Photo Credit: ADVRider Brice

Early Saturday morning, Don left the start area without his time card, which he didn’t realize until he was flagged down by another competitor after about 80km. He had to race back to the start to get his card, but it wasn’t that simple.

When organizers indicated they were not going to give him the start card, much back and forth discussion ensued. Don asked “what does this mean” and the organizer told him that he was out; the rally was finished for him. Don refused to give up, so more discussion, then they phoned the head of the FIM and after a lengthy phone conversation he ruled that Don could start.

The Dakar organizers’ argument was that it was too dangerous, as the cars were now leaving and Don would not make his start time at the special stage. Don told them that it was their member of the organization that had directed him to start, and that he was a fast rider and could make it to the special section for his start time.

So, off he went, arriving at the special just in time to start. At this time the officials give him two papers. Only moments from his start, Don only has time to read the first one. Unfortunately, the notice Don didn’t have time to read indicated that due to the heavy rains, they had to reroute the course. They verbally told everyone else, but as he was just in time to start they didn’t actually tell him. Don knew something wasn’t right, but soldiered on. It turned out that he was supposed to change his road book by 50kms! At about 100kms into the special, he did finally get himself straight and he finished the stage. However, not before riding through water on his bike, causing it to quit! He arrived at the finish and along with the Desert Rose team, waited in dirty, sweaty gear for the support truck to show up.

Later in the afternoon, they are all sitting around doing their road road books and in strides the head of the FIM (apparently he was in Buenos Aires and came out to speak with Don). Seeing the FIM boss walk in, the Desert Rose guys were worried thinking the FIM Head had come to tell Don he was out of the rally. Thankfully, he was only bringing a warning; Speaking very strongly to Don about starting without his time card, he explained that this must not happen again, and doing so would result in an immediate disqualification.

Don actually rode the course very well today but we think that he was assessed some pretty hefty time penalties over the time card fiasco as he is currently listed in 133rd place but earlier reports had him finishing in the middle of the pack. Hopefully tomorrow is a better race day for Don. However Don is actually quite happy with the penalties given the other option of disqualification.

Don continues to be unimpressed with the food in the Bivouacs. There was no breakfast today, so he had to resort to his emergency instant porridge rations that he carries to every rally. For dinner they had lovely Argentinean Pepperoni Sausage, which Don simply described as disgusting.

Unfortunately Don’s troubles were minor compared with an unfortunate accident involving one of the cars running off the course and plowing into a group of spectators. One spectator was killed and 4 injured. Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the families of the victims.

- Gord Hooker of DestinationDakar.com