Mechanical problems
Stage 5. Riding in flour bag
Stage 5. Copiapo-Antofagasta, Special 483 km
Stage pos 61 #76 SEEL 08:02:34 (+02:09:54), total 46.
500 km all in dust or fesh-fesh, like a powder fog hanging in the air. Impossible to pass anyone, just ride within your gap. Frustrating because can’t navigate or plan my riding. Fesh is bad but mixed with fog it’s evil. Goggles smeared when dust mixes with fog, vision zero. Took a plunge behind a quad, couldn’t see where to go. At cp1 all laughed; I was totally covered in dust.
I started passing some riders but then engine began stalling, the air filter clogged. It’s like riding in a flour bag – the dust gets everywhere in the engine. I stopped and cleaned the filter, while everybody passed me. Had to start chasing in dust again… this happened about 10 times. So much problems with the motor. Then the electric starter refused to work… That means I lost some 30 min, so unnecessary.
Photo by FlyVardagen.nu
I had a quick chat with Mange (my mechanic friend), his comment about me and my bike on his blog:
“Annie has been struggling with her injured thumb and also a weak engine. It was quiet clear that her engine had lost the compression, and a quick look at the air cleaner which was bone dry, confirm that this was a possibility. The intake valves are most likely worn down due to poor air filter maintenance. Annie’s mechanic will have to check the valve clearance tonight, and maybe remove the head to inspect the valves. Annie has got a spare engine with her, if worst comes to worst.”
* Above:
Richie from Team Husaberg testing Annie’s bike – how’s the engine?
*Left:
My team MecaSystem working at the bike full of fesh-fesh (powder sand). Everything must be cleaned up.
They will have to look the whole engine through, and see if it’s possible to repair it or if a change is necessary.
* Right:
Annie having a break with drink for energy after the tough stage. Fluid is more essential than food.
* Below:
Late night work in the darkness – fixing roadbook for the next day using head lamp. A thorough study of the tracks and marking all dangers and changes of route.
Stage 4. Painful day, and slow
Fiambala-Copiaco, special stage shortened by 40 km, start delayed by some 1:30 h.
Stage standing 73, 02:35:27 (+00:48:29), total 48.
Image by Maindru Photo
A day in much pain and riding one handed. Very rocky and twisty in the mountain terrain, I needed to hold on to the bike and use brakes in sharp corners. My twisted thumb was useless, it was too painful to use brakes or gas, every rock bump and jump hurt like hell. Only some kms after start I fell when braking into a corner, and the brake lever got stuck in full brake. Had to get tools out and fix it. So, many riders passed me :-(.
Got rolling again in all the dust; slowly, not to ride into something. Half way on the sandy tracks and dunes I started catching up again.
A comment from Mange, my mechanic friend, who’s ben helping me to build many of my bikes:
“I had a quick chat with Annie, and her riding is very much affected by her injured thumb. Most people that do dirt riding know what I am talking about. Due to this injury Annie had to ride with her thumb on top of the handle bar which made it very difficult to steer the bike, and control accelerator and break…”
Not really a success, but I made it through the stage quite well – considering. Still the Leading Lady…
Also some time to relax a little, and to mail when having access to internet:
Home from Hell!
What happened? Why can’t it just be a nice ride from start to finsih? Riding was not the problem, but as always things happend… and this has been the most dangerous Dakar I’ve ridden – not the track but the dust. You were never in a clear spot chasing up the field…
Starting first stage perfectly with a 41st place without too much pushing through the dust. But then…
On stage 5 my front mudguard broke, caught the front wheel pulling the brake cable and jammed it into full stop – and face plant over the handlebars!
I broke my nose and ripped off the chin piece of my helmet, lucky not to break my neck. Also badly bent handlebars, so riding the remaning 150 kms was tough in the dunes and lama grass, rain, hale and mud (no mudguard means all shit was in my face…)
And then on stage 12 my carburettor was not working, so I had major problems ridning the bike, specially up the steep and sandy mountainclimbs. Flipped the bike on the top of the biggest and injured my right shoulder (same as in Egypt) and then handling the bike one-armed was hell.
I fell a few more times on the shoulder and making it worse until I could not hold on to the bike. A car team stopped and called for the helicopter to rescue me. But I refused to push the “red button” of quitting, instead asked the doctor to tape up my shoulder so I could continue. No-one of the other bikers who stopped to watch me thought I could ride on. Ha! They dont know me!!! Did all the dunes, sandy river beds, rocks, bushes and fesh-fesh.
Of course also got out of fuel because of the malfunctioning carb. I had to stop locals and beg for fuel and find a village with a station…
It took until sunset before I cleared the stage.
So what can i say – happy to be alive and reach the finish! That’s Dakar!
Stage 12. Finished at last after 14 hrs
In the evening at 9 Annie made it to the finish as no 115 (last one?), time 13:38:43. And in addition 4 hrs penalty for exeeding the time limit. It sucks…
The bike has run badly all day – very slow, consuming too much fuel etc. She got gas from people in the villages. Also Henrik Rahm, a fellow competitor, helped out.
The malfunctioning bike also caused crashes. She is badly hurt in the shoulder. A rescue helicopter came and bandaged the shoulder, it ached terribly. Henrik wanted her to quit the race. No way!!!
A Lady in distress…
She was only 5 km from finish, at a river ridge and couldn’t get over. (Fiambala area) She needed help to find a passage.
She tried to call/sms her rally-friend Henrik. But there was no connection. So Annie called home to Swden from her mobile phone in the evening. Sister Eila started a contact network. But in the meantime she found a way to get over the river-bed and made it to the finish.
After that there were still 260 km liaison.
Henrik finished at 7 pm (local time).
