Morocco , Mauritania and a blazing hot day

As usual I rose early, it’s my first big border crossing today and I wanted to arrive early. The cleaners were mopping the floor as I left, packed up and ready for the challenge. The floor was slippery so I took it easy pulling out of the Hotel Barbas reception area.

Out on the road it was quiet with not much traffic, I had about an hour to the border to be there at opening time! Half an hour down the road there was a clunk! And a vibration coming from the rear, I couldn’t see the problem so pulled over to check. The rear wheel locked as I pulled into the verge. I thought I may have picked up a stone or something and inspected the bike to discover that the chain guard had broken free and took the chain guide with it jamming between the swing arm and the tyre!

Not what I needed right now but needs must and I broke out the tools

I removed the chain cover and the chain guide and retensioned the chain. Popped the parts in a safe place for further work later on and set off for the border. As I left a six wheel drive army truck emerged from a side road and they waved in the morning sun, off to work somewhere I expect?

Arriving at the border all went pretty well on the Moroccan side and the passport was stamped, the bike checked, TIP signed and the final police check saw me head off into no mans land ( this is a 4km stretch of waste ground between the two borders and it’s land mined!)

I kid you not, you have to stick to the tracks, the hard, uneven rocky surfaces where mines cannot be laid. I encounter a road block, one of the many by groups who object to the disputed territory malarkey. I pass without incident and make my way over the rough terrain., finally I reach the Mauritian border post and pull in by the Police checkpoints. I’m immediately taken on board by a very efficient fixer who guides me and an Italian Overlander I’m his Toyota, he has a local guy with him in another Toyota and they use the fixer all the time so I give in and I’m guided through the whole process.

It all goes really well, I pay my dues and I’m almost out the other end when the fixer states an unreasonable price, I know what to expect so I haggle and stick to my original offer, he’s not overly happy but I say ‘ finish’ and he walks away.

Back on the bike and I’m happy to have made it through successfully, the first ‘big’ border and I’m in Mauritania. The landscape is almost lunar and the heat is intense, I turn right towards Nouhabidou but realise that it’s another peninsula and decide to turn tail and head for Nouachock instead. It’s a big ask, I’ve already done 100 miles today and four hours at the border but I go for it none the less. Nouachock is a further 250 miles and almost five hours distant. I decide to just get on with it and head South.

There are many miles of flat open desert with ferocious winds blowing sand across the road, a good way to get my boots cleaned! My repairs hold well and I’m judging the distance by time, miles and the amount of fuel I have.

I pull up at a police checkpoint behind the Italian, he’s getting a fine for not stopping at the halt sign by the checkpoint, the guard has waved me in and tries the same with me! I have to get off the bike and I’m lead to a shed full of soldiers, I get them laughing and take some tea, I’m paying nothing and I get a gentle warning from the boss, I shake hands with them all and they check my muscles! Strange old world isn’t it?

Further down the road I’m beginning to get a little concerned. I’m down to the last two bars of fuel on my gauge and there’s no station in sight. I pull over at an old fuel pump, there’s a young woman playing with her young child in the doorway, ground is as flat as a billiard table, and the sun is beating down, the relentless wind blowing through your very soul and we are all being sandblasted, I’m told that ‘sans’ (petrol) is available about 70k down the road! Oh well I just have to get there then..

Off I go again, doing my best to conserve fuel whilst trying to stay on the broken road and also being roasted alive by the intense sun, what an experience!

This road is not in great condition, the middle is cracked and broken with chunks of tarmac sticking up all over the place, the edge is broken too and many large and sharp potholes which could easily puncture your tyres, remnants of many are scattered by the roadside and several wrecks both trucks and cars, litter the desert either side.

I spot a HiLux that has been rolled and harvest a couple of dash blanking plugs for my own HiLux back home! Result!

The day rolls on and the miles roll by, I pull into three fuel stations and finally get petrol. It’s not the best colour but I’m out of options so I now have a full tank again.

My next goal is to empty it on my road to Nouabidou. I pass the time of day with the petrol station attendant, he’s a great chap with his own family, I remark about the heat and the sand and he remarks ‘it’s the Sahara!’ I kind of asked for that didn’t I?

Out of town and I’m back in the intense heat of the desert, there many sections where the dunes have blown over the road and I take care to negotiate them on full power with my weight well back, I exit them all triumphant and let out a yell of victory. I hit quite a few potholes today but manage to emerge unscathed.

The day is rolling on and the sun sits low in the sky, I’m going to arrive in the dark, I don’t like that it really is rather dangerous as you can’t watch or indeed see everything you need to, but needs must and I’m on the approach to Nouadhibou. The solar powered LED streetlight illuminate as I approach, many cars don’t use their lights which adds to the excitement.

I pull over in a commercial area and check for Hotels, it’s too late to find a wild camp tonight and I resign myself to yet another hotel. Hotel Sahara seems appropriate so I locate the said place and pull in. I’m greeted by a really nice young chap who goes out to buy me a large bottle of Sprite, it’s consumed in no time and when I’ve settled a little he shows me to my room. It’s a little over budget but I needed somewhere and now I’m here!

Popping out for food is quick and easy and I’m sat in a trendy fast food place with blaring music to accompany my meal.

I think I may just get another bottle of that Sprite! The desert today as dried me right out!

I’m heading for Diama tomorrow for a wild camp in the national park, last time I was there I saw and chased a warthog on my bike, I’ve heard there are monkeys and jackals when you camp, it should be another interesting day! I hope/plan to cross into Sénégal the day after, but who knows what will happen?

A brief stop in no mans land to show the absolute scarp yard that it is. Blown up and burnt out cars and trucks are everywhere, some people make a living here, desolate

I snap a quick shot at the Mauritian border post and I’m quickly reminded that ‘no photo sir’ by a Berber in full robes.

Drivers often fall asleep at the wheel on these tiring long desert roads, they veer off the road, hit the soft sand and roll, this was not a pretty sight!

The Sahara is a formidable place, the soft hot sand, punishing sun and relentless heat is overpowering .

Reminds me of Croyde beach when the tide is out!