Wind will be the enemy for the next two days. Navigation is already a challenge here, and uncooperative weather just makes things worse.
Seamless teamwork will be required. The navigator will need to stay alert and keep an unflagging eye on her (modest) landmarks. The driver will have to constantly adjust her heading as she is forced to place the wheels where she can rather than where she wants to. An endless stretch of small dunes makes it next to impossible to stick to a straight heading. At sea this phenomenon is known as “drift”, but there is no undertow here, just small piles of sand no more than two metres high that push, push, push… The distance between points is measured in time rather than kilometres. But if they are luck they may spot some gazelles… of the 4-legged kind!
The strongest teams will tackle the dunes towards the end of this first day. Chegaga is less impressive than Merzouga, but you shouldn’t trust appearances alone.
In any case, everyone will be spending the night in the sands of Chegaga. One last night alone among Gazelles.
The following morning will be spent in the sand… again!
Whichever route they choose, the Gazelles will have to cross the erg, a relatively difficult task.
Next the route will take them across Iriki lake, a dried lake bed without a drop of water, just over 10 km of smooth flat terrain where you can almost see the earth curve away from you… the mountains in the distance appear baseless, seeming to rise directly out of an immense watery plain.
The Gazelles will be battling the heat all day to keep a clear head and stick to the shortest route. The grandiose cliffs of M’daouer, set alight by the evening sun, will accompany them as they approach the final bivouac.
One last heading for the bivouac, and then the Gazelles cross the finish line, filled with pride and a sense of accomplishment.
After one final festive night at the bivouac, it will be time to rejoin the real world.
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In memory of Bernard and Jean.
Let’s hope that the desert is still as sweet without you.
At any rate, for many, it will never feel quite the same again.
