The Spirit of Rally Dakar is alive. On March 23th, 2010 the organizer ASO has announced that the third adventure would be held in Argentina and Chile.

On April 29th they announced the route for the 3rd edition. I have taken it and transformed it into a Google Map for my own planning and share it with you. Step by step I will actualize it to be prepared for January 1st at Buenos Aires Obelisk and than travelling with the rally through the North of Argentina and Chile.

There will be some new challenges for the drivers, as they (I suppose) will cross the Chilean border at Paso de Llama at nearly 5000 m (16400 ft) above sea level and later they will reach 5200 m (17000 ft) on a paved road or in a very sandy area. This is the highest place that I have ever reached with my old Toyota Hilux pickup. The landscape from Calama (Chile) to Arica is very, very dry. And if you plan to travel here, you must check your fuel, because there are only very few patrol stations. For the 560 km (350 mi) from San Salvador de Jujuy to Calama (Chile) you need some 60 liter (17 gal.) diesel. There is on patrol station on the way in Susques, but if we all will stop there???) From Calama the next petrol station is some 525 km (330 mi) ahead in Iquique and then in Arica, some 450 km (280 mi) more in the North. Travelling directly from Calama without looking the Rally is possible with only 60 liter (17 gal.) diesel. Arica is a beautiful city in the North of Chile at the border to Peru. Well, later I will write more details.

In total the Rally Dakar 2011 will run some 7500 km to 8000 km* (4700 mi to 5000 mi) and goes North.

* Estimation based on the using of roads and not going off-road.
The fuel consumption based on my experience with a Toyota Hilux 4X4 Dob Cab pickup.

View Rally Dakar 2011 in a larger map

Soon I will detail the information.

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Regards
Senior

On December 29th the Spirit came back to South America. The Rally Dakar 2010 opened its doors to welcome the teams with their motorbikes, quads, cars and trucks and the spectators. The big event started and the Spirit took some time to arrive, but then he came and entered into the Exposition Center “La Rural” in Buenos Aires, Palermo. And the most important of all he came and fascinates us once more. So enjoy the first images of this great event that is one more time shaking today the famous, beautiful Capital of Argentina Buenos Aires.

On January 2, 2009 the beautiful megacity Buenos Aires experienced one of two peaks of the Spirit of Rally Dakar 2009. At 16:00 o’clock the podium at Buenos Aires Obelisk was opened and all participants of the Rally drove the few kilometers from the Exposition Center “Rural” to the Obelisk at Av. 9 de Julio in Buenos Aires Downtown to be presented officially as participant. We felt that something special would happen, but we had no idea about what would happen.

First you must know that Argentine people are crazy for motorsport. This has its roots in Manuel Fangio, five times World Champion of Formula 1 and Carlos Reuteman, two times World Champion of Formula 1. The TV, the newspapers, all talk about Rally Dakar. But the vacations just started and many people were on vacations and so officials estimated that there will not come too much people.

To have a good place near the Podium I started just after lunch and arrived at 13:30 (1:30 pm) at Obelisk. There were a lot of people. But finally I had a optimal place to observe and film all what will be happen.

We had to wait two hours. Then it started. After presenting some official personalities from the Argentine and Chilean Government some greetings were made to all over the world. The Argentine Air force was greeting with a flyover of Mirage aircrafts and then the waiting was over.

The participants were presented in four groups.

Quads

First the quad driver with their different models were presented and interviewed. In total 27 participants from 11 nations. A young boy on the shoulders of his father behind me was asking with audible voice what many of us were thinking: “They will arrive with that?” Some were laughing but we wished them the best.

Motorbikes

Then the first motorbikes were presented. 225 participants with their motorbikes. Start number 1 to 235. The line was enormous and it seemed that it never would end.

Cars

But finally we saw the first cars. This was another big group of 185 cars.

Every car with pilot and co pilot. My favorites were:

300 Stephane Peterhansel and Jean-Paul Cottret on Mitsubishi (FRA)
301 Carlos Sainz and Michel Perin on Volkswagen (ESP)
303 Luc Alphand and Gilles Picard on Mitsubishi (FRA)
305 Ginel de Villiers and Dirk von Zitzewitz on Volkswagen (ZAF/GER)
309 Robby Gordon and Andy Grider on Hummer (USA)
and
315 Orlando Terranova and Alain Guehinnec on BMW (ARG)

On this top favorites we had to wait once more some time. But it was amazing to hear and see them. As Robby Gordon was sent out, he first drove some meters back and we were asking: “What is that? Robby please go ahead and not back!” And then he came. He was accelerating very strong and his Hummer jumped down the Podium. Thanks God it was strong enough to support a heavy Hummer jumping on it.

Trucks

As the trucks arrived at 22:30 hours the people were  beside themselves with joy. The line was immense. Every truck was honking. The people were applauding and the battery of my digital camera was death. So I enjoyed the atmosphere. More than 400000 people came on the streets and to the Obelisk to celebrate the Podium of Rally Dakar 2009. And now the Spirit of Rally Dakar was not only upon this marvelous megacity, no with the quads, motorcycles, cars and trucks it was reaching the whole Nation.

