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TO: ALL ENTRANTS
Dear Competitor,
RE: MIKE SUMMERFIEL - ROUTE COMMENTS |
Mike Summerfield is a "Marathon
Man". He has worked on almost every long distance
rally that I have ever heard of. We thought that
he would be an ideal guy to suggest any improvements
we could do to make sure our overseas competitors
don't go into shock when they see the route. He
has covered every inch of the route in two separate
visits and has fallen in love with our tough rally
conditions and friendly country. |
Here is what he has to say |
Best regards
Mike Kirkland
Event Director
Kenya Airways East African Safari Rally
P O Box 99456
Mombasa - Kenya |
Tel: +254 41 475074/5/6
Fax: +254 41 474947/471257 |
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In the early 50's I had
the fortune to move to Kenya with my parents, some
people say they wish I had stayed here!! Even at
such a tender age I had a growing interest in cars,
after all my father had an Austin 16; who could
fail to be impressed. It wasn't long before I discovered
Motorsport and was introduced to Rallying when I
was asked if I would like to help run a Control
at Timboroa on the then Coronation Safari. Needless
to say I was completely hooked ! |
So it was with a real sense
of déjà vu, as well as a great honour,
to be asked by Mike Kirkland, a legend in his own
lunchtime, to help on this 50th Anniversary East
African Safari Rally. Two trips to Kenya later and
I have to confess I feel like the fish that's taken
the bait for the second time, well and truly hooked. |
In the last few months I
have had the pleasure of being driven round the
route by former Nissan chauffeur Mike, previously
turbanned Kenyan rally guru Surinder Thatti as well
as the company of the multi talented Michael Hughes.
So what have I found? And what are you going to
get for your bucks? |
Huge interest !! Everywhere
we went the Rally Plate on the front of the Landcruiser
generated massive interest. And when we told people
this wasn't a sissy WRC event but one for real cars,
real drivers and with a proper route the interest
soared. There is a huge queue of people who want
to help on the event, Ministers ( of State not Religion
), Landowners, Controllers, Hotelliers and, yes,
even Policemen. We even had a few personal interviews
with the latter! The Lord and Lady Delamere, from
a family that have been here since the dawn of time,
have generously offered to entertain you to Brunch
at their property near Nakuru. A fantastic offer
you say? Yes, but that's not all, we also have a
competitive that takes in almost all of their huge
property including roads that have never before
seen a rally car. Wonderful people, real enthusiasts
who just want to make the event happen. You'll get
to meet them, but you won't get to stay with them
like I did, and you'll get an idea of the enormous
enthusiasm Mike and his team have generated in East
Africa with this event. Add to this being in the
first proper International Rally in Uganda and Tanzania
for years. And unique opportunities to visit the
source of the Nile, historic towns like Jinja, some
incredibly smart hotels, wildlife areas like you
can't imagine, the best beaches in Africa and people
whose smiles seem to go on for ever and your entry
fee looks good without the Rallying! I could go
on but you might get tired of hyperbole! Seriously,
as a certain Irish comedian used to say " It's
a cracker" |
So that's the good bits; now for
the really good bits. The route: |
takes you out of Mombasa for just under
30k for the first of 4 magic competitives. Starting
fast undulating and mildly twisty and ending up
in the seriously up and down, sometimes bumpy world
of the Taita Hills. Overnight at the superb Saltlick
Lodge where, during the recce, mopre than 500 elephants
queued to drink from the waterhole 10 feet from
the restaurant window! And if that's not close enough
you can take a walk downstairs where they are only
7 feet away and with no window to obscure the view.
I didn't want to leave. |
starts with an amazing stages in the Taitas
that begins rough, twisty and steep and finishes
on an amazing road than would make an English forest
look like a footpath! Two more follow with everything
from drifts, sand, a few rocky bits, straight, twisty,
challenging !! Cocktails tonight at the Mount Kenya
Safari Club in Nanyuki on the edge of a super golf
course with Mount Kenya as the backdrop. A stunning
day with an equally stunning end. |
and the longest competitive of the event
to wake you up, starts super fast and gets twistier
towards the end. What a day this is, 250k of some
of the best, and most challenging roads on the route
together with Gods Bridge. Its called that because
if you fall off it that's where you are going !
Tonight you dine under the stars, tents for everyone
on the du Toit property at Eldoret. 5 star camping,
5 star catering and you even only have to share
the loo with 2 others!! No, I don't mean only 4
of you are going to get here! |
is the first
2 country day. 4 Competitives; 2 each side of the
border. The Kenya ones seem to get more challenging
each day and the two in Uganda are fast, furious
and even include a couple of gravel roundabouts!
