Paris to Dakar, my next adventure

Back in January 2019, before my first Bike Dreams trip started, I found out there was a semi-legendary race Bike Dreams had run three times before 2010, riding over 7000 km from Paris, France to Dakar, Senegal. The idea came from the famous Dakar Rally which started in 1979. By 2019, politics in Mauritania had finally improved so it was on again after being impossible for a decade. This time it would be a tour rather than a race. I immediately signed up and was on the waiting list for almost a year. I was in Patagonia, close to completing the Andes Trail, when I got the good news I had a place in the 2020 Paris Dakar.

Due to Covid, it was rescheduled for 2021, then rescheduled for 2022 and finally cancelled completely. It was a surprise in December 2022 when we heard it was on again. That day, I sent in my deposit and secured a spot.

I will fly to Paris on August 29 and will start riding on September 3. We’ll cross through Andorra into Spain a couple of weeks later and take a ferry from the bottom of Spain to Morocco on October 2. We’ll ride the length of Morocco and enter Western Sahara three weeks later. From there, it’s mostly rough camping in the desert, 9 days in Western Sahara, 6 days in Mauritania and a final 3 days in Senegal to Dakar, arriving on November 12. I plan to be home on the 15th.

Paris – Dakar will be physically demanding as the distance ridden averages 120 km per day. And there are several days over 170 km. Also I hear it can be hot in the Sahara.

My trusty Salsa Cutthroat, ridden over 30,000 km these last few years, is no more. The frame was damaged and it can’t be ridden. My favorite bike shop, Spokesman Bicycles of Santa Cruz, has built up a brand new 2023 version which I’ve ridden a few times. Even though it was out of warranty, Salsa stepped up and gave me a significant discount on this bike. And I am reusing the wheels, seat-post and handlebars. So far it feels just great, quite different without the front shock.