Dakar Dazed - countdown to bankruptcy!

[knybanjo]

JMo

Thought about you and you're mascot piglet this past week...




From my little piggies to yours...Go get 'em @ Dakar!!

[JMo (& piglet)]

Hee hee - Knybanjo - that is like porn for Piglet - he's going round singing like Mika now - "Big Girls, you are beautiful!"

Jx

[Katie em]

Here is the facebook page for jenny

http://www.facebook.com/pages/JMo-Ra...73711529317544

Please join 'like' if you want to see updates during her time in the Dakar

[JMo (& piglet)]

Right everybody, the moment a number of you (and not least me!) have been waiting for!



Yep, I have spent nearly every hour of the last weekend putting the 'JMO Racing' website together - www.jennydakar.com - complete with it's very own online web-shop for the 'piglets' Supporter's Packs, single or extra T-shirts, and hell, even just a donation if you like - all will be gratefully received, and make a huge difference in keeping me going during the Dakar this January!

The shirts and supporters packs are ready to order, online, just one click and Paypal (or creditcard, thanks to Paypal) will do the rest!

My intention is to have the shirts printed this coming weekend, and the plan is to dispatch everything by the middle of next week, so you get them in time for Christmas, or perhaps more importantly, January the 1st!!!

I have listed the T-shirt sizes from M - XXL, however, should you have a specific request outside of these limits - eg. kids, ladies vests or huge great bears of men!, then send me a PM here (or an email via the website) BEFORE you order, and I'll see if my shirt printer can accommodate your request.

To recap - for your £100 sponsorship, you'll get a pair of Dirty Dog polarized sunglasses; a Buff neck/head scarf; a Kriega 'Stash' travel wallet (which also doubles as an excellent tool pouch - see my posts a few pages back); an Alpinestars baseball cap; a selection of stickers from the various sponsors, including some JMO racing ones - and of course, the limited edition 'Dakar Pig' Team T-shirt, printed in full colour and featuring Piglet in his Tuareg 'blue man' outfit! (thank you NordieBoy x)

The price includes shipping anywhere in the world, and as I say, hopefully you'll receive your packs before Christmas, or at least before the start of the Dakar!

Please note the full 'Piglet packs' are a strictly limited edition of 50, and as an added incentive, the first 10 subscribers will also get an Arai snood/hat absolutely free!

It is also possible to order just the 'Dakar' edition Team T-shirt on it's own (or as extra shirts using Add to Cart) for £30 each (along with some JMO Racing stickers of course x). Again, this includes shipping anywhere in the world, and will be printed in full colour on quality cotton shirts.

Finally, there is also the option to simply donate towards my campaign, and I appreciate any help you can give in that respect...

Also, please do take time to look around the JMO racing website - it is more than just a shop, there is some background information about the Dakar itself, the 2011 route map and stage descriptions (courtesy of Dakar.com of course), links to ways you can follow me and the Dakar in general, and perhaps best of all, some photo albums of my previous escapades!

As a special request, at the bottom of the Follow Me links page, there is a link to iTunes and a download of a fantastic 'Christmas' song "White Wine in the sun" by singer/songwriter/comedian/virtuoso ivory-tinkler, and crazy-haired antipod - Tim Minchin.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/htt...le/id345894009

I love his music and comedy, and it would be great if we could help get White Wine in the Sun into the charts for Christmas, instead of all that old tosh from X-Factor... if nothing else, he is donating all of his proceeds from this download to the National Autistic Society, so you'll be doing a great thing as well as getting a great song... oh, and do check out his other stuff on Youtube too - Tim rocks!

Toot toot for now!

Jenny xxx

[JMo (& piglet)]

Originally Posted by Katie em

Here is the facebook page for jenny

http://www.facebook.com/pages/JMo-Ra...73711529317544

Please join 'like' if you want to see updates during her time in the Dakar

Wow! I was just going to post this link too - along with a HUGE thank you to Julie from 'Women-Trail-Riders-UK" for handling this for me - dontcha love technology!... and more importantly, friends xxx

Jx

[bigborefan]

I see Klim as a sponsor. What's you riding kit going to be, pants, jacket, etc?

[JMo (& piglet)]

Originally Posted by bigborefan

I see Klim as a sponsor. What's you riding kit going to be, pants, jacket, etc?

Hi Bigbore!

For pretty much forever, I've used Alpinestars riding apparel as I really like their quality, and features... particularly their enduro/rally jackets which have all the features I like - vents, zip-off sleeves (essential in 40+°C heat!) and big pockets for a bladder and your sarnies/sleeves in the rear, plus handy pockets on the front for paperwork and an ipod! I also use their boots religiously!

However, this season they are right out of stock of the jacket I wanted, so I was looking around for alternative gear, and as we all know, Klim do some fantastic stuff, particularly their Dakar Pants and Gloves which are perfect...

However, what Klim don't do is the sort of rally jacket I like - the Valdez Parka has proved too hot and bulky for a number of Dakar riders I've spoken too, and while the Traverse jacket is better (you can always use the armour pocket in the back for a bladder), it still doesn't have removable sleeves, and the current asymmetric two-tone styling is a bit too 80's shell-suit for me I'm afraid...

If Klim would make a jacket with an external bladder pouch, and zip off sleeves, plus a big rear pocket for stashing stuff in, then I'd be first in the queue...

