Tales From The Bivouac, Dakar 2012

[Boondoggle]

Originally Posted by D.T.

So the riders have to ride a 600km liasson in the morning to the SS part for another Xkm's of the race?

And then repeat this every day for two weeks?

On the easy days, yes. Some days are challenging.




Now you know why there are only 178 bikes entered...

[skibum69]

Originally Posted by Boondoggle

On the easy days, yes. Some days are challenging.




Now you know why there are only 178 bikes entered...

And Bill made it up from there to 138th place

[4badboyz]

great job Ted, get yourself some rest tonight... if you can
we'll be waiting for tomorrow's report

[rinho]

Originally Posted by D.T.

So the riders have to ride a 600km liasson in the morning to the SS part for another Xkm's of the race?

And then repeat this every day for two weeks?

Yep!
Liaison, "special" (don't know the best english translation), liaison... that's a Rally Raid.
Like an Enduro race, but longer

[catas]

Originally Posted by rinho

Yep!
Liaison, "special" (don't know the best english translation), liaison... that's a Rally Raid.
Like an Enduro race, but longer

Link...

[Region Riley]

Originally Posted by 4badboyz

great job Ted, get yourself some rest tonight... if you can
we'll be waiting for tomorrow's report

+1

So awesome to have you in the Bivouac!

[Boondoggle]

Originally Posted by skibum69

And Bill made it up from there to 138th place

Attaboy BC



Hiya Mike

[rinho]

Originally Posted by catas

Link...

"Link" to translate "speciale" ?
I guess you think about "liaison"

[BADDAD]

It's always amazes me that the right guy for the job always shows up. You are doing a great job Ted and I can't wait for the book.

Have fun helping to keep the guys in the fight and keep the good stuff coming.

You are living a dream that anyone of us would give almost anything to experience.

[skibum69]

Originally Posted by rinho

Yep!
Liaison, "special" (don't know the best english translation), liaison... that's a Rally Raid.
Like an Enduro race, but longer

ahem, it's not really like an Enduro race because you have to do all of your own navigating while you're driving your bike, there are no route markers out there on course. How many Enduros last more than one day? Baja is really just one very long day-hard yes but not the same kettle of fish at all.

The "liasons" are the sections to and from the bivouacs on either end of the "specials" which are the timed sections that determine the placings of the competitors

[kaia]

Originally Posted by Hayduke

I think Ned is running the Rigid D2 LED's from Black Dog Cycle Works

http://www.blackdogadvbikes.com/blac.../275-1362.html

that he is... if the planning thread data is still current, he is using one 2x2, and one D2 (as a high beam)

ref post#229

Originally Posted by neduro

A major debate that we had within the team is what lights to run. There is a lot of night riding in the Dakar, but hopefully not a lot of night racing. To explain: Most stages start near dawn, often many kms from the bivouac, so the commute from camp to start line is done in the dark. Typically, this is not done on the most difficult terrain... and if you're still out after dark on the race stage, things went wrong. But you clearly need good lights.

I told everyone who would listen I didn't want HID. My experience with them has been fussy- if you have exactly the right voltage, and the ballast woke up on the right side of the bed, you've got great light for not much power. I don't like fussy.

Enter Kurt Forget @ Black Dog Cycle Works. He recommended the Rigid LED lights as being reliable, indestructible, and very very bright.

That sounds like my brand... and while I haven't ridden at night with them yet, they pass the "holy shit are those bright" shop test, in side by side comparison with an HID racelight we had lying around.



I've got two- one 2x2 which should be livable for other drivers coming toward me, and one D2 which is pretty much blinding. I like blinding.

[skibum69]

thanks for that

[El Cucuy]

Originally Posted by skibum69

ahem, it's not really like an Enduro race because you have to do all of your own navigating while you're driving your bike, there are no route markers out there on course. How many Enduros last more than one day? Baja is really just one very long day-hard yes but not the same kettle of fish at all.

The "liasons" are the sections to and from the bivouacs on either end of the "specials" which are the timed sections that determine the placings of the competitors

Not that he needs me speaking up for him, but I think I know what he is getting at.

A National-/Qualifier-Format Enduro is a race that is broken up between timed sections (like the specials in a rally race) and transfers (like the liasons). Only the time from the test sections is accrued, along with penalties for arriving to the end of the transfer section (and checking into another test section) late...or even early if you are true bonehead.

Pretty sure this is what he is referring to...not "enduro" as in a generic off-road race.

Outside of the obvious--navigation, duration, etc.--it is a good comparison imho. Rally raids are basically multi-day, (AMA) National Enduros over an unmarked course where only rider is assigned per minute instead of four.

[rinho]

... the enduro comparaison was just a shortcut... and El Cucuy explains why better than me

[El Cucuy]

rinho--