The Recce Patrol

[SkyGod]

Day 5

Last nights kip was far from enjoyable. The sheets looked like they had been used as body bags and I would have had a softer pillow if I had used an Aluminium Pannier!! Hey Ho, that was enough whinging and it was time to crack on.

We left Boudnib at 8am the next morning, as we were loading the bikes up a brace of French Gentlemen approached us and started talking "Johnny Foreigner"!
He soon realised from my indifferent look and overall bearing, that he had better start talking the Queens sharpish.

It turned out he was building a new Hotel and camp site on the outskirts of town and did we want to go an check it out?
Taking into account that there was no way I was bringing paying customers to last nights hovel I agreed and we followed his land cruiser for a mile or so.
Reaching a building site he showed me his intentions. Shower blocks, Kitchens, a tented area and come May a fully fledged Auberge. He had me at shower block to be fair....
After exchanging business cards and logging the location I bid him Adieu and we set off back into town to look for fuel.
Anyone coming on my trips will get a closer look at this place when it nears its completion in April and May.

A couple of laps around town and we where no closer to getting fuel. A Farmer on his tractor which must have been 60 years old saw us bobbing around up side streets and took us to his favourite service station.
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[SkyGod]

After we had brimmed our tanks to the max we headed off out of town and after just a mile found our Piste. As it turned out we didn't see anymore road for the rest of the day!!!

The day should have only been about 100 miles but as we where heading to our most remote part of the trip so far I was keen to make a good pace as any dramas would be cubed so far from civilisation.

The piste was fantastic to say the least. Flat, Dusty trail that reached off into the horizon and it was very hard packed. I saw 80mph on my Satnav at one point and decided to "wind my neck in" a bit as an off at that speed would need more than a Tubi-grip and a couple of Ibuprofen!!!

A few pics of Bill and Bryan. I wasn't trying for the "Arty" retro effect on the first picture but must have mucked about with the settings on my iPhone....

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[SkyGod]

The Piste started to get a little more challenging now. Some undulating terrain and a few specs of sand started to dot our path.
Bill had an off on one little section and I just managed to catch the evidence before he picked it up.

Again, the iPhone was set on some sepia type mode.

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[SkyGod]

I got carried away on one quite fast section and as I stopped after ten minutes to check we were still on track I noticed the GPS pink line I should be following was a couple of clicks to our south. The piste we were on was a cracker though and as this was a Recce Patrol decided to continue and see how it panned out.

We soon hit our first little obstacle: A 40 foot rise through some tight rocks but the surface was fine fesh fesh sand.

I went up first and the 625 slid all over the place just cresting in time before I stalled it.
Bill was feeling a bit fragile so I took his 500 up and it skipped up the sand without drama.

Brian was next on the 690 and although no points for style he bossed it up with his huge long legs. For the record he has the coordination of a hand cuffed crab!!!

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[SkyGod]

After our little ascent we road for a few hundred yards and met a significant downhill section. I recommended we go one at a time. Not overly technical but quite steep with some loose rock scattered about.
Bill went first without drama, then Brian set off.

All was going well until about 300 foot from the bottom when his back wheel hit a large shoebox sized rock. It kicked the back out and down he went.
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[SkyGod]

Brian got a couple of yours truly coming down.

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[FERRET]

Looking Forward to April now, keep it coming.

 

[Kendo]

If we are lucky he might even finish the report by april














2015!

 

[UturnTony]

good stuff. more will be good

 

[SkyGod]

After a five minute break at the bottom of the hill we crack on and I start looking for a spot to grab some lunch in.
It was really starting to warm up now and some shade for half an hour would have been very welcome.
It didnt look like there was much chance of that as we wound ourselves through rocky canyons that wouldnt have looked out of place in a spaghetti western.
We do another 20k or so and encounter our first serious bit of sand.
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Bill takes the above picture, he said he would keep it on his bed side table for his Mrs to look at when they where "at it".

 

[SkyGod]

There will be many "experts" on here that will bore you to death of how to ride in sand. I`m not going to do that. ( and I`m no expert). I will just say that anyone that comes on one of my trips will improve VERY quickly through necessity.

