By: Rob van der Geest

Paris Dakar by Bike 2006

@##=#<7,l>@##=#“The Sahara on a bicycle, is that possible?” A group of 25 enthusiastic cyclists accepted this challenge and left from the Eiffel Tower on 10 September 2006 to hit the road to Dakar. They completed this incredible idea of crossing the Sahara by bike passing sand dunes and surprised camels.

We leave Paris on a sunny Sunday morning along the banks of the Seine in search of adventure for the next ten weeks. The condition of the cyclists increases rapidly during the stages along historical French cities and through green valleys. We are just in time in shape to climb the high mountains of the Pyrenees. Here we reach the highest point of our trip at the 2407 meter high Port d’Envilaria in the princedom Andorra. Englishman Andy manages to avoid this point. He turns his bike into a dark tunnel but is kicked out by the police immediately, fortunately for him at the other side of the mountain. A memorable day follows. Never ending rains combined with low temperatures and thick fog pushes all leisure riders into a small bar in an attempt to get the body temperature back to acceptable values. Most of the espresso ends up on the floor as result of the heavy shivering. Finally everybody continues their road through a sunny and above all fascinating Spain with its rough rockeries, magnificent views and an abundance of culture in Moorish cities.

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A fast ferry drops us at the other side of the Straits of Gibraltar on the African continent. Within 50 minutes we are in a new world with a different culture and between other people. In a world where we have to share the road with goats, sheep, donkeys and monkeys. During the stages through the rough Atlas mountains in Morocco we already notice that we get closer to the Sahara. Slowly the vegetation disappears in favor of sand and rocks. Cows are replaced by camels.

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Two colossal sculptures of camels near Tan Tan form the symbolic entrance gate to the Sahara. From that moment the distances, temperatures and our water consumption increase day by day. Despite the emptiness of the world and the endless straight roads the days pass by quickly. The Sahara fascinates with its yellow sand dunes, crossing camels, friendly Bedouins and the sparkling starry sky. The strong wind is alternating our best friend or worst enemy. Stages of 160 kilometers are sometimes covered within 4 hours by the fast guys in the front, other days it is a struggle to keep the speedometer above 20 kilometers per hour. The more relaxed leisure riders use every scarce opportunity to get a cup of tea or cold coke and arrive in camp sometimes just before sunset. Since we ride close along the Atlantics a breeze from the ocean drops the temperature by a few degrees. However, regularly we are surprised by a scorching wind direct from the Sahara, like a hot hair drier straight in the face.

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Our camp is always situated at unique locations. One night we sleep at the base of a huge sand dune as tall as a flat building, the next day we stay on the edge of a gigantic rocky plate slowly breaking down in the Atlantic Ocean. Incidentally our camp is visited by an old Mauritanian Mercedes passing by to collect a bottle of water. Most of it is used for consumption, however sometimes the valuable is used for washing hands and feet as preparation for a prayer in the direction of Mekka.

The contrast is big as we enter from the emptiness of the desert into the noisy and crowded streets of Nouakchott, the biggest city in the Sahara. After leaving the capital of Mauritania the vegetation, people and animals return along the road slowly, and so our amusement. The Sahara has been crossed!

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A day through a fresh green swamp full of meter long lizards, bright colored birds and sprinting wild boars along the river Senegal brings us in the country with the same name. Several days we traverse the sloping savannah. We are encouraged loudly by enthusiastic waving kids and women in colorful dresses standing in front of little huts or under centuries old baobab trees. The last stage brings us in the chaotic centre of metropolis Dakar, the final destination of our trip.

In Dakar Priit Salumäe from Estonia is celebrated as the strong winner of the first ever “Paris Dakar by Bike”. Margus Püvi from Estonia and the Dutch climber Rob van den Heuvel are completing the stage. But in fact everybody feels like the winner after fulfilling 7,200 fascinating kilometers ( 4,500 miles ) on a bike crossing enormous mountains and the endless Sahara.

A new bunch of cyclists will leave from the Eiffel Towel on 9 September 2007. Are you one of them? Find all information at www.bike-dreams.com or request it at info@bike-dreams.com.

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Bike Dreams

Marktstraat 11

6041 EN Roermond

The Netherlands

Tel. +31.(0)475.311047

Fax +31.(0) 84 2256790

info@bike-dreams.com

www.bike-dreams.com