Report on a very short ride

Dave Ford

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Timișoara, Romania
Around five weeks ago I had to travel to Dubai, not the sort of place I like to visit, for a conference. Due to the flight schedule I found myself with a full day to kill before the conference started - what to do? Spend a day visiting the largest mall in the world (as measured by total area)? - I'd rather spend a day at the dentist. Decided to see if I could find some motorised entertainment in the desert. After an hour or so's research on t'internet I'd booked a two hour "Dune Bashing" bike tour with Big Red Motorsports and Adventure Tours.

A few weeks later I was in Dubai (this involved a six hour Wizzair flight from Budapest - not a pleasant experience). Posh hotel:





Huge room:



...with a helpful sticker on the desk:



I called Big Red the day before to ask about the best way to get out there. "We'll pick you up from the hotel" - this was a bonus as it turned out to be an hour's drive. Bang on time the next day I was duly picked up and driven out into the desert. We all know that websites can give a very misleading impression of organisations and "attractions". Definitely not the case on this occasion - the whole setup was very professional. There were two other guys plus Alex, the instructor. I was soon kitted out and, after a quick safety briefing, was straight out and into my first experience on soft sand. To start with I fekkin hated it - the bike wouldn't go where I wanted it to and the front wheel just kept washing away. After around 15 minutes I started to get the hang of it - keep the power on and steer with your knees rather than the handlebars. After half an hour or so I was loving it. The environment was spectacular - my first time in any desert:









Eventually we stopped outside the Dubai Mall (not) for a break:



The bike - in superb condition:



Your hero (I like the way the clothing shows off my superb physique):



As we rested I figured I was ready for the Dakar. I've watched the Charley Boorman Race to Dakar series and all the Lyndon Poskitt videos, so am clearly well prepared.

Ten minutes later we were off again. Two minutes after that I hit a very small berm too fast (for me) and came off in a big way, landing heavily on my left shoulder. I was unable to continue; no particular pain but it was difficult to move my left arm. The rescue truck had to sent out and the bike and I were driven back to base. There they gave me a sling for my arm and advised me to go to hospital when back in Dubai, before driving me back to the city. On the way there I decided that, as the shoulder wasn't too painful it would probably be OK if I took it easy.

Survived the conference and returned to Timișoara three days later. There I decided that an X-ray would be a good idea, so off to the local hospital. All was revealed:



"We can rebuild him", they said. And they did:





Under a general anaesthetic they inserted a Kirschener wire to re-align the bones. The surgery was a month ago and I'm slowly regaining the use of my left arm, though have been told not to lift or carry anything for at least another month. Then another month and they'll remove the wire under local anaesthetic.

Was it all worth it? Rationally I'd have to say no - two hours playing in the sand doesn't justify all the hassle that resulted; not just for me but for those around me. But if I was to return to Dubai I wouldn't hesitate to do another tour with Big Red. I hold them in now way responsible for what happened - I was riding beyond my abilities and, as we all know, biking sometimes results in injuries. By the way, the photographs on the Big Red website are, in my view, absolutely representative of what you'll experience.

A final word regarding the treatment I received under the Romanian State health system. The system, quite rightfully, gets a lot of criticism. However I can't fault the treatment I received. OK, the infrastructure is somewhat rundown, but the care I received was excellent.

I'm impatient for the shoulder to fully recover, as I have work to do if the bike is to be ready for the next Dakar:



(Note driveshaft as refurbished by mikeyboy following my last "adventure"):

 
And it started so well... :blast

Hope you heel well.. :thumb

:beerjug:
 
Great report, except the pain bit.
 
That was great...thank you taking the time and trouble to post it and share your (mis)adventure with us.
Great photos too.

Get well soon mate. :beerjug:
 
I hope that all heals up for you .. looked so good at the start ! Get well soon.
 
Enjoyed that! Sorry to hear of your injuries, though you seem to have taken it well. Hope you're soon on the mend. :thumb
Mark
 
Having broken both collar bones at different times I feel your pain Dave. Literally ;)

I like the idea of the wire. I had a plate put in, which I broke (don't ask :rolleyes:), had a heavier one put in & subsequently had it removed. Three general anaesthetics in a year knocks an old body around...
 
By the way, I forgot to mention the price for breaking my collar bone. GBP 145, which I think is quite reasonable considering it included all the riding gear, two hours on an immaculate KTM 450 plus two door-to-door taxi journeys of around one hour each.

Oh, and they didn't charge me for the sling :thumb
 


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