Today was epic. 400km. 40degrees. 11hrs. Nicolas, one of our French compadre's, toasted Barry at the evening meal saying it was the best days riding of his life!
Dawn at Benyakoub.
Its been a long day, at a time of writing its 22:30. I'm sat outside on a camping chair, in the sand, listening to crickets next to my mud roofed hut. It's sodding boiling in their though, like a clay over, not a hut.
Today we've travelled from Mahirija to Boundnib, to our destination at Camp Rekkam. 400KM almost all off-road. A selection of piste, hills rock, sand, dry river bed, blood, sweat and tears.
Setting off from Mahirija with Barry and Nicolas, we climb to appox 1300m and reach a plateau above the town. The piste is wide and open and we set a good pace, being the first up and and out there are no tacks to follow, just the ones we leave.
The furnace above, coupled with desolate red landscape, can soon have even a seasoned traveller worried. I spent many moments repeating 'mechanical and physical sympathy' to myself, a reminder to keep a cool head and look after bike and body.
Justin managed to melt his rear mousse and sent out an SOS to the group, but many of us were too far away to help. (At first we thought he'd asked for international rescue! - how we laughed!)
Andy, from Hebden bridge, managed to remove the tyre with the KTM tool kit only to find they had no pump. Happily a young local Moroccan lad rode pillion on Andys bike and held Justin's wheel for 25miles to find a garage with a compressor!!
Below, huge tears in the land form across the road. Might want to curb your speed.
I'd been separated from my travelling buddies for a couple of hours and had lost the track, and perhaps the plot in the 40degree heat. Climbing a hill for a vantage point, like well trained scout, I spotted Barrie waving from the river bed, "thank God" i expelled. Everything is easier with your friends and we rode in convoy to the town of Talsint.
Nicolas returning from his al fresco date with mother nature.
Unbelievably, we crossed paths with the support truck, the drivers, Pete and Lasse (a Danish chap who's name i have obviously butchered) two French riders and Covid Alan in Talsint having lunch!
With only 125KM to go we were confident it would be an early finish, that was until the support truck took an off-road route with us. No blame can be placed on the driver though, there had been a 'glitch' with the mapping and now we were in it together...
Barry's smile hides the pain of hours of hard work, scouting ahead, planning routes over obstacles, filling in holes, lifting rocks. At some points all six wheels of the trailer were off the ground, at others the rear wheels of the 4x4 went skyward. Regardless, between the four of us, we managed.
An ancient village, ravaged by time, being reclaimed by the sand.
Dinner at Rekkam with our whole gang. (Must upload a photo) The hosts were so obliging, a great night and three course meal. It's a shame the sodding bedroom is a clay oven as that is what awaits me now.
Comments
Post a Comment