So I just watched episode 2 of Race to Dakar for the millionth time.

Something was different about it this time. Something subtle, intangible. The missus picked up on it too.

The previous times I've watched it, it has been informative and very entertaining. Possibly even dramatic at times. But never scary. Never seat-edge, nerve-tingling scary. Except this time.

Even the smallest things were scary. The detail of scrutineering. The paperwork. The sheer amount of medical supplies that had to be carried. Envisaging being on the starting ramp, looking ahead at the first 15 feet of what will be a 6,000 mile trip.

A new experience for me - I never thought that I'd be scared by a documentary.

And the road book? That's got 'trauma' written all over it. I wonder if there are books or computer software thatI can use to practice. Somebody somewhere's got to have done it.

Its half-exciting, and half-scary. My biggest concern right now isnt the riding, its all of the stuff that needs to be done before it - getting in to the rally for one thing. There's only 250 bikes entered in it, so what's the criteria? How do they decide who to reject? There was a question on the form about "are you being sponsired by another experienced rider?" - perhaps that's the key. Anybody out there who is an experienced Dakar rider who will sponsor me to enter the race?

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