The Hummers looked like stealth fighters in a world of crop dusters. The locals loved them, and one guy was trying to buy them on the spot. Gordon said he "would never sell one of his trucks again", as back in the U.S. his biggest off-road competition are the teams that campaign his old trucks.
DAY 5, 11:50 AM
PORTELA AIRPORT, LISBON, PORTUGAL
I boarded a TAP airline flight to Newark, New Jersey. I was scheduled to be home in Los Angeles at 10:00pm Pacific Standard time. As beautiful as Portugal was, it was time to move on as Lisbon seemed like the wrong place to be without a race to run in. I can only hope that I get to return to next year's Dakar Rally, and that Volkswagen will still be looking to be the first diesel-powered vehicle to win the race.
ADVICE WE GOT BEFORE WE WENT TO DAKAR
Take lots of sterile baby wipes, and keep your hands clean. It's no fun feeling less than 100% when you still have to make the distance. It's difficult just because of the sheer length of the race. You have to find a pace that doesn't smash your vehicle to pieces, and yet you have to get into bivouac early enough to rest, eat, and make necessary repairs. Get this right and you won't go wrong. A bad day has a terrible effect that is difficult to recover from. Other than that, just keep smiling and enjoy the ride. Before you know it, you will be by the pool at the Meridian Hotel in Dakar thinking about how to get on the following year's rally!
If you wish to impress the locals, try speaking French. Even the basics will be appreciated. Take a box of pens and give them to the children. A simple "stylo" will make for one happy school kid.
Steven Rogers
Dakar Competitor, 2001 and 2002