David and Karen Ayre's wonderful Itala 40 broke an axle yesterday, and currently, a team of local garagistes are trying to get it all back together...

Day ten: The first ever 2009 Nile Trial has not been without incident -any event that encompasses travel through Libya, and involves off-road stages in the North African sand is always going to be something of a challenge. A full account of those first few days can be found on the Nile Trial website (link below), but all of the competitors we have spoken to continue to wear big grins and talk about it being some of the best driving ever.

It's rest day for the cars - and they've pulled up in Gisa, literally in the shadow of the Great Pyramids, to take a well-earned rest. Although given the pounding the cars have received, most teams have spent the morning working on their cars, prepping them for the long drive to Luxor and the Red Sea beyond that.

David and Karen Ayre's wonderful Itala 40 broke an axle yesterday, and currently, a team of local garagistes are trying to get it all back together... they've recruited the help of a expert in horse carts as well. We'll keep you posted as to whether they make the start tomorrow.

That takes place at the Pyramids, where the Egyptian government has issued a special dispensation to allow the cars onto the historic site - an amazing logistical effort from the organizers. After that will be cavalcade of the cars, as well as a number of cars and bikes from the Automobile Touring Club of Egypt. Then it's off into the desert...

We'll keep you posted...

[Full results and report: Nile Trial 2009]
[Classic Passions: Classic Passions website]