Paris Dakar Stage 47 to Aftisaat

Stage 47 of 60, day 55 of 71: 144.8 km, 148m, 3:49, 26 shifts, ave speed 37.8, max speed 55.3

I guess you have to take the good with the bad and count your blessings when you have them. Hard or bad things can build character. We had a lot of blessings today. I slept ok, I got to talk to Andrew at home in Australia and I got to see a bunch of camels walking around town. And that’s all before starting riding.

Riding was also awesome. We started out easy in a peloton of 12 riders. You could call it boring and flat, and it was but somehow you get in a good rhythm and the sound of the wheels, the ease of light pedalling, nice conversation, it’s not bad. After some time Kris said, “Come on it’s our turn.” So we led for maybe 30 km and that was even better. So smooth and easy, chatting away.

Louis hit a rock and flatted, so that split us into two groups of six. We continued to the single town of the day, Boujdour. We found a café and were enjoying drinks and snacks that Wytze bought when up rode Daniel, straight from the bakery with bags of goodies. Bart also joined and we had quite a little party, including singing happy birthday to Jonny. What a memorable place to have your birthday!

We had done 80 km at this point and lunch was just ahead but we were warned not to come early. Finally it was after noon and everyone left, but Bart, Daniel, Wytze and I went rogue and headed for a seafood restaurant. We had an amazing lunch, two giant grilled fish of an unknown type. With bread, olives, salad and drinks. All for less than €6 each.

Stuffed, we headed out to do the last 60 km. I started with Bart but he couldn’t hold my pace or rather I his. I am gear limited and can’t go his true speed. Wytze jetted by at warp speed and I rode just behind Daniel to the turnoff to camp at 144 km.

A motorcycle police guy was checking us off a list (or something) and made us wait a while before escorting us to camp. Only it was upwind and he couldn’t tolerate our slow speed so went ahead. It turned out our “camp” is the local dump, with blasting wind, wild dogs and crap everywhere. That’s the character building part of the day.

After soup, I set up my tent with massive rocks to hold it down and had another comical naked outdoor shower, 1.5 water bottles worth. I helped the staff blow up balloons for the party. Because when someone has a birthday in a dump you have to have a party. I talked to Katie and showed her our dump.

Dinner was curry with rice, salad and rice crispy squares for dessert and white wine from Spain for Jonny’s birthday. Then we had a super efficient dish washing session with great tunes and the M&Ms reward at the end. Tomorrow is the longest stage of the tour at 174 km. But the wind forecast is for the same so there should be no worries.

Our rider of the day is Joan Donohoe. I rode the entire 4 1/2 months Andes Trail tour with Joan in 2019. She amazed me there by being one of only three riders to complete the tour EFI (every effing inch), and the only woman. She is mentally and physically very very tough.

How old are you Joan?

66

Where are you from?

South Carolina, USA

How much of this crazy adventure are you doing?

Granada, Spain to Dakar

Tell us about your bike…

It’s a 2020 Trek Checkpoint SL7. It’s got a SRAM one-by, 36 in front with 10-52 in back. The tires are Schwalb Marathon Supreme, 32mm front and 38mm rear.

What attracted you to sign up for Paris Dakar?

I was attracted to the trip because I wanted to find out if I would like cycling in Africa.

Do your friends think you’re crazy?

My friends think I am a bit extreme with my cycling adventures. Some are jealous but most think I am crazy to do such things at my age.

What else would you like people to know about you?

I love seeing the world from a bicycle seat. It is so much better than from a car, bus, train, RV, etc.

Thanks Joan!