As it is, I've gone for the Dakar pants (as I prefer over-boot style pants), Dakar gloves and will probably go for a Revolt jersey as well, incase the conditions require it (perhaps in conjunction with a Camelbak) - or if only to keep the sunburn off my arms if using the jacket without sleeves?!

Jx

[NordieBoy]

Originally Posted by JMo (& piglet)

To recap - for your £100 sponsorship, you'll get a pair of Dirty Dog polarized sunglasses; a Buff neck/head scarf; a Kriega 'Stash' travel wallet (which also doubles as an excellent tool pouch - see my posts a few pages back); an Alpinestars baseball cap; a selection of stickers from the various sponsors, including some JMO racing ones - and of course, the limited edition 'Dakar Pig' Team T-shirt, printed in full colour and featuring Piglet in his Tuareg 'blue man' outfit! (thank you NordieBoy x)

The price includes shipping anywhere in the world, and as I say, hopefully you'll receive your packs before Christmas, or at least before the start of the Dakar!

Please note the full 'Piglet packs' are a strictly limited edition of 50, and as an added incentive, the first 10 subscribers will also get an Arai snood/hat absolutely free!

Paypal has been clicked

[Hayduke]

Originally Posted by JMo (& piglet)

If Klim would make a jacket with an external bladder pouch, and zip off sleeves, plus a big rear pocket for stashing stuff in, then I'd be first in the queue...
Jx

I'll line up behind you. Have a talk with Klim about that, would you? Thanks.

Which Alpinestars Jacket do you like?

[JMo (& piglet)]

Originally Posted by casiopea

Hey Jen, I´m from Buenos Aires, I´m not a rider, but I really admire what all you guys (and girls) do.
I hope I can meet you when you come down here, and any case I will be cheering for you, hope you and Piglet arrive safe at the finish line!

Excellent! Thank you for your well wishes, and certainly try and spot the Desert Rose Racing flags in the paddock in BA and I'll come over and say hello!

Jx

[ChrisB Kiwi]

I've enjoyed your buildup etc, so I clicked that magic Paypal button (wonder if I'm in the first ten?), so you'll have at least one package coming to New Zealand. I even organised the sattelite feed for Aussie SBS tv so I can watch the daily coverage. Go hard!
Cheers.

[JMo (& piglet)]

Originally Posted by Hayduke

I'll line up behind you. Have a talk with Klim about that, would you? Thanks.

Which Alpinestars Jacket do you like?

Hee hee - I have already mentioned it to the UK importers, who had quite a lot of input into their Rally Suit I believe...

As for Alpinestars, it's their 'Venture' jacket I like - I got the '06 version in black and red before I went to Morocco that year, and used it all the way up until 2008 when I went back to the USA the second time (on the Tenere), when I bought the same jacket again, just in plain black...

Here it is in red:

Somewhere in the Pyrenees '07:


And in black, without the sleeves (Moab '09):




I then bought the newer version (which is basically the same design, just different shaped pockets and positions of the vents, and extra colour panels) for Heroes-Legend at the end of 2009:



And taking the sleeves off is the perfect excuse to post a few more photos from Moab and the Rubicon earlier this year:











The Venture jacket (both the earlier and the later versions) has four pockets on the front, plus a couple of smaller zip pockets inside the storm flap by the main zip - ideal for an ipod and your passport/licence etc. A large pocket on the back to stow your sleeves (or a fleece even) - and ideal for the lunch packs you're given on rallies... It also has a pocket inside for a drink bladder, plus 4 vents on the body and one each on the sleeves, and a big one across the shoulders, velcro cuffs, adjustable waist straps, storm flaps over the main zip... goodness I should write brochures!

There is no thermal lining or armour in them (or pockets for armour), but they are designed to go over a pressure suit anyway...

For me they are pretty much the perfect jacket, and they are a great trail/travel jacket too - shower proof (but not properly waterproof I have to say), and I wore my black one for 23,000 miles all over the US on the Tenere, with just a windstopper fleece underneath as an additional lining on cold days...

Of course all this is a bit academic, as for some reason, you can't actually buy the Alpinestars enduro and MX range in the US... but then I guess that is what ebay is for?! x

Jx

[Hayduke]

Thanks, Jenny! I've been using a similar MSR Jacket- the zip off sleeves are a must IMHO. But the MSR doesn't have a pocket for a hydration bladder. I'll check out the Alpinestars.

[JMo (& piglet)]

One other option (that I'm considering for Dakar too) is to use a Camelbak 'unbottle', and fit elastic straps to the clips, and connect it directly to the back protector of a pressure suit - that way you can just throw an MX shirt on over the top and you'd be good to go, although having a few pockets for stowage is always handy, which is why I like that style of jacket in sleeveless mode so much...

For info, I've used a Dainese Multisport jacket (pressure suit) for years, and have just replaced it with a new Dainese Wave2 jacket for the Dakar (a little treat to myself!)- it is very well made and a great fit, with a built in kidney belt and long back protector too.

I've coupled that with their V-knee guards, which again are excellent quality (and actually surprisingly well-priced for Dainese), and that will have me covered...ho ho. I particularly like the V-knee as it has a long shin guard (like a downhill MTB knee/shin guard) which means they still cover my whole lower leg even if I'm wearing my shorty Tech2 boots, which I prefer for trail riding and touring...

I love bike gear!

J xx

[SonHomme]

Do you know what dirty dog glasses are in your package?
Also do you have a pic of your special buff scarf?
Thank you

L