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| The Dakar | Rate Topic |
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20th, 2008 02:53 am |
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1st Post |
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JoanieReb Member
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Don't really expect any replies here, as The Dakar is not something most race-fans follow, I don't think, but I am in such severe NASCAR withdrawl, thought I'd give it a shot.... Does anyone besides me follow The Dakar? (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakar_Rally for the wiki-summary) Anyway, it was cancelled this year due to political (terrorist) threats. Which reportedly cost Robby Gordon 4.5 million $. (Robby Gordon is a much-hated racer when it comes to NASCAR, but (to me) a very pure multi-talented racer of many venues - a true racing maverick, whom has my greatest respect as such - esp. since he runs his own small company and manages to survive financially when those of lessor talent and determination would have been bank-rupted out of existence by now, I think.) I ususally plug my computer into 24-hour Dakar sites in order to follow it as best I can. But The Dakar is not happening this year, and I became vocal in my disappointment, which led to my being severely criticizied by friends for watching it, because of the number of deaths associated with it. Truly, it is very brutal. And, it IS very sad, it seems like there are about 5-6 Dakar race-related deaths every year - for drivers, usually the motorcyclists; then about 2-3 pedestrians. (Also, lots of livestock and wild animals). And the not-fatal accidents and injuries are very dramatic - on a stripped down, basic, survival-oriented level: ie, An mc rider with two dislocated shoulders relocating one on his own before medics arrive. An mc rider found on his hands and knees near his seeming uncrashed bike, totally disoriented, not knowing for sure where he is or what happened, being airlifted out and then his bike being canabilized by another mc racer whose bike was wrecked earlier, so that the second driver could continue on. Also, lots of "road kindness", with drivers of cars, MCs, and trucks all working together to save each others' asses out there in the desert. I hate the deaths, but love The Dakar. The "VS" Channel is running synopses of the 2007 (last year's) race on TV, since the 2008 is cancelled. It's pretty brief coverage, just 1/2 hour (about 16 minutes when you subtract commercials) per day. Tomorrow they will be showing the last and 14th stage, which will result in the second MC driver's death. My 15-year-old daughter is freaking out at me, saying that I cannot watch it, it is wrong. As are a couple of my friends. Believe me, I am not watching it because of that, it broke me heart last year - both the MC drivers' deaths. But this is real racing, Man against the elements, pushing it to the limits. Is it so wrong for something this dangerous and elemental to continue on? I know there was a song written about it, something about "500 idiots at the starting line". I love the Iditarod, too. Dog-sled racing at it's best. The Iditarod has become much more palatable over the last two decades as things are done to decrease dog and human mortality/injury. Just wondering, is my love of the Dakar really as uncivilized as I am being told? I am guessing that this is too unknown of a subject, and that I have written too long on it, for anyone to reply. But, WtH, I might be surprised....
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20th, 2008 04:06 am |
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2nd Post |
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kj3553 Born in the wrong century 
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I don't follow it as closely as you do, JoanieReb, but I know the race you're writing about and thought it a shame that it was cancelled due to "political" threats. And yes, Robbie and others lost a butt-load because of that. Do they have insurance for things like this?
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20th, 2008 08:13 am |
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3rd Post |
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ole Member 
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Joanie: If these people weren't in it voluntarily, I would object. But participants die at NASCAR events, and Indy, and climbing mountains, and jumping out of perfectly fine airplanes, and charging down foaming rivers in flimsy little boats. And people go broke betting on a small business. There are timid, cautious, judicious, bold and reckless types out there, but it is not up to me, or anyone else to forbid them from riding a bike (motor or pedal) without helmets, to tell them that they shan't. You pays your money and takes your chances. That you enjoy watching them do it makes me no nevermind. I watch prize fighters (and Ultimate Fighting when I can get it for free). Mano e' mano! Whether for fun or money, it's man (oh, alright, woman) against himself or another, one on one. Pushing the envelope has always been a human sort of thing (and I'd like to believe that it is peculiarly American). Viva, Dakar! ole Last edited on Sun Jan 20th, 2008 08:14 am by ole |
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20th, 2008 08:20 am |
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4th Post |
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Roger Member 
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ole wrote: Pushing the envelope has always been a human sort of thing (and I'd like to believe that it is peculiarly American). I thought we invented that kind of thing 
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20th, 2008 10:13 am |
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5th Post |
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ole Member
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Nonsense, Roger! Y'all made some nice 4-bangers at one time, and some really nice limos, but y'all also had Lucas -- which, as I've heard, is why y'all drink ale and such at cellar termperature, and why you haven't advanced to sweet tea. ole
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20th, 2008 10:17 am |
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6th Post |
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Roger Member
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ole, I know enough about you from your posts that I'm sure you would agree not all progress is good. The importing of cold insipid American beer is one example Roger
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20th, 2008 11:09 am |
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7th Post |
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PvtClewell Member 
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Oh, I don't know. Cold and insipid is most refreshing when it's 95 degrees outside. or if there's a pizza in front of you. Or NASCAR. It might be required at The Dakar. Insipid beer? I thought you insipid single malt. But we guzzle beer. Especially when it's 95 degrees outside. And definitely not at cellar temperature. (sorry, couldn't resist)
