Let's get the boring bits our the way: Travelling to Tunisia is challenging - about 15 hours door to door via CDG in Paris. Arriving at 4PM and hoping to be properly prepared for the next morning was ambitious; and I brought too much kit in general - you really do need to travel light on this one. BUT despite total newbie operations, I have managed to get to the end of day one.
I had an absolute blast today. The terrain has been a mixture of fast hard sand tracks, slower sand, dry lake bed, rocky dry river bed, a bit of road and some more rocky technical elements. Last night we got the full briefing for the overall event, then again this morning we got a more detailed briefing on the first stage, petrol points, lunch stops, tricky bits etc. All good advice. It was desperately hot this morning and everyone was itching to get going, but the actual start 'Go' moment couldn't be rushed.
I think we've done 190KM today - feels like 1,900. I confess I am sore - my hands in particular are very sore from just the constant vibration and hanging on. Some medical tape may be required in the morning, we'll see how some rest goes.
The bike performed perfectly, and together we only had two minor spills - one where a hole appeared from nowhere, and the other where I was just a bit too quick for a corner and had to bail out up a soft bank. All bit of a non-event.
I didn't get any video today as the go pro mount was playing up and I just ran out of time, but I'll have another go tomorrow to rig something up. A few photo's follow. All in all a brilliant first day, grin factor 10, but I was very tired for the last hour and grateful to reach the hotel. Fingers crossed that everything still wants to work tomorrow.
Finally - even when there is important work to be done, it's important to get eating priorities sorted...
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