The Desert Diva Our final day was spent at PC3, which was only about 10kms from the plateau where we started – although the team were somewhat more weary and battle scarred than we were on our first passage control only 4 days previously! We had the honour of being both the first and the last PC during the week, although the number of cars and bikes through diminished somewhat.
After we got the go-ahead to close our point, Wallie & Raynhard headed back to Al Ain, and Neil and I headed down to Liwa for a couple of days R&R. We were supposed to have another drive in the Liwa crescent, or at least to go hunting for desert roses, however my car had a faulty alternator, which meant my battery wasn’t charging, which in turn meant no winch, so too risky to head out in 35C heat with just two cars! We had a fine time relaxing by the pool at the Liwa hotel though, and hope to get back to Liwa next weekend.
There were many competitors’ cars and bikes with blown up engines and transmissions this year. Having had many Liwa drives in seasons 10/11- 16 days and 11/12 – 32 days so far, I have noted that conditions were much more difficult this spring, with soft soft sand, mainly due to lack of rain and the effects of the many sandstorms we have had this winter. However cars and bikes can be replaced and this year there were far fewer injuries to participants than of late, which is a very good trend.
So that’s it for the DC2012. Washing done, cars cleaned, sand removed from our ears! Time to start anticipating next year’s event!