Uganda has more people than all the world put together,
or at least it seemed that way to me. There was
a National rally in the area just before we went
through and everyone commented on how well behaved
the locals were. Ugandas historic capital of Kampala
beckons with Rally HQ in the sumptuous Sheraton.
Your cars should be super safe tonight, our 'man
in Uganda' is trying to persuade the Presidents
Office to let us park on an Army guarded Parade
Ground. Not because its not safe elsewhere you understand
but because it's a really superb location. |
one competitive in Uganda and then its
back across the frontier and into serious Safari
Rally country round Fort Ternan. Think of Day 3
and imagine the same. Not quite so much distance
but just as challenging. Boys Scout night tonight
but with a huge difference. The Masai Mara with
its endless vistas and amazing variety of wildlife.
Be woken by the roar of the lion or the snore of
the co driver, it matters not this is a heavenly
experience. |
. A day off!!!!! Sleep in, regain your sanity
but most of all make the most of this truly unique
opportunity. If you want an experience to remember
book the Balloon flight, it looks expensive but
its an ethereal trip that you will remember for
the rest of your life. |
. Today looks an easy day but it starts
with one of the most challenging Competitives of
the event, the legendary Mau. A fantastic road but
be wary, the weather can change from mildest of
dips into a mudhole, I can vouch for that! Brunch
at Mbweha followed by a wildlife laden stage across
the Delamere property. Don't go off through the
big fence !! There be lions in them there trees
!! An easy run into Nairobi with perhaps a surprise
or two in Kenyas Capital. Overnight at the huge
Safari Park Hotel, 5 restaurants and all. And I
don't want anyone trying to teach the parrot bad
language !! |
. Another Safari Rally regular starts the
day just outside the city on the edge of the Great
Rift Valley. Flattish and fast times 2 and then
its into Tanzania for 2 more amazing stages that
havn't been used on an International for years.
Enjoy them! Overnight in Arusha at the Novatel.
|
could decide the event. 3 competitives
today, one of which is so legendary that it makes
even aged old rallyers like Mike K tremble at the
memories, when his memory works that is To say that
today is one of the key days of the event is an
understatement. I finished this days recce in Tanga
almost orgasmic in appreciation of the route, and
at my age that
doesn't happen very often. Tanga, another memory
for me. I fell asleep here on a diving pontoon and
spent a couple of weeks in hospital recovering from
sunstroke!! Not on the recce, a long, long time
ago. |
and you have almost made it. But its not
quite over yet! 3 more competitives to go. Two real
gems in Tanzania and a magic 50k plus finale in
Kenya. Just remember the famous words; " It
ain't over till the fat lady sings !!" And
the finish, wow!! Just as long as the Moon doesn't
go daft and change the tide you should have a brilliant
run along the beach to the Podium outside the Jadini
Beach Hotel. A better finish venue I have NEVER
seen. |
I can promise you lots of things.
|
Roads like you have never
seen before. Yes they are rough and bumpy in places,
sometimes for several k's. But this is Africa. This
is the East African Safari. You are driving a legend!
And what you drive is what you get. In places the
roads are fast, probably faster than you have ever
seen. In other places they are tighter than tight!
You need to pace yourself and look after your car.
You need to understand the timing and be prepared
to 'cut' if needs be. Don't be too proud to miss
a bit if you are running late, the regulations were
written to keep you in the event, not put you out
of it. Look at some of the old, and I mean OLD,
Safari results and people finished in the top 20
with huge penalties. And the people!! Repeat after
me; " I am driving on open roads", again
please. Don't let the dreaded "red mist"
take over. Rallying is loved here and the people
really do try to stay out of the way. But its very
different to Europe and it needs treating with respect. |
Welcomes like you have never
had anywhere. Photo opportunities like nowhere else.
Amazing people. Delightful places. |
Advice? Yes. Listen to what
you have been told. Ground clearance, dampers, underbody
protection - these are all vital things. Drinking
water, lots of it, every day is the very best personal
advice you can have. Look after yourself and, more
importantly, look after your companion - you are
more likely to see, and recognise a problem than
he / she is. If you are not sure - ASK. |
You may have noticed I havn't
mentioned too many place names. No, I havn't forgotten
them and, once you have driven them neither will
you. These are places of Rally legend and you are
about to become part of that legend. This is going
to be the hardest thing you have ever done buts
it's also going to be the most satisfying. There
will be times you wish you could go home but there
will also be many more times that you will wish
the day didn't end. You will get tired, you'll get
emotional but you will also get an incredible buzz.
Its tough, it can be rough, its hard, its hot, but
then it's the East African Safari Rally. |
This is History with a big
H, and you are part of it. You'll dine out on the
stories for years. |
See you in Mombasa in December |
Mike Summerfield
For EASR
Mombasa
Hot
Tired
Aching
Dirty
But more excited about an event than I have been
for years. |
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