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No 69, March 2010
Editor:Jennifer Gilmore
Production:Keith Griffin
The views expressed in Chain Mail articles are those of the authors only and do not necessarily represent either the common views shared by a majority of Bike North members, or Bike North policy as formulated by the Bike North Executive Committee.
Paris to Dakar by bike
Editor's note: Back in Oct Chainmail we gave you some exerpts of Bill's blog from the first month of this ride – here is his overall trip summary.
The Paris to Dakar car rallies of the past created the legend … but as real people don’t need engines, cycling is the best way to live the legend.
It is the flagship ride of the Dutch company Bike Dreams and after doing their La bella Italia tour in 2008, I wasted no time in signing up for the ride of a lifetime.
The tour took 10 weeks, leaving Paris from the Eiffel Tower in early September and arriving at the resort at Lac Rose, Senegal in mid November. The trip is broken into 59 stages with 11 rest days, travelling an average of 120 kms per day. The cost included all accommodation (camping plus a couple of hotels), all food and drinks on cycling days and full support, including a nurse and bike mechanic.
The introduction to cycling 120 or so kms each day is through the beautiful Bourgogne region, which is pretty much flat. The climbing began gradually as we continued through the Massif Central and into the Languedoc Roussillon region in the south-west. We passed over some notable climbs such as the Col de la Plantarde, Col du Chemintrand, Col des Sept Freres, and Col de Chioula, which prepared our legs for the long one to Port d’Envalira at the top of the Pyrénées at 2408 metres.
It took three stunning days to cross the Pyrénées through Andorra to Spain, Europe’s second most mountainous country. What a joy it is to cycle in a country where motorists truly look out for cyclists and recognise their right to use the road. With a friendly beep of the horn they let us know that they were behind and the vast majority waited patiently until it was very safe to pass. If only cycling in Sydney were like this.
Spain was spectacular, especially as we headed south through Aragon, Castilla la Mancha and Andalucia. Our arrival into Granada, however, was notable for the intense thunderstorm and torrential rain that many of us cycled through. By the time we had arrived at the camping ground it was under 8 cms of water with the tents of some of the faster riders already floating on the flooded ground.
Descent from Tizi-n-Test
The crossing to Africa was via ferry to Ceuta, followed by a short ride to the border crossing into Morocco. The morning call to prayer from the local mosques woke us most days and the local traffic, especially the taxi drivers, made it evident that we were no longer in cycle-friendly Europe.
Stone throwing school kids in the north of Morocco contrasted with the wonderful, generous and friendly people we met along the way. Fez was full of kind, wonderful people – even the taxi drivers went out of their way to assist us, and the Atlas Mountains were special. The scenery changed almost daily throughout the mountains – from the lakes of the high plateaus, the gorges of the Todra and Ziz rivers, the craggy peaks, the desolate plains and the long spectacular climbs of Tizi-n-Tichka and Tizi-n-Test. The best memories are of the friendly, proud and hospitable Berber people of the region, who always cheered us on as we passed through their villages.