Another great Dorset Dakar expertly arranged by Andrew which was I’m sure greatly enjoyed by all riders, spectators and casual passers by. We manned the Pop Up Cafe which is in a lovely location with fantastic views and with plenty of shade. It was a pleasure serving out drinks and food to you all. We didn’t know how popular our bacon rolls would be but they were scoffed in double quick time! We’ll have to bring more next year. Our daughter who helped this year at the cafe remarked how friendly everyone was even though she had never met them before, our son-in-law is threatening sausages for next year!
Thankyou to Andrew for organising the day, again, which he does efficiently and with good humour. Thanks also to Liz, Howard and Ray for plenty of photos.
So the 2026 Dorset Dakar comes to an end and we hope all who took part had a good time, some 27 signed on for the Dakar and 3 for the Tarmac version, with riders from all over the UK some planning to do the White Horse Trial on Sunday. The weather HOT ( 30 degrees C ) with a fresh Easterly breeze at the Compton Abbas airfield, signing on and liquid refreshment was partaken of. Ray & Linda were in charge of this department. Safety Brief at 10-45 am and at 11am in 3 groups of around 9 riders each, at 5min intervals set out, followed later by the Tarmac Team , the route very dry with the only moisture at the Stratford Tony Ford. To Tollard Royal up the hill back past Wingreen then across up Whitesheet hill onto the Old Roman Road to the Pop Up Cafe where an excellent range of refreshments were provided gratis but Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance donations hinted at, the team here was Fay, Andy & Alison. Onwards to the Racecourse right, down the hill to Stratford Tony Ford (optional) many riders crossed without major problems , then up the hill to join the main road right and right again into Broad Chalke where with the kind permission of the Vicar we parked in the Church car Park and adjourned to the Queens Head to do as we pleased,
Here the Spoon of Determination was presented to Geoffrey and Jo Stovold for finishing the run on their Matchless G3 two up ( a first for us ) well done. To give you an idea of the level of bravado our riders displayed, also entered were a 1921 Harper Runabout a 1942 Harley Davidson 45, an immaculate (at the start ) 1970 Bonneville, you guys are fearless.
As well as to all those named above thanks to group guides David and Steve, Colin and Sam and finally Greg. To avoid a long list many members of our Dorset Section volunteered or were pressed into assisting in many ways Thankyou to you all.
Finally after deductions we raised for the Air Ambulance £333 and some coppers so as well as some motorcycling fun we did a little good, now to contemplate Dorset Dakar 2027 !
Andrew Rae.
Our next run is The White Horse Run on Saturday 25 July 9.30 from The Udder Farmshop, East Stour, SP8 5LQ. This is a longer run so bring something that can handle a 100 mile run.
AT COMPTON ABBAS AIRFIELD
AT THE POP UP CAFE
AT STRATFORD TONY FORD
AT THE QUEENS HEAD, BROAD CHALKE
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