Video

Finally we documented this marvelous afternoon and evening in a 10 minutes video.

When you travel by car from Chile to Argentina or reverse, you have to climb up on the pass. There you will feel the strong winds that always blow from Chile (west) to Argentina (east). And be prepared. It is always very cold there on that altitude of 4000 m (13120 ft) above sea level. You may have 30°C (86°C) in Mendoza, but on the pass it can below 0°C (32°F). But the wow comes on the Pass, the mountains look so beautiful that is it worth the effort to spent a time to make pictures, videos and listen to Fernando, who works there from January to April in the little hostel.

If you are coming from Chile or coming from Argentina you have to pass the tunnel and you must turn right (from Argentine left) some 500 m before the tunnel on Chilean territory and you have to leave the National Road 7 to pass below the old destroyed railway bridge and go ahead on that dirt road to climb up to the mountain pass Cristo Redentor. The valley has an altitude of 3200 m (11500 ft).

The pass is opened from beginnings of January until midst of April. Later the snow and strong winds makes it impassable.

Arriving on the pass we felt the coldness, but we saw the small hostel where we entered and ask for a hot drink. Fernando and Jorge offered us a cup of tea. As we asked Fernando, if he can explain us the beautiful panorama view on the mountains, Fernando went out with us and explained all:

Fernando explains us:

“Hello. My name is Fernando and I am from here, from Cristo Redentor.

I work here.

Well, now explain you what we can see here.

What you see here is the mountain Tolosa, also kwon as man with the short leg. You can see the glacier that looks like a man with a long and a short leg (5432 m / 17822 ft).

Here were we are standing is the pass.

That there is the Mountain Sta. Elena. This is the way that General San Martin came in 1817.

What you see there is the mountain Juncal in Chile (5865 m / 19243 ft). It has a glacier and is the highest mountain of Chile.

Well this is the pass Cristo Redentor.

That statue there is from Buenos Aires. In the year 1902 it was transported by train until Uspallata. From there 100 men were bringing it to this place Cristo Redentor.

We are here since year 2008. Here has been until 1965 the meteorological service.

Now we are here with a hostel and coffeehouse.

Here you can come for horseback rides, alpinism and mountain biking. Well, you can do all here.

Thank you, have a good trip and we hope to see you here again.”

Later we talked with Jorge. He presented himself as the owner of this hostel and he told us that he is a snow board champion and teaches snowboarding in winter during July, August and September. He also is a mountain guide that can guide you on the Aconcagua. Due to bad experiences made with some mountaineers, especially from Europe that thought that they know it better than the mountain guide, he only guides very special friends on the Aconcagua. One of the most important reasons for the accidents at the Aconcagua is that many mountaineers underestimate it.

On my question "Is it possible for me, I am 51 years old, that you guide me on the Aconcagua?" He answered: "Of course. You must be able to run a marathon and have to obey to me! Nothing more! When you are accustomed to the altitude of 3000 m (9843 ft) we need three days to climb up on the Aconcagua 6952 m (22841 ft). So if you are fit, call me and we go!"

Jorge made me thinking on that and not I was hungry to see the Aconcagua, this highest mountain of the Americas, that you cannot see from the pass, because it is behind the mountain "Man with the short leg."

Jorge told me: "Go to the Park Aconcagua, there you can see it".

I thank Fernando and Jorge and hope to see them again soon.

Maybe climbing on the Aconcagua.

We asked Mr. Dirk von Zitzewitz, the co-pilot of Giniel de Villiers in Car No. 305 on Jan. 1^st, 2009 the following question on his blog:

Dear Mr. Zitzewitz. I champ as you at the bit for the Rally Dakar 2009. Yesterday we visited the arrival of the cars in the Exposition Center “Rural” in Buenos Aires. We have some short questions for you: How did you prepare yourself for the extreme altitude? You as person and the VW Touareg. I travelled personally various times in the Atacama Desert in an altitude up to 5200 m (17060 ft) above sea level (without oxygen mask). I was able to work 50 m (56 yards) away from my pickup. And this Toyota Diesel could run only in the second gear with 40 km/h (25 mph). We would appreciated your answer and we wish you the best for the Rally Dakar 2009 and we hope to see your Touareg tomorrow at the Obelisk or on Jan. 9^th, 2009 at the Aconcagua in Mendoza, when you are heading to Chile.

Regards.

On Jan 2^nd, 2009 Mr. Siems answered in the name of Mr. von Zitzewitz:

We have tested the conditions of the Andes in a combine climatic-/altitude-chamber where we simulated temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure together with the airflow of the car regarding different speeds on an integrated dynamometer. During the tests we observed an innovative component of the 2.5 turbo-diesel engine (TDI) over several days. Here we developed an engine map of the mode of operation of the bi-turbo in different altitudes, to prevent an over-rewing of the turbo that may occur because of the rare air. During the rally a sensor permanently is measuring the actual altitude and the electronics of the engine controls the maximum speed of the sophisticated turbo system. We have simulated altitudes up to 4000 m (13123 ft) and basing on these test data we recalculated the engine map for more extreme conditions. Beside testing the stability of the motor we also optimized the power of the engine. Because of the extreme conditions in the Andes the engineers of Volkswagen are estimating a loss of power of more than 20 percent. (Source: Volkswagen Motorsport).

