OhJ
Active Member
Hello guys, just done the Taffy Dakar 2016, the event is very similar to the South American Dakar series but harder. We dont get flying doctors, support trucks and the route lined with spectators. We get every Gate in South Wales professionaly instauled into the 60 plus way point route, we get tractors and big machines blocking our path, dozens of Dyfed Powys police bikers and cars stopping bikes to check details, tyres and exhausts.
So it all started on Friday night I rocked up and Clocked in. Being a team event I had to put hands up and tell them the Scots could not make it so I was put in an ad hock team of a chap from Newbury on an XL600 , another Chap from Norfolk on a BMW G650 challenge. And a woman from New Zealand on a n F650 gs so all local people.
On the friday night We where given three double sided laminated maps and the choice of two routes B route for big fat bikes and those with road bias no off roady tyres. And the A route full off road trails [emoji1][emoji1][emoji1]. I took both routes so we could hit more way points and increase our points.
In our team meeting over a coke and a pint I asked the team who had done any map reading and their off roady skills. Every one said yes their up for it [emoji106]
Friday night seen the temperature drop to -3 it bloody froze, the tent the grass the bike.
At the start we formed into our respective teams ready for the off
At the start there are a mix of step throughs, enduros, and proper bikes such as XRV's GS's and yams and more KTM enduros a proper mix up of bikes.
We set of for our first challenge which was Sarn Helen. I lead only a mile in to see in my rear mirror our new zealander down so I turned around to pick up the bike and off we go again this time with her in front of me. Whilst going up the hill off she falls again this time the bike lands on top of her so I had to bin my bike into the gorse bush so I could throw her bike off her. I thought this was like riding with vader he falls off constantly. I advised her I should take her back to the road so we can traverse the Lane or she was going to kill her self, the support from the marshals was brilliant and they rode her bike back to the road. I then floored it to catch up with my two other team members and caught then where Sarn Helen comes out on the Heol Senny, Fan Llia road then lead onwards picking up way points. I used both A and B routes so our points score was rising. We rode over the roman road from trecastle to Llandovery, here we had coffee and custard slice to build up some energy.
At this point we lost a second team member the shock on the G650 leaked and the rider was worried about the long journey home[emoji24]. So our little team is down to 2, I thought will I ever finish, lost the Scottish element and 50% of my new team have binned.
Pete on his XL 600 and I Carried on picking up more B points the. Off road again covering many of the trails and lanes up behind Llandovery over to Pumpsaint down to LLansadwrn , Llanwrda then back over the
Hill to wards Brynamman
I was surprised how good the GSA is off road it was brilliant, the only trail I failed on was one where I was flying up hill to be confronted by a 6 foot wet slab of rock with a gate on top of it, big shit out there[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106] i sent Pete up over and I bye past that section and met him around the mountain. Onward over the hills to pick up our last way point above neath and we the. Dive bombed pontadawe on the steepest road I have ever been on it knocks spots off any metalled road I have ridden on.
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So it all started on Friday night I rocked up and Clocked in. Being a team event I had to put hands up and tell them the Scots could not make it so I was put in an ad hock team of a chap from Newbury on an XL600 , another Chap from Norfolk on a BMW G650 challenge. And a woman from New Zealand on a n F650 gs so all local people.
On the friday night We where given three double sided laminated maps and the choice of two routes B route for big fat bikes and those with road bias no off roady tyres. And the A route full off road trails [emoji1][emoji1][emoji1]. I took both routes so we could hit more way points and increase our points.
In our team meeting over a coke and a pint I asked the team who had done any map reading and their off roady skills. Every one said yes their up for it [emoji106]
Friday night seen the temperature drop to -3 it bloody froze, the tent the grass the bike.
At the start we formed into our respective teams ready for the off
At the start there are a mix of step throughs, enduros, and proper bikes such as XRV's GS's and yams and more KTM enduros a proper mix up of bikes.
We set of for our first challenge which was Sarn Helen. I lead only a mile in to see in my rear mirror our new zealander down so I turned around to pick up the bike and off we go again this time with her in front of me. Whilst going up the hill off she falls again this time the bike lands on top of her so I had to bin my bike into the gorse bush so I could throw her bike off her. I thought this was like riding with vader he falls off constantly. I advised her I should take her back to the road so we can traverse the Lane or she was going to kill her self, the support from the marshals was brilliant and they rode her bike back to the road. I then floored it to catch up with my two other team members and caught then where Sarn Helen comes out on the Heol Senny, Fan Llia road then lead onwards picking up way points. I used both A and B routes so our points score was rising. We rode over the roman road from trecastle to Llandovery, here we had coffee and custard slice to build up some energy.
At this point we lost a second team member the shock on the G650 leaked and the rider was worried about the long journey home[emoji24]. So our little team is down to 2, I thought will I ever finish, lost the Scottish element and 50% of my new team have binned.
Pete on his XL 600 and I Carried on picking up more B points the. Off road again covering many of the trails and lanes up behind Llandovery over to Pumpsaint down to LLansadwrn , Llanwrda then back over the
Hill to wards Brynamman
I was surprised how good the GSA is off road it was brilliant, the only trail I failed on was one where I was flying up hill to be confronted by a 6 foot wet slab of rock with a gate on top of it, big shit out there[emoji106][emoji106][emoji106] i sent Pete up over and I bye past that section and met him around the mountain. Onward over the hills to pick up our last way point above neath and we the. Dive bombed pontadawe on the steepest road I have ever been on it knocks spots off any metalled road I have ridden on.
Sent from my politically incorrect
iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free
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