“It’s all about the adventure”

It’s the story of a passion for adventures and motorcycle. At 40 years of age, Gareth Jones will be living a dream by taking on the Dakar but doesn’t quite know what he’s up for. A keen biker he started watching the event on TV and his initial dream was just to go and watch the race. Well, come the 31st of December, the Canadian will be on his Husqvarna taking on the biggest challenge of his life. Part of the HT Rally-Raid Husqvarna Racing team, he certainly has the tool and support to go far. His first real test came last October when he took part in the Morocco Rally that he managed to finish in 43rd position. That was basically his winning ticket for the big one. After completing a large part of his Dakar budget through fundraising, Jones is now ready to take on this wild adventure with the only ambition to reach the finish in Dammam.

“The more intrigued you get about the [Dakar] race the more you watch it every year. It’s a huge adventure. I never thought I would actually be in the Dakar. It was always a dream to follow it and to go one day and watch it. Two years ago, I wondered if I could actually ride in these races, so I went to a rally school in Spain and tried this art of navigation, as well as the rigours of riding. I found out that I could, and I was pretty good at it, so I kept visiting the school and did some amateur rallies. I got a feel for it and thought I could actually give it a go. I don’t know how you’d do it without the tutelage from the school. You need someone who has done it before to give you hints and tips. It’s nice being out there in the middle of nowhere, faced with the challenges. I’m not out there racing people. I’m not interested in finishing in a position. It’s all about if I race this event and beat the rally itself. It’s all about the adventure. It’s going to be a shame if something should happen and I don’t finish, but it won’t be the end of the world. I have a wife and three beautiful kids and coming home to them is more important. It’s definitely a bucket list thing. It’s a dream, but you do wonder why you do it, really.”