The first 200 yard section was great fun and I stopped to film the chaps coming over. We all patted each other on the back and remarked on how awesome we were.
Ten minutes later Bill had come off in some deep sand and after Brian and I helped him up we had our first lesson in setting off again in deep sand.....not easy. I can't stress how physical this type of riding is.
I`m no athlete but I can comfortably run 8 miles up hill and down dale in the Peak District and I was blowing out of my hoop.

Just riding the bike had your heart beat racing and breaths where fast and shallow. Throw in picking the bikes up a few times and running at the side of it to get it out of some deep sand and it certainly showed the cracks in your fitness.

We passed by a Military checkpoint close to the Algerian border. Several people before the trip told me how you had to have all your paperwork in order with a detailed itinerary and ideally several packs of cigarettes to "ease" the process.

What Bollox that was!!!

He came out, waved at us and then went back inside. Not exactly the Spanish inquisition I was led to believe.

After another 20 minutes in the baking sun I spied some trees and thought if nothing else was there, then a bit of shade to dine on our bread and jam that I had bought that morning would be welcome.

It Turned out to be a beautiful Oasis with water well.

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[Timolgra]

What a great spot!

 

[SkyGod]

My Camel back back was nearly empty after the mornings exertions and I brimmed it from the well.
Bill was horrified that I was drinking straight from the well without any form of water purification treatment. It wasnt my first time drinking from African wells and assured him I had a robust constitution and not to worry about me.

The shits I can live with, dying of dehydration I can't!

He wasn`t convinced and dug out his fancy ultra violet pen then spent the next 10 minutes treating each small bottle of water then adding it to his camel back.

Refreshed after our break we set off again.

I stop to mess about with the Go Pro camera and set the lads off ahead. They head off into the distance while I rig up the camera to face backwards for a different shot.

AFter a couple of miles I come across some deep sand that goes for at least half a mile.
Leaning back on the bike and weighting the back of the pegs I roll on the throttle and enjoy the dance!!

The front wheel goes from left lock to right lock and then straightens up again, this continues and as long as you keep the power on you just keep going forward.

I could see the lads tracks in front of me and felt proud they had coped with this stretch as it wasn`t easy at all.
Another few hundred yards and they are parked up near an old building. We catch or breath and in the distance spy the dunes of Erg Chebbi for the first time.

This view alone makes the whole trip worth while.

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[Tinytim]

Yonna roll Skygod. keep it coming. (Then go finish the Merkin one)

 

[SkyGod]

The next 30 minutes are some of the best riding I have done. Desert piste thats a mile wide and you can all ride next to each other and not choke on dust.

The dunes get more spectacular as we get closer and the horizon fills with a sight that everyone should see before they die.

We arrive at our Auberge which was recommended to me and enjoy a cold drink.

We dont say anything to each other for ten minutes as we just sit there enjoying the view from the walls of the Auberge.

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I wonder up on to a few chairs to take the view in and Bill takes this shot. ( my screen saver still)

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[SkyGod]

After arranging to stay here for 2 nights to recharge our batteries and we have a look at Bill`s toe.
It had been playing him up a lot since he did it in the gully the day before. If anyone has carried an injury on a trip like this then you will know how much it can wear you down. He hadn`t been whinging though and fair play to him for manning up and cracking on.

This looked like it hurt!!!!

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I prescribed a good clean, a light gauze dressing, a day by the pool and as much red wine as we could get our hands on at night.

 

[SkyGod]

That night after a hearty Tagine we retire early as the trip had been a bit of an eye opener for us all.

The views at sunset aren`t bad.....

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[Dansin]

That looks ace. Did you get to ride up and over them there big dunes Dakar stylee?

 

[Kendo]

After a five minute break at the bottom of the hill we crack on and I start looking for a spot to grab some lunch in.
It was really starting to warm up now and some shade for half an hour would have been very welcome.
It didnt look like there was much chance of that as we wound ourselves through rocky canyons that wouldnt have looked out of place in a spaghetti western.
We do another 20k or so and encounter our first serious bit of sand.
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Bill takes the above picture, he said he would keep it on his bed side table for his Mrs to look at when they where "at it".

Ive saved that one for the 'Bank'

 

[Tinytim]

Ive saved that one for the 'Bank'

Sperm bank?