A struggling actor enters one of the most dangerous motorcycle
races in the world and kicks up a lot of dust.The Dakar Rally is an
insane 15,000-kilometer chase across the desert to Dakar, Senegal,
that involves dirt, death and a voracious African weed called
"camel grass." Professional riders and venturesome journeymen from
all over the world enter the event every year, hoping to prove
their mettle, and some of them never make it home alive. Boorman, a
part-time British actor and motorcycle enthusiast, had a brief
moment in the limelight with a reality-TV show and later a book
(Long Way Round, 2005) that chronicled his adventures with pal Ewan
McGregor as they circumnavigated the globe on their bikes. For his
next move, he decided to make good on an offhand comment about
entering the Dakar Rally. He solicited the help of several seasoned
riders and began an intensive training process to prepare for the
race. The resulting adventure is replete with colorful characters,
hair-raising action and enough raw machismo to knock over an
elephant. Boorman writes with simplicity and grace, although his
first-person narrative ultimately sputters out. He certainly
underwent some hardships in order to compete in the Rally, but he
doesn't quite seem to understand why he did it. The book hits its
climax as the excited competitors line up at the starting line,
then slowly loses momentum from there. This would have been a much
more interesting story if the author had focused on some of the top
riders and left his own ambitions out of it.Gets off to a fast
start, but flags before the finish line. (Kirkus Reviews)
In 2004 Charley Boorman completed his astonishing round-the-world
bike trip with his friend, Ewan McGregor. The journey left him
exhausted, exhilarated and hungry for a new challenge. And what
greater challenge than the Dakar rally? Beginning in Lisbon and
ending in the Senegalese capital of Dakar, the rally covers 15,000
kilometres of treacherous terrain, and is widely regarded as the
most dangerous race on earth. With his team-mates Simon Pavey and
Matt Hall, Charley faced extreme temperatures, rode through
shifting sands and stinging winds, and faced breakdowns miles from
civilisation. Charley recounts his extraordinary adventures through
Portugal, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea and
Senegal. He also follows the stories of other riders - an
eccentric, dedicated band of professionals and rookies who all
dream of one thing: reaching the finishing line. Race to Dakar is
the thrilling account of a race that has captured the imagination
of millions.
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