Brief, but pants......

To the relief of many of our readers, today’s rambling monologue will be a little shorter. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the reason for a relatively short blog is that Mr. and Mrs B. suffered an even shorter competitive entry in today’s Special Stage. Because about 10 miles* in to what should have been 200 miles* of desert crossing today, a component part of the Patrol gave up the ghost.

I’ll give you three guesses as to which part. Was it;

A) The PK 2040 EPDM serpentine belt

B) The parabolic accumulatory giblet nubbler

C) The sequential crank angled oojamaflip

If you guessed A) then well done, you’ve been paying attention to the earlier blogs. If you guessed B) or C), you’ve probably just come from a very late night out and are currently feeling a little tired and emotional. Or you work behind the parts counter at Halfords.

After replacing the belt for the umpteenth time, looking to the heavens and quietly uttering the words “Goodness me this is all really rather tiresome”, Ian made the smart decision to return to the bivouac rather than keep driving through the stage and eventually run out of PK 2040 EPDM serpentine belts somewhere beyond the black stump.

The whole team spent the rest of today removing alternators, water pumps power steering pumps etc. from the vehicle, dismantling those as best they could and making sure all the pulleys were free to rotate without binding, and aligned with one another. Thanks to the BMW crew for the loan of the Torx tools and letting Ian have a look over what turns out to be exactly the same alternator used on their race car, to ensure ours was not damaged in any way. And how’s this for service; the very nice Mr. Nadir from Al Ghandi, who supplied the parts yesterday, rang me at mid-day today to check that he’d supplied the correct parts, and to ask how the team were getting on. If he carries on like that, Mr. Nadir will be on next year’s service crew!). Watch your back Rick (not you Rick).

In other news Team Saluki’s day was cut short with fuel issues, Fadi Melky pulled out at the halfway point (problem as yet unknown), Mike Ziegler didn’t start and Malcolm Anderson and Patrick McMurren finally had a decent days desert duning. Well done DuneRaiders. It appears James West didn’t start today – apparently he has an injured hand which is making it painful for him to ride, yet yesterday he was fastest UAE finisher. And a mention too for 21 year old local motocross rider Sam Sunderland, who proved that his stage win on Day 2 was no fluke with another Stage win today. Better watch your back James……

Right I’m signing off from the blog for another year. I am flying to the UK tonight to test drive some fast expensive cars courtesy of those very nice people at Jaguar. Ian will hopefully be updating the blog tomorrow, the final day of the rally. I’d like to thank my agent, PR staff, writers, chauffer and masseuse for their support, which has allowed me to make it through a tough few days. But I can’t because I don’t have them. This phantom blogging pays less than being a service crew member. Eh Rick? (no, not you Rick, the other Rick).

It’s been emotional.

* Miles: What kilometres become when they grow up.