Due to the rally and vacations we send a last greeting on Feb. 14, 2009:

First we thank you for your explanation and send our congratulations for winning the Dakar 2009. This result demonstrated clearly that the car and the team were perfectly prepared. We checked this personally on the road from Uspallata [Village in Mendoza] to Chile, as your Volkswagen Touareg No. 305 was passing us in an altitude of 3000 m (9843 ft) with a speed of 90 km/h (55 mph) while our Toyota 2.8 liter diesel engine (technology similar to the 1.6 liter engine in the Volkswagen Golf II (Rabbit II) couldn’t speed up to more than 50 km/h (30 mph). We were thrilled by the Rally Dakar, especially by Volkswagen. We hope that we have a chance to meet you personally in 2010.

Many thanks.

Remark: Would be great to find this technology in the new Volkswagen pickup Amarok. It would be launched in the beginning of 2010.

Look here the Volkswagen Touareg Car No. 305 at the start on the Podium on Jan 1st, 2009 in Buenos Aires.

Our readers can read the original blog interview in its original language German under: http://zitzewitz.com/dakar/vor-der-dakar-2009-in-argentinien#comment-80711

Nobody had an idea about what will happen.

On May 30, 2009 the Rally Dakar 2009 came back to Buenos Aires. Indeed, not the cars, not the trucks, not the motorbikes and not the quads. At movie, showing this marvelous event, that has churned the two countries Argentina and Chile in January 2009 was presented.

And I was remembered to this event that started on December 31, 2008 with the technical inspection and the welcome of the participants in the Exhibition Center “Rural” in Buenos Aires. Just on the way to the “Rural” I met the first cars on the highway and streets. The feeling and the spirit in this marvelous mega city Buenos Aires was changes. Something was in the air. But nobody had an idea about what will happen: the press, the TV and the people, really nobody. As I arrived at 10:00 in the subterranean parking area of the “Rural” there were only few cars. I discovered the great area of the Rural Exhibition Center and there were few people and no rally cars in sight. As I said, nobody had an idea about what will happen. I asked some people of the security and Dakar staff and they told me that there are some cars on the Avenue Sarmiento. That was the signal: I went to Av. Sarmiento to see this few cars.

And the Rally Dakar 2009 began: Few cars, now motorbikes, no quads, no trucks and only few people. But then came on the Rally Dakar Spirit and breathed his air into Buenos Aires and I prepared my digital camera to film the first arriving cars.

My main concerns

As I asked some drivers from the Netherlands they only said: “No movie please. No movie!” and then we  started a conservation talking about my main concerns were:

1. How did you prepare yourself for the extreme altitudes were your will drive?

If you are not accustomed to the extreme altitude of 4000 m (13124 ft) and more you may be able to walk slowly some 100 m / yards and then you need to stop because of the oxygen deficit. The mountain sickness can come over you.

2. How did you prepare the motor of your car for the extreme altitude?

A fact is, that the rally will reach an altitude of round about 4700 m (15420 ft) above sea level and I made various times the experience to drive with my pickup, a Toyota Hilux Diesel 4×4 in extreme altitudes up to 5200 m (17061 ft) above sea level when I cruised the Atacama Desert in the region of Calama in Northern Chile near the Paso de Llama. The Toyota motor was prepared up to an altitude of 4800 m (15749 ft), but above it was impossible to drive faster than 40 km/h ( mph) in the second gear.

As I asked that to the drivers they told me that the races are limited up to 3800 m (12468 ft). In the higher stages they only drive connections. And we have some oxygen masks, so don’t worry we are prepared.

And the motor? Well, we have been in a climate and altitude simulation (Blog of Dirk von Zitzewitz, copilot of Giniel de Villiers in car 305 – The Winners of Rally Dakar 2009 – Sorry this answer is in German), and our motor only will lose 10 % of his power. Others confirmed that. To have more power a team from the Netherlands changed the computer for the motor. But all the people I asked didn’t had the concerns that I had.

Okay, my main concerns had found an answer.

The Spirit started moving

Now I started to discover the Rural Expo Center and at 11:00 they came all, one after the other. Trucks, cars, motorbikes, quads. The noise, the dust, the fumes. The Dakar Spirit arrived at Rural. At 14:00 the rechargeable battery of my digital camera was dead as I finish the last clip. That was the signal to prepare a movie for YouTube to share the Rural-Dakar-2009-Spirit with the world.

When I left the Rural Expo Center they all arrived: cars, trucks, motorbikes, quads and the people. The people were happy to see this. The TV was reporting on all channels. And the Dakar Spirit touched the megacity of Buenos Aires.

Looking the video you can enjoy and relive it. This video is a new version of my first one with a higher resolution than the original that I uploaded on Dec. 31, 2008.

But what will happen next?

The Podium on January 1^st, 2009.