Real-life Road Warriors

[miss_adventure]

I don't celebrate NYE, preferring to start my year at Samhain; typical Western NYE is just another night of dealing with drunks and fights, albeit on a grand scale. However, 31 December is saved for this: it marks the start of the annual Dakar Rally. The Rally, which started in 1979, is an off-road race from Europe (this year's race started in Lisbon, Portugal) through the Maghreb and West Africa to Dakar, Senegal. Racers use cars and trucks, motorcycles and quads, and self-created customized machines--there is even an American sidecar rig competing this year. The 2006 route is expected to take 15 days to complete for the serious contenders, as it is plotted to be as rugged and unforgiving as possible.

Needless to say, I want to ride this rally someday. Just finishing would be a Grand Adventure(TM). (Or because I'd have to enter as a broke privateer and because I would not be competing as a serious contender, a Grand Misadventure.)

Comments

[figureinthefog.livejournal.com]

I celebrate the new year at Samhain, too.. and Yule, and NYE, and the Chinese New Year. Come this June, I'll have lived for 100 years.

[feyandstrange.livejournal.com]

(scowls) Isn't that smack in the middle of the hypothetical rainy season in the Maghreb? Sounds icky. (This from my mild experience with the northern edge of the Sahara.)

You just want to call yourself a privateer. While on a motorcycle. That does sound kind of cool though.

Shinto seems content to have moved its presumably-formerly-seasonal New Year to the calendar year, and I'm all good with that. Fall has *never* felt like the end of the year to me, Samhain notwithstanding. Then again, the drunk problem in Japan may be lessened by Shinto and Buddhism, because everybody wants to get to the shrine bright and early on New Year's morning. They're probably drunk on the trains though. Mmm, drunks on trains. At least they're not being drunks on trains during commute hour. Despite being something of a baseball fan, I HATED it when drunk so-called fans would be chugging beer and hollering and turning thei radios up to hear the game on my damn commute home. If you're a real damn fan, get there when the game starts!

[rhiannasilel.livejournal.com]

You know, that really does sound like a lot of fun.

[emptycountry.livejournal.com]

Dakar is right up there on my to-do (eventually) list...Along with hiking the Pacific Crest Trail and walking from Cape Town to Cairo.

Mustn't forget Mongolia. That whole yurt thing is intriguing.

[count-01.livejournal.com]

If I am not a broke-ass student, consider my car a candidate for our team. I mean, me as a candidate for your team.

[withgrace529.livejournal.com]

I'm with you. My new year starts Samhain. However, I am happy for the end of 2005.

Here is to 2006. :-)

"rugged and unforgiving"

[yammerskooner.livejournal.com]

[ivy]

You have the most awesome ambitions and goals. [grin]

[octal.livejournal.com]

Hi. I also want to do this -- in a Kamaz truck, and throw all the best parties en-route. No need to win (although, I'd have a good shot in the truck category), but rather to be known as the team who has the most fun/style. Plus providing free wifi via satellite at all the basecamps, UAV aerial photography, etc. would be work-related.

I do know some people who have g-wagens, etc. and also want to do it, and a crazy f650 rider. There are some people who do the dubai desert rallies, but that's really an entirely different class.

I'm thinking 2008.

[kyrin7.livejournal.com]

This all reminds me I need to get a new bike.
And I wonder how do you manage wonderlust and a consistant residence? I mange to move 4 times a year, due to mine.
-K

[yammerskooner.livejournal.com]

i gotta ask you a real-life question about a real-life MC jacket.

[mulot-d-argent.livejournal.com]

Hello I see that you've written some words in French (like 'pie', Do you speak it ?

Very O/T and very very late...

[ms-daisy-cutter.livejournal.com]

Feel like posting in The Usual Place about this (http://www.gawker.com/news/park-slope/the-park-slope-hat-spat-read-all-the-emails-166214.php)? Summary: Park Slope mommies with too much money and time to spend, so they agonize about the political/gender implications of...a missing hat.