The night absolutely calm and the sky all glittering with twinkling of stars.The owls are having a company tonight, and some would be thinking that the King of the jungle is getting married and all the sounds of the engines are part of the party celebrations. This is what is happening in the first competitive leg of Desert Storm 2010. At exactly one minute past 12 am first of the seventeen bikes that are participating in this year's Desert Storm is flagged off from Ramgarh which is very close to the Pink City Jaipur. The riders as well as the drivers will be driving through a very tough and tedious terrain of about 72 Kms. and that also in the middle of the night. The leg involves driving through a river bed which largely consists of loose sand, gravel, boulders, pot holes and a terrain beyond ones imagination.The mantra being followed by all the competitors to successfully finish this leg is “Don't break your vehicle and Don't break your Bone”. And all feel that crossing this barrier will ensure that they will complete the race also. In simple words “It Is Baap of all Legs” The place where I am standing is flogged with spectators who have come all the way from Jaipur to witness this event. The enthusiasm of spectators can be felt by the fact that one of them was having a fracture in his left leg but was so keen to see the event that he came along with his friends and that also in the middle of the night. There are bikers who have driven bikes in various Moto Cross events as well as Rallies. The night is so calm that one can hear the sound of the roars of the engines from miles and so dark that the lights of the vehicle seems like a cluster of stars is falling together on mother earth. It is like a Dewali celebration being done in jungle. The route is being lost by many of the competitors and many are getting struck in sand or while reversing their vehicles as they have deviated from the prescibed route map. There is bridge over the river bed at Manhorpur and when light from the passing vehicles falls on the bridge it is giving a feeling of Fire in the middle of the jungle.Nitesh and Jas are the first ones on bikes to cross this section. Follwed by two more bikers. And than there is silence for a long time as if the King of the jungle is on a Hunt. 'The four wheelers are coming' shouted one of the spectators and all eyes turn toward right so that they don't miss the moment for which all of them have been cooling their heels on a very cold 'Desert Night'. Sunny Sidhu and Suresh Rana are the first ones to cross this section. And as expected a fierce battle is being fought between the two and would continue for the coming legs also. Standing close to a 'SOS' vehicle I over hear a message on wireless that one of the Gypsy has toppled and the head lights are facing the sky. More and more information of this kind comes up with many drivers being forced to quit the rally. Prior to this the all the vehicles left 'Park Freme' at Shakunt Resort one after the other. The first ones to go were Bikers followed by vehicles particiapting in Extreme category and finally by those particiapting in Ndure category. Its 3.00 am and the next leg is slated to be flaaged off from Teja Garden near Bikaner inn the morning and I have some 350 kms. to travel before I again start giving you details from ground zero. Catch You soon ....Chao...