Kiwi Safari Team - 2012

[Tony T]

Well done, John and thanks heaps for the reports mate.
I've really enjoyed the ride...... but not as much as you I suppose........

[JayBo1]

A nice relaxed start to the last day. My start time is 9:22am. I got to sleep fairly well last night and woke before the alarm at around 6:30am. I'm now sitting on the floor in the media center charging the laptop and phone while I type this up. It seems I have caught a cold and am all clogged up, so breathing will be a challenge through the dune section today. It's only 18km so maybe I'll take a deep breath at the beginning and let it out when I cross the line!

There's a possibility the first stage today could get cut short as it's a long weekend here and the organisers maybe hadn't acounted for the number of Western Australians that hit the beach for a weekend of camping and beach fishing. Apparently convoys of campers were seen heading for the beach yesterday, so the organisers are going to use one of the event helicopters to check the situation before the first Moto goes through. They will also set up an intermediate timing point so a stage time can be got for at least the first part of the stage.

It's a bit surreal to have the time to sit here and think a little with some personal time. It's been quite a week, and I'll write up a full report soon. I'v e kept all the stage scrolls to remind myself of what happened where, so I'll piece it all together. There has been a lot happen that hasn't made it here yet!

Oh yeh - I fogot to mantion about how my world almost collapsed yesterday. My main drive here is to better my previous finish (15th) and achieve another 100% finishers medal. The medal is a very tough one to get, as few people manage to complete every stage and incur no penalties. Well I was on track until yesterday evening when I checked the results sheet to find I had incurred a 1 minute penalty for checking in early at a control. I filled out an "issue" form as I don't believe I screwed up any control. I think what happened is that at that particular control point, the riders could not see the start clock from behind the yellow control board where we are required to wait until our minute comes up. So the control people had found a alarm clock and set it on the yellow control board so we would have a time we could see. I suspect that clock was not synchronised to the "race clock" and maybe that was the reason, as quiute a few people got issued penalties yesterday at that control. Luckily for all of us, after reviewing the situation, the penalties have been removed.

I'd better go and gear up for the last day's ride to Geraldton. Catch you all soon.
Ciao
JayBo #26 (2012)

[NordieBoy]

Go Kiwi!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...fXE_2l4U#t=90s

[Padmei]

Go team kiwi wahooo!!

Go Airhead rallye team!!!

Great interviews & very inspiring

[JayBo1]

All done! (Just the after party and prize giving to go ... and maybe 1 or 2 ales). Made it through the last 2 stages without drama (a local rider broke his Femur in the first stage today) and picked up my finishers medal and 12th place overall.

It would be great to see a Kiwi Safari Team next year with more than 1 rider and crew. I probably won't be entering next year, as it's too close to the Dakar so my bike would have to be in Europe. I would do everything I could to help others come over and give the Safari a crack though. Food for thought.

My beers run out so I better go find another one. Catch ya soon.
JayBo

[Dino3310]

well done mate fantastic ride.... doing the Kiwis Proud

[NordieBoy]

Good on 'ya

[Deadly99]

Congrats

Great "shakedown" for SA

16 short months to go

[innathyzit]

Congrats , and great work.

Thanks for sharing.

[Padmei]

Well done bro. we expect a detailed report by tomorrow morning so don't have too many ales.

Bring on the Dakar

[SYDADVGS]

Congratulations

[troy safari carpente]

Well done on Safari 2012 John

Set goals - top 15 or better and 100% finish (pulled off 12th spot!)... and methodically achieved them - a race effort to be proud of!

[Night Falcon]

gr8t result team K1 W1

[topo]

Wow, Just got home from WA (glad i don't need to do that series of flights again in a hurry).

A big thanks to Jaybo for getting me over to work as his service crew, was a great shakedown run for dakar 2014.

I'll sort through all my photos tomorow morning and post any that might be interesting.


Cheers,
Ben

[JayBo1]

Glad to hear you made it okay mate. I've been relaxing most of the day. This cold had me pretty stuffed up earlier on - I really hope you didn't catch it too. Make sure you pass on my thanks to that special wife of yours for letting you escape to help me out.

Two loads of washing done - now to do the gear bag as wifey keeps complaining about something stinking in the house.