A lot of trucks and cars were stuck too at the river. Many participants have criticized the route – sensless planning, terrain not suitable for rally vehicles etc. And too dangerous.
It was a long day’s thrill also for all supporters. Many of them tried to get assistance for Annie. Thanks!
Posted by Sis Eila
Stage 7, Jan 9 Mendoza-Valparaiso. Still going strong
Again the stage was reduced because of difficult terrain and the mountain-section was excluded. The trucks didn’t start att all, instead they went directly to Valparaiso.
Annie’s riding was very good. Overtook many bikers, place about 50. But then got unlucky again: the shock absorber broke (is changed already 3 times!), the front fork leaked oil into the break, so stopping was impossible. Fell several times and lost much time; finished as 60. Seems to have bad karma, jinxed with trouble… Anybody who knows voodoo? Some white magic could help.
But the atmosphere is really fantastic! Never experienced so much enthusiasm among the spectators. Had no idea that rally is so big here. Several riders are south-americans, so it’s fun to have the rally here. It’s crowded everywhere, along the route and around the bivouacs – all ages from kids to oldies, parents showing up their babies to us, begging for autographs etc. The Latins are real party people.
All support makes one feel excited and strong despite all hardship. Now it’s time for a shower and then rest.
Half of the race is done and 71 bikers have abandoned. Annie’s total is 79.
Posted by Sis Eila
The hardest dunes!
Yesterday evening before midnight at the Bivouac in San Rafael the situation was tensed. Many competitors were still out there in the dunes, blocked by the extreme conditions. Also Annie had a very hard time yesterday. She was involved in a accident as the brake cable got stuck into the wheel and she fell with her helmet on the navigation system. She told me she was luck to be alive, and not have suffered from heavy injuries. The view of her helmet was scary. The whole face protection part was broken.
Annie and many others described these dunes a the hardest dunes ever. A very experienced “dune skater” like Annie, felt like an amateur in this particular environment. “They where hard at the bottom, and soft at the top” she said.
I stayed with her at the medical center until 3.30 am when she got to bed. She explained to me she saw a BMW in flames in the dunes. Trucks upside down, motorbikers resting together and searching shelter from the thunderstorm.
At 6:30 this morning she was awake, with a new helmet in her hand, and started the next stage. Few hours ago I checked, and she had started the special stage in time. Fingers crossed for Annie Seel, the swedish rally princess who is able to stay focused also in the most difficult situations when many others prefer to quit.
Stage 5 Jan 7, Neuquen-San Rafaël. A disaster.
For now I’m happy to be alive! At 358 km the front mudguard was torn off, maybe caused by a big stone. It got in the wheel and tore off the break cable too.
It was an abrupt stop, I flew over the bike and crashed the front of the helmet. I barely saved my teeth, nose and eyes. But didn’t break my neck.
I fixed the bike and struggled on. The last part of the stage was like hell – sand with vegetation, and rain and hail. But I made it to the finish, after 12 hrs as 121st.
Watch the video (available only for a limited time)
http://video.eurosport.se/rallyraid/dakar/2009/blaslagen-seel-om-olyckan_vid94468/video.shtml
Posted by Sis Eila
Stage 4 Jacobacci-Neuquen. Technical trouble.
Annie finished with position 54. This stage with over 380 Km of special seems to be one of the more difficult ones, including difficult terrains and a navigation.
*
At the Bivouac in Neuquen after stage 4:
Annie told she had some problems with the engine start and her motorbike stopped. She asked a couple of drivers to help her, but they were also extremely tired. She lost more than one hour because of this technical problem, although she was riding very well – she said. “I will never gain back this hour” she said…
Annie also explained me how dangerous it is to overtake in the sand. Every time by overtaking, motorbike drivers put their life at stake. It’ s a real challenge.
I arrived in the bivouac of Neuquen, and still have no information about the race and on how Annie is doing. Fingers crossed this stage has no unexpected surprises for her.
/ Dunerider
“The big delay on this stage was because I helped a crashed biker (he then must quit the rally). Before this I was ranked 35. Probably I’ll get back the lost time.”
/ Note by Sis Eila
Stage 2 Jan 4, Santa Rosa-Puerto Madryn. Many difficulties.
Rally Dakar 2009, originally uploaded by dunerider70.
Annie at the end of stage 2 in Puerto Madryn, at the Iritrack service.
*
During this stage she crashed some of here instrumentation and had to replace it. The track was dusty and dangerous, she decided not to risk anything. But she missed a speed control. Then she fell some 15 times in the fesh-fesh. It is super soft sand making thick whirling clouds – can’t see a thing! A great risk to run down each other, which can be fatal. Lost very much time. She’s a little disappointed finishing only 90th, yet happy not to be among the many who already must quit the rally.
/ Posted by Sis Eila
Jan 3, Annie’s first stage – a good start
I met Annie this afternoon immediately after she arrived to the bivouac. Her position after SS1 was no.41. She said she wasn’t very happy with herself. She mentioned she did too many mistakes. Many People cheering, many 90 degrees fast turns. Because she was late this morning at the start, and lost some additional time refueling, she got caught by the dust cloud of the competitors. “Tomorrow is another day” she said. I could see the frustration on her face, but I’m sure tomorrow she will be happier.
/ Dunerider
*
A chaotic morning. Short of time on the liasion because of trouble at the fuel station. So I started as 110 instead of 93. I overtook many riders in all the dust. It’ was very dangerous, couldn’t see anything. Many others had accidents.
But I had a good flow and the engine is strong. Several top bikers damaged the tyres, but I had no problems. Though the oil pressure worried me. Luckily I found the reason: a hose was squeezed, so I fixed it.
A very good rally start: finished as 41!
/ Posted by Sis Eila
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Annie Seel - Rally Princess of Dakar 