Race to Dakar by Charley Boorman (2006)

Race to Dakar by Charley Boorman (2006)
Read: April 2009

This was one of the books that we asked for for Christmas, as we wanted a good read with a bit of adventure. We really enjoyed the series and book of Long Way Round that Charley did with Ewan McGregor and Long Way Down. Scott read the book first and then we managed to watch the short series before I got onto the book. It was a great choice for reading on the long drive to and from Dahab where we were doing our PADI diving course.

I really enjoyed this book and the writing style is easy to follow, but really engaging. The first part of the book covers Charley's preparations for the Dakar Rally, and the second part is dedicated to his Dakar race with the final part of the book is Charley as he supports the rest of the team once he is out of the Rally. The first part of the book is a bit technical as they develop the bikes and the car for the Rally, but it is fascinating to see how specialised the vehicals must be to not only be allowed to compete (there are various safety criteria each competing vehical must meet) but also to have a chance of actually making it to Dakar. One side-story that I liked was that of the mechanic Gareth - who was a Mechanics student at Bristol or Bath University, but worked on Rally bikes in his free time. He had helped the team on Long Way Down and now was being asked to re-build the custom bikes from scratch but also travel with the team as their mechanic throughout the Dakar.

Charley put in a lot of effort with the training he did in the year leading up to the race. It seems he was in Wales most weekends to learn how to ride on the rough terrain, which I know put a lot of strain on him and his family. So all credit to him. But I did feel that he felt throughout the training and race that he wasn't going to make it. It was quite clear that he didn't have the mental attitude of a Dakar Racer. Simon describes the mentla resilliance needed as being prepared to crawl on broken glass to Dakar if that was what it takes. For example, Charley didn't finish his first two endurance, Enduro, races in England because of rather lame excuses (compred to what he would be doing in the Dakar). I think he let this get to him too early on in the training and he didn't have a chance of the Dakar because he had already allowed himself an easy way out. He did prove me, and everyone else wrong though, when he rode over 300km with two broken hands/wrists through the dunes and desert in the first week of the Dakar. You could really tell that he had the dedication needed to make it through to Dakar at that point - jut not the physical means. He was so upset when it was confirmed that he'd broken his hands and that he wouldn't be able to ride that it did make me wonder if he would come back and try again.

Russ features again in this adventure, as the Producer and fixer for the Race To Dakar team. He and Charley have a good relationship and it is nice to see. When we first emt Russ, in Long Way Down, he often clashed with Ewan and Charley - especially Charley. But they have both developed an understanding of how the other works and a respect for the job and the expereince that each other bring to the team. I was relaly pleased to see them working together again.

One of my favourite parts of the book is when the narrative splits. We hear Charley's story as a fixer, now helping the Race To Dakar team get themselves and equipment from Bivvi to Bivvi, we hear Matt's story as he finishes his Dakar with exhaustion and is picked up by the Sweeper truck, and we hear SImon's story as he soldiers on, the last member of the Race To Dakar team trying to make it all the way for the whole team. Their stories become very different, and I think that Charley achieved what he ahd set out to do - telling the story of the Dakar from the point of view of a self-financing racer - rather than what you see on the big screen TV coverage of the professional teams.

Whilst I enjoyed the book, I think that watching the TV series that accompanied it is important too. I wouldn't say that one is better than the other, and although they fundamentaly tell the same story, the two perspectives - Charley's narrative and the camera's tale - provide the real story. I'm looking forward to reading and watching Charley's next adventure!