Re: Dakar 2018
Perhaps we can kick start Ian's 2019 entry in the seniors division provided he drops a few stones, works out 6 times a week, rides more posted photo-moto sessions and promises to runs & wins and successfully finish 2 terms as BROTM without being too Bigfella to us snowflakes & snowflakias.
Ha ha.... leave my stones where they are please Ted.
I haven't done a decent dirt ride for ages - and as for sand...... The lady I ride with mostly these days just won't do dirt. We're doing a ride tomorrow... the old road again, up to Pearl Beach for lunch and home via the ferry.
Dakar though... yeah. Sponsors needed though. 
Two friends are there at the moment. They flew bikes from Oz to Alaska... and rode down. Budget for their six month trip was about $50k each. I suspect that just to compete in the Dakar, you'd be wanting $100k plus.
"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome and charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime" Mark Twain... so... Carpe the living sh!t out of the Diem
I'd rather look back at my life and say "I can't believe I did that" instead of being there saying "I wish I'd done that"