Remember You're a Dongle
Up to Swindon today, to meet with the outsourcer. My ageing friend drove, me in the passenger seat frantically trying to (a) keep my laptop steady and (b) finish off the presentation we were about to do. It's all about laying the track right in front of the train.
They had more questions, we were told. We suggested a face-to-face, rather than email back and forward, and they agreed. This is a good sign. We spent three hours with them - whiteboards, easels and laptops - and everybody got on fine.
There are three parts to a computer:
What you do with computers to improve their I/O is to add a thing called a dongle. This is a wee plug that allows it to talk to more stuff - a wireless network for instance.
So here we are stood outside with a couple of folks, and the one who coined the shit I/O joke was there. He looks exactly like an overweight TinTin would look if he had black hair. So he refers to my ageing friend as "a dongle" - something to improve my ability to interact with the outside world. He'll never know how accurate he was. He has just found out his Missus is expecting. Congratulations - they been trying for a while.
The outsourcer will make a decision by the end of the week. This is a good sign - if there were only 1 horse in the race, then we'd already have had the answer "No". Maybe we could look on the glass as half-full.
My Nautical friend has reached Durban - right at the arse end of Africa - after finishing leg 2 of the round the world yacht race. Only 10 months to go. You can catch up yourself at www.sailorv.co.uk.
Spoke to Martin at AJP. He has been mental busy since the launch of the PR3 (did I ever mention that she weighed 89kg?). He's sold a couple already, the article in Trail Bike Magazine really got people's attention. He reckons that he's found a company in America that provide a ready-built fully race spec Honda XR 200 engine - same engine as Madge - that kicks out twice the power.
Pop that in the PR3 and you will have something faster than a 2-stroke with even less weight. Fuel-efficient, top speed probably 90+, and almost light enough to carry. Add fuel tanks, electrics and stuff like that, you're probably just over 100kg, and you've got a range of about 300 miles or so - well plenty for a Dakar special.
This years route is now published. The stages are slightly shorter than previous years, but there are many more dune sets (they look good on TV). Normally, the route (and the roadbook) is set for cars - not bikes. This basically means that you need bike with the same kind of travelling capabilities as a car - one of the reasons why there are so many big bikes in Dakar.
This year, for the first time, the bikes take a different route - one especially plotted for bikes. This will not only mean less dead bikers (not being run over by cars) but it also means that there is much more terrain that only bikes can go on (narrow trails for instance). There are also more fuel stops. These two things combined means that you need less fuel, and you'll get away with a smaller bike.
Think about that for a second. The entries closed in June. You pay 10 grand to enter a race and you have no idea the route you will be taking.
My bet is that you'll start to see an awful lot smaller bikes in Dakar from now on. Mine will be one of them, but we need to pour some cold water on the current ove affair between my ITM and the KTM 525. There has been an awful lot of people hitting my site searching for "AJP PR3 Dakar" - maybe Martin and I are not the only people who think it can be done.
There is the Tunisia Rally in March, which I am planning to be fit for. Things going according to plan, I should have shaken down the PR3 by then - hopefully with the new race engine - and she'll have proven herself worthy.
An awful lot happening at AJP too - Martin is setting up his own 3-day rally in Wales later in the year, which will be a good shakedown for the bike.
My mobility is getting better. I had my dressing changed today, and everything is healing nicely - lovely scar. My hip still feels like I've been kicked by a mule, and my arm is still in the sling, but it's getting easier to move around and, crucially, no morphine.
Have a lot of time to think right now - perhaps a little too much. Being up on blocks is a nightmare - you can't do anything. I am working in the stuff for the outsourcer, but this one-handed typing is doing my head in.
Been thinking about fitness and stuff. I can't really exercise just now, and can't get any bike time, this will probably run till the end of the year. It's actually not a bad time of year to break a bone really - there's not many enduros going on.
It is now 400 days until my own planned Dakar start line. The big question for me right now is whether or not I can get my fitness, and bike skills, tip-top for 2009.
There is also the confidence hurdle to get over. Last time I was on a bike, I did myself in pretty badly. This is bond to give me the willies when I come to getting back on a bike. Something to overcome - but I'm definitely aware of it. You start to question yourself - "is somebody trying to tell me something?", or "am I really cut out for this?". I mean, I am itching to get back on the bike, but I am also - understandably I think - a little bit scared too.
Then you think about adversity in general, and what it means. It's just an obstacle. An obstacle is something that gets in the way of your goals. Clearing obstacles is a way of measuring progress.
One of the guys in Swindon asked me if I had had a good think about whether or not I am actually cut out for this whole thing. I told him that I had, and that I was doing it anyway.
Let's take that logic a little further. You try something, screw up, and then give up - you're obviously not meant to be doing it.
I remember when the Wee Yin was learning to walk. She'd get up on her feet, take a few steps, nd fall flat on her face - sometimes really hurting herself in the process. Tears. Wails. Screams. Few minutes later, she's at it again.
Now, does that sound like reasonable behaviour? Surely it's more reasonable to sit her down and say "Look, about this whole walking thing. I'm not sure that you're really made for it - perhaps you should just crawl around where you'll be nice and safe". That would obviously be silly.
Why is me riding an offroad bike any different from the Wee Yin learning to walk? Apart from the obvious addition of a bike. And that I'm older. Still the same thing.
A guy in the 19th century USA, name of Colonel Drake, was one of the best oil drillers of his day. Back in 1859, he was trying to put together a venture He assembled the very best drillers, quarrymen and engineers to tell them of his plan. He wanted to drill. Drill for oil.
They though he was a madman - "Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You're crazy". As I say, he went on to become the number 1 oil driller of his day. Not bad for a madman.
If there is a way, I'll find a way. If there isn't a way, I'll make a way - shit scared of going back on the bike or not.
