Dakar Race Brings Heat to Frozen Wisconsin

January means a fresh start for a lot of us, but no more than for the competitors in the Dakar Rally in South America. Dakar 2017 began on the second day of the new year and will end on the fourteenth after traversing three countries and nearly 10,000 kilometers.

The Dakar Rally had its beginnings in Europe in 1979. It originally started in Paris, France and ended in Dakar, Senegal, which is on Africa's west coast. Over the next 30 years the starting points in Europe and finish lines in Africa varied, but the race itself continued to be a challenge for all who attempted it. The terrain in north Africa was forbidding and there are many stories of racers lost in the deserts. There were categories for motorcycles, cars and trucks. Participation steadily increased from 182 to over 600 in 1988. By the mid-nineties, however, the number of racers was down to around 250. Entries climbed again, though, and by 2007 the number was 511. In 2008 the rally was cancelled due to terrorist threats in Africa. The rally was held in South America in 2009 and has taken place there ever since.

This year's rally began in Asuncion, Paraguay, and includes categories for motorcycles, cars, trucks and quads. The riders and drivers will go through Bolivia and finish in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The Dakar 2017 app is a great way to follow the race. There is also a 30 minute program on NBCSN each night that recaps the stage from the previous day.

In the dead of winter in Wisconsin, when my motorcycles are tucked away, I enjoy watching the racers in the heat and the sand of the South American deserts. It makes me think about the adventures that await my bikes and me when Mother Nature releases her cold hard grip on the landscape.