Youcef chats with a man who's fast becoming one of my favorite RallyRAIDio storytellers, Simon Pavey.  Hear Simon's take on the Desert Challenge, as well as some riveting behind the scenes stories from El Dakaro.  Pull up a chair. This stuff is better than gold.

Youcef chats with Italian Aprilla works riders Alex Zanotti and Paolo Cici about their unique (in the rallye world) machines and their experiences thusfar.Rally on, guys!

Youcef catches up with the UAE KTM team manager for a chat on Day 2.

Youcef Cummings (Cummo on Adventure Rider) gets us started with the coverage of the 2009 Abu Dhabi (formerly UAE) Desert Challenge, and speaks with members of the UAE KTM team.Good luck, guys, and have a great rally!

Garry chats with Welshman Craig Bounds following Stage 8.  Boundsey is riding well, despite a major off that fractured his sternum only weeks before the event.  Hardcore.

Annie Seel calls in mid way through what has to be the toughest rally of her life.  Bruised and battered, she continues on despite having shattered her helmet chinbar and breaking her nose.Is the South American Dakar tough?  You better believe it.

Stan calls in after a tough day that saw a track with many potential pitfalls and long drop offs for the competitors.

Garry has a great chat with Thomas Berglund, riding his second Dakar with the Sweedish Army team. ARMY. Not bikini.

But anyway -- Thomas fills us in on his race to date, including

overshooting a corner and ending up several hundred meters off piste...

Other than that, going quite well, and hoping for a finish inside the

top 15.

Good luck, Thomas. Hope to hear from you again.

Garry chats with Portuguese rider Helder Rodrigues, multi-stage winner in previous Dakar's, who voices perhaps the first leanings toward Africa that I've heard yet thusfar.Great to hear from you, Helder.  Good luck on the rest of the Rally! (And what kind of fairing is that on your KTM?  Hmm?)

Garry gets Pal Anders on the phone after stage 8. The call is dropped,

unfortunately, but it's an honor to hear from the Man in Green -- long,

LONG, flying the flag for privateers on the Rallye circuit.

Good luck, Pal Anders! Hope to hear from you again, and hope you finally get that podium finish you've been working for.