Mount Pleasant Magazine Sept/Oct 2016

locking over 5,200 miles

on a motorcycle through the red-

dirt, uncharted paths of South

America may not sound like an

ideal vacation. But for Parrot Surf

& Skate owner Angelo Vlcek, it’s an

opportunity he can’t pass up. Never

one to shy away from adventure, he has jumped at the

chance to participate in The Dakar

Rally 2017 – a 14-day-journey that

tests patience, endurance and sheer will.

A variety of racers, from motorcycle riders to semi truck

drivers, will all descend upon rocky and sandy terrain

to brave the elements for that ultimate sense of victory.

Fueled by adrenaline, Vlcek, along with a tribe of thrill-

seekers, will dig their wheels into dried up riverbeds across

Paraguay, Bolivia and Argentina come January 2017.

“I grew up watching Dakar as a boy in the Czech Re-

public,” said Vlcek. “I have a real passion for the race and

just how far I can push myself mentally and physically.”

As for preparation, Vlcek credits his personal trainer

with keeping him motivated and in shape. Athletic by

nature, surfing any chance he gets, Vlcek admitted Dakar

is still somewhat of an intimidating venture.

“Any time you spend on a motorcycle is a good time, but

nothing prepares you for the actual race,” said Vlcek. “I’m

what you would consider an amateur rider. I do it as a hobby.”

Only riding for several years, Vlcek has taken the love

of the sport to new heights by jumping full force into races

that challenge. His passion for riding was ignited when he

did the Taste of Dakar in 2013 – a race throughout the

sand beds of the Nevada desert, meant to simulate the ac-

Angelo VlcekTAkes onThe

DAkAr rAlly

By KaLene MccOrt

Photos courtesy of Angelo Vlcek.

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