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| Posted: Sun Jan 20th, 2008 11:15 am |
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8th Post |
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Roger Member
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Nd to apologise Pvt.C. That comment was put there as bait, I didn''t have to wait long  If it ever reaches 95 Degrees where I am in Yorkshire I might be tempted to drink my beer a bit colder Roger
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 02:26 am |
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9th Post |
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JoanieReb Member
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Hey, are Y'All hijacking my thread to have fun on? I hope so, as long as I can play, too! I know this seems like a real non-secquitor (I have NO IDEA how to spell that right now, and spell check doesn't either!) - but, could we please send Roger some scrapple? He's British, he'd probably LIKE it! COLD!!!!! And, the less scrapple on THIS side of the pond, the better. While I fear few things in my life, I DO fear scrapple....I have nightmares that the apocalypse comes, and there is nothing left to eat but scrapple, and I have to choose between starvation and....well, never mind, it is too awful to comtemplate. (The biggest deterent to to tourism in PA is scrapple!) But I bet the Brit's would happily wash it down with warm suds. Anyway, today I watched the last stage of last year's Dakar again, and sure enough, Eric Abideux (sp?) died again. The sad thing is, as last year, the announcers said he crossed the finish, then died of an appartent heart attact at 42 years of age. It was later shown, he crashed during the day, suffered internal injuries, finished the race, and then proceeded to die from the IE's. Well, at least he didn't have to eat scrapple. Last edited on Mon Jan 21st, 2008 05:48 am by JoanieReb |
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 02:36 am |
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10th Post |
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JoanieReb Member
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Also, after the above reply: Kj asked a most intelligent and insightful question, about the insurance and all - and sadly, kj, I bet there is no insurance for Robby where this event is concerned: If an event doesn't run, everybody loses. Robby Gordon would have gotten money from sponserships. He drove a "Monster Energy Drink" sponsered Hummer last year, if I recall. With no race, his sponser(s) withdraw(s), he loses his ride....technically, all he had to offer was his extreme talent as a driver - and he was going to be hired - and paid well - to drive for a sponser and for glorifying Hummers. When the race was cancelled, so was his job, and ergo, his pay...I think... Last edited on Mon Jan 21st, 2008 02:37 am by JoanieReb |
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 02:45 am |
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11th Post |
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kj3553 Born in the wrong century
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Been to Pennsylvania a number of times, but never tried scrapple. I'll take your word, JR, that it is the bane of the world. ;-)
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 06:11 am |
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12th Post |
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Roger Member
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Scrapple!!!????  What the ...... I'm going to have to ask my friend Wiki.Roger
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 06:21 am |
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13th Post |
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JoanieReb Member
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Don't worry about the scrapple right now, Roger; you are safely separated from it by an ocean, thank your lucky stars! If you will kindly go to the Dale, Jr. thread, you will see that we have more important immediate concerns, like finding you a NASCAR driver. Thank You, JoanieReb
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 06:24 am |
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14th Post |
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Roger Member
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JoanieReb, just come back here from there, thanks. I wiki'ed Scrapple, looks ok to me, We eat Black Pudding here which is probably the nearest equivelent. Roger
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 06:30 am |
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15th Post |
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JoanieReb Member
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"I wiki'ed Scrapple" Dear God, Roger! Out of curiousity, so did I, and found this statement: "Scrapple is arguably the first pork food invented in America." I am afraid. Very afraid. I fear I will not be able to sleep for days on end. Wait a minute! I remember: There IS a cure - be back later, I'm gonna go cook up a mess of grits....
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 06:34 am |
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16th Post |
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Roger Member
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Grits I have heard of, wouldn't know one if I tripped over it though.
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 06:47 am |
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17th Post |
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JoanieReb Member
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Well, Roger, unless you encounter some delicious good-sized lumps in your grits, you wouldn't trip over them, you would fall into them. The "most popular" thread here at CWi ("Southern Gentlemen", in Idle Chit-Chat) was launched on the power of grits. And, NASCAR was originally fueled by grits-eating drivers. To show how far NASCAR has come, one of the clips repeatedly played on The Speed Channel (The US's televison racing network) shows the disarmingly lovable and charming!!!! Aussie Busch-series driver, Marcus Ambrose, being introduced to grits on the NASCAR curcuit. He didn't like them.... However, more important things at hand. We MUST get you the "Dale" documentary DVD, seriously. If, after you watch it, you feel no connection to the sport, well, it IS a lost cause where you are concerned. But I'm sure, from your pictures of your mini's and the waves that you encounter at sea, that you Will get it. Last edited on Mon Jan 21st, 2008 06:48 am by JoanieReb |
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| Posted: Mon Jan 21st, 2008 06:59 am |
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18th Post |
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Roger Member
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Not sure if US dvd's would work here. Which reminds me of an incident involving an electrical appliance sent from my wifes friend in Florida. There was a flash and then everything went dark!! If she'd only listened in the first place.....
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