Paris Dakar Stage 45 to Western Sahara

Stage 45 of 60, day 53 of 71: 159.7 km, 328m, 4:29, 52 shifts, ave speed 35.5, max speed 56.1

It was really nice sleeping in a hotel in my own room when the alternative was camping in a dirty rocky parking lot with no toilet. I packed up and rode to camp at 7:45 for breakfast.

We started the stage not knowing how far it would be, but with a good idea of the conditions: tailwind almost all day! We cruised our way into the lead, a group of six. There was one tough headwind section where I had a crappy position and got dropped but thanks to Wytze, I was pulled back soon.

Then, a sort of miracle: we were on a four lane divided highway. At some point, the right two lanes were closed to traffic but we rode across the dirt and for the next 40 or 50 km had a private pair of lanes of super smooth pavement! We were drafting diagonally so used most of the width. It was really perfect. Occasionally there were some construction guys and they cheered us on, honked their horns, etc.

At km 88, Daniel, Wytze and I executed another rogue maneuver: we gave big waves to the lunch van as we cruised by at 40+. Our plan was to continue to the next town, a few km off route, and have lunch there. So we ended up riding 100.8 km continuously, a record for both Daniel and myself, but not even remotely close for Wytze. Due to the tailwind, it took us under three hours.

We first refueled at a café. Wytze got us a gigantic pile of pastries and fresh, warm bread and I drank two large sodas. Just this was quite a feast. Daniel also had a lunch restaurant all picked out and after verifying with our waitress it was a good one, we went over.

It was at the end of a dirty side road and no one was there. But we went in and the owner was friendly and encouraged us to check out what was cooking in each pot. Big white beans in sauce in one, lentils in the next and something in the third. Luckily Daniel knows the French word for brains, so we could avoid that one! Piles of fresh bread, lentils, beans and a Tajine with chicken along with about half of his stock of soda made for a filling and great lunch. We ate long and slow and finally the text came from Wilbert telling us where camp is.

We had yogurt for dessert, then bought 5 liters of water, packed up and headed out. Luckily we didn’t have to go back the 3-4 km to the main road which would’ve been into the punishing wind. We took the southern exit from town, longer but with side/tail wind. Sand was drifting over the road a bit. After a while we turned onto the main road and from there to camp it was glorious full-on tailwind!

We stopped at the border town of Tah, when we saw Ype and a few of our riders. We had more drinks and everyone was laughing about how easy the ride was.

It was another 20 km or so, and we could not discern the border. That’s because Morocco says that Western Sahara doesn’t exist, and thus there is no border. I am counting it as a new country though, #67. But under no circumstances are we to use the words “Western Sahara” when talking to any official. We are simply on our way to Mauritania and then Senegal.

Camp was in Daoura, a tiny town where the police asked us to camp in a sort of park, on concrete walkways. We have electricity to charge and supposedly a toilet. I took another one bidon shower, had soup and snacks and prepared Reese’s peanut butter cups with almonds embedded for a couple of other American connoisseurs. Then a 15 minute power nap, and a writing session in the tent out of the wind.

Dinner was great, tuna burgers, mashed potatoes, green beans and fruit salad with mint and cookies for dessert.

I’m excited to continue this amazing adventure in Western Sahara. The end goal is still quite far, but now I can at least mentally shoot for Mauritania. That’s six more stages with a rest day at a hotel in Dakhla. We’ve finished three quarters of the stages now, so that’s a good milestone.