They had more questions, we were told. We suggested a face-to-face, rather than email back and forward, and they agreed. This is a good sign. We spent three hours with them - whiteboards, easels and laptops - and everybody got on fine.
There are three parts to a computer:
- CPU
How fast it can process things - Memory
How much it can remember - I/O
How well it interacts with the outside world
What you do with computers to improve their I/O is to add a thing called a dongle. This is a wee plug that allows it to talk to more stuff - a wireless network for instance.
So here we are stood outside with a couple of folks, and the one who coined the shit I/O joke was there. He looks exactly like an overweight TinTin would look if he had black hair. So he refers to my ageing friend as "a dongle" - something to improve my ability to interact with the outside world. He'll never know how accurate he was. He has just found out his Missus is expecting. Congratulations - they been trying for a while.
The outsourcer will make a decision by the end of the week. This is a good sign - if there were only 1 horse in the race, then we'd already have had the answer "No". Maybe we could look on the glass as half-full.
My Nautical friend has reached Durban - right at the arse end of Africa - after finishing leg 2 of the round the world yacht race. Only 10 months to go. You can catch up yourself at www.sailorv.co.uk.
Spoke to Martin at AJP. He has been mental busy since the launch of the PR3 (did I ever mention that she weighed 89kg?). He's sold a couple already, the article in Trail Bike Magazine really got people's attention. He reckons that he's found a company in America that provide a ready-built fully race spec Honda XR 200 engine - same engine as Madge - that kicks out twice the power.
Pop that in the PR3 and you will have something faster than a 2-stroke with even less weight. Fuel-efficient, top speed probably 90+, and almost light enough to carry. Add fuel tanks, electrics and stuff like that, you're probably just over 100kg, and you've got a range of about 300 miles or so - well plenty for a Dakar special.
This years route is now published. The stages are slightly shorter than previous years, but there are many more dune sets (they look good on TV). Normally, the route (and the roadbook) is set for cars - not bikes. This basically means that you need bike with the same kind of travelling capabilities as a car - one of the reasons why there are so many big bikes in Dakar.
This year, for the first time, the bikes take a different route - one especially plotted for bikes. This will not only mean less dead bikers (not being run over by cars) but it also means that there is much more terrain that only bikes can go on (narrow trails for instance). There are also more fuel stops. These two things combined means that you need less fuel, and you'll get away with a smaller bike.
Think about that for a second. The entries closed in June. You pay 10 grand to enter a race and you have no idea the route you will be taking.
My bet is that you'll start to see an awful lot smaller bikes in Dakar from now on. Mine will be one of them, but we need to pour some cold water on the current ove affair between my ITM and the KTM 525. There has been an awful lot of people hitting my site searching for "AJP PR3 Dakar" - maybe Martin and I are not the only people who think it can be done.
There is the Tunisia Rally in March, which I am planning to be fit for. Things going according to plan, I should have shaken down the PR3 by then - hopefully with the new race engine - and she'll have proven herself worthy.
An awful lot happening at AJP too - Martin is setting up his own 3-day rally in Wales later in the year, which will be a good shakedown for the bike.
My mobility is getting better. I had my dressing changed today, and everything is healing nicely - lovely scar. My hip still feels like I've been kicked by a mule, and my arm is still in the sling, but it's getting easier to move around and, crucially, no morphine.
Have a lot of time to think right now - perhaps a little too much. Being up on blocks is a nightmare - you can't do anything. I am working in the stuff for the outsourcer, but this one-handed typing is doing my head in.
Been thinking about fitness and stuff. I can't really exercise just now, and can't get any bike time, this will probably run till the end of the year. It's actually not a bad time of year to break a bone really - there's not many enduros going on.
It is now 400 days until my own planned Dakar start line. The big question for me right now is whether or not I can get my fitness, and bike skills, tip-top for 2009.
There is also the confidence hurdle to get over. Last time I was on a bike, I did myself in pretty badly. This is bond to give me the willies when I come to getting back on a bike. Something to overcome - but I'm definitely aware of it. You start to question yourself - "is somebody trying to tell me something?", or "am I really cut out for this?". I mean, I am itching to get back on the bike, but I am also - understandably I think - a little bit scared too.
Then you think about adversity in general, and what it means. It's just an obstacle. An obstacle is something that gets in the way of your goals. Clearing obstacles is a way of measuring progress.
One of the guys in Swindon asked me if I had had a good think about whether or not I am actually cut out for this whole thing. I told him that I had, and that I was doing it anyway.
Let's take that logic a little further. You try something, screw up, and then give up - you're obviously not meant to be doing it.
I remember when the Wee Yin was learning to walk. She'd get up on her feet, take a few steps, nd fall flat on her face - sometimes really hurting herself in the process. Tears. Wails. Screams. Few minutes later, she's at it again.
Now, does that sound like reasonable behaviour? Surely it's more reasonable to sit her down and say "Look, about this whole walking thing. I'm not sure that you're really made for it - perhaps you should just crawl around where you'll be nice and safe". That would obviously be silly.
Why is me riding an offroad bike any different from the Wee Yin learning to walk? Apart from the obvious addition of a bike. And that I'm older. Still the same thing.
A guy in the 19th century USA, name of Colonel Drake, was one of the best oil drillers of his day. Back in 1859, he was trying to put together a venture He assembled the very best drillers, quarrymen and engineers to tell them of his plan. He wanted to drill. Drill for oil.
They though he was a madman - "Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You're crazy". As I say, he went on to become the number 1 oil driller of his day. Not bad for a madman.
If there is a way, I'll find a way. If there isn't a way, I'll make a way - shit scared of going back on the bike or not.
Download the Manic Mission Information Pack for the full story ...
posted by 2009 Dakar at
Monday, November 26, 2007
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