru spectators who are too close, entire specials, riding thru the camps(bivowac), even the liasons. Maybe with the rider mic-ed. Maybe its out there and I don't know where to look. I have been watching the dakar on tv for years and this is the first time on a lap top. I appreciate all the work that went into this,great job.

[Michelangelo]

Well said. I/we have enough of the nanny government telling us what we can or can't do, say or think; the last thing I want is a public online forum becoming the same with overzealous moderators and dictators!

Originally Posted by Pantah

The only problem with that is 'big brother'. We have enough government. Not any really harm done with a few hostile posts about the French or various characters. We don't want a censor system. I mean we are
Motorcyclists! WTF?

[doyle]

That's the first I've heard of the racing mods at being overzealous. I've been hanging around long enough to know that there is Jo momma and then there is the rest of the site and Jo momma continues to exist for a reason and part of that reason is why it is separated from the rest of the forums. The moderation hand here is pretty light, but after 20 pages of calling Despres and Petehansel a dick, enough was enough. I wasn't censorship, it was the voices of reason culling crap to get the conversation kick started again.

Think of the mods as the supremely generous Paulo Goncalves digging the conversation out of the mud for it to get going again at full speed. Like Goncalves, the mods do their job, smiling and unthanked.

[Boondoggle]

Originally Posted by doyle

That's the first I've heard of the racing mods at being overzealous. I've been hanging around long enough to know that there is Jo momma and then there is the rest of the site and Jo momma continues to exist for a reason and part of that reason is why it is separated from the rest of the forums. The moderation hand here is pretty light, but after 20 pages of calling Despres and Petehansel a dick, enough was enough. I wasn't censorship, it was the voices of reason culling crap to get the conversation kick started again.

Think of the mods as the supremely generous Paulo Goncalves digging the conversation out of the mud for it to get going again at full speed. Like Goncalves, the mods do their job, smiling and unthanked.

If you have an axe to grind, the friendly folks in JM can sharpen you right up.

Once the point is made, there's no point in cluttering up a thread, especially when there's a race on. The odds are, if you've had to repeat yourself three or four times already, nobody really cares what you think anyhow. PackMule did a generous job of letting things go until everyone had had their say (and then some), but he was absolutely correct to chop it off.

There's a place for all the off-topic arguments anybody wants to have. Rather than whine about "overbearing" mods, you might want to check your own footing.

[Sparrowhawk]

I've read most of the posts here and thought about it for a while. I can't think of anything substantive that could be done next year to improve coverage.

Some of the negativity and nationalism detracted from the experience but this is an open forum and there's no effective way to only screen out the jerks without losing good content also.

More hours in the day would help as would being able to suspend work and family obligations for 14 days.

Thanks to everybody who contributed to an absolutely fantastic time. We had Ned, Jonah, Cody, and others to cheer on. We had Robby, starting gate, mudgate, watergate, lots of in-depth information on the bikes and cars, details on this year's rules, photos and videos, controversies, success stories, gut wrenching disapointments, learned foreign languages (pendejo), learned the definition of a reatard chariot, found new music, had a close race to near the last day, crazy weather, drama getting everthing off the ships, and so much more. I couldn't ask for more.

[Brimstone]

Originally Posted by Boondoggle

If you have an axe to grind, the friendly folks in JM can sharpen you right up.

Quote of the year so far!