4th & 5th Stage,Merzouga - Ouarzazate - Agadir.

[Alfred Balban]

The 4th & 5th Stage was going to be done by only three vehicles from the Team,we decided this cause the rest of the team was delaying with mechanical problems,so Francis and Anthony would led the team on their Daihatsu wearing the number 156,Jaret will follow with Stuart on his Toyota number 145 and Edgar & Stephen on their Mitshibushi number 144,they attended early in the morning for the stages breifing and started the stage that would take them on a liason road stage to Mcesi and hit the tracks through Fezzou and the Destination Ouarzazate.Their next Stage would lead them to Agadir were we will meet again.

 

 

 

 

Edgar and Jaret at the Breifing!

 

 

 

 

 

  Francis and Stuart at the briefing!

The three participating members on the run on the 4th Stage!

The rest of the Team decided that we would do a different route and do some solidarity work in some areas that people still live in natural caves in the Atlas area.I got my Toyota and took it for a test run on the dunes to check my 4wheel drive was working,also to give the new comers a chance to get on the dunes and experience the fun.Just as we were touching sand Dorians mitshibushi was not engaging his 4wheel drive so we sent him back to the Albergue.Everyone had a bit of fun and we headed back for lunch.

  

We started our journey after lunch as we were just going to drive 280 kms to the Todra Gorge were we stayed for the night in the amazing Hotel Les Roches build inside the mountain,you have to cross a river wth your vehicle to access the hotel.

 

 

We had a superb dinner and a good rest for the next days route were we drove up to Ait Hani to enter the tracks to Boumain Dades,some youngsters were at the entrance and informed us that the track was closed cause of road works so to pass it we would have to drive 3 more kms and enter another track,they also said that the snow was too high but this other track will bypass both obstacles,a man approached us and talked with Farid who decided to carry him on his side step to guide us on this track that he said had many crossroads,we drove for a couple of kms with this man on Farids side step of his Toyota,we came to a main track and the man said that from here it would be ok.I was all the time watching my GPS as I have the route of the track and I could see we were getting back on it,so we were on the right way but had seen no snow yet.

 

 

 

 

 

  

We got to the tracks I had on my GPS and reached one of the families that live in a cave on the face of the mountain.We stopped and everyone gave something to the young girl who was there with a toddler,the place is above the tracks and it really cost us our breath to go up and the kids run up and down like mountain goats.

 

 

 

 

  

This people have been here since the first time we past in 1994.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We reached a second family who were living in one of their traditional tents but adjoining a big stone were for sure their is a cave or something to be warm in this time of the year.We also left loads of stuff,thanks again to the people of Gibraltar for making this people happy at least for this day,all those unwanted stuff really does a great help in this area.

 

 

 

 

Along the way we saw that a family had made their home underneath a great stone,its amazing to see were this people live,we are all really dressed up for the cold weather and this people are walking around on bare feet,Kevin my copilot gave his socks to a young guy as he noticed he wasn't wearing nothing just his sandles.Luckly I still had plenty to give away of warm clothing and shoes for kids and adults,the kids had their sweets and toys and you should see their faces!

 

 

We carried on up to 1700 m when the snow started appearing under our wheels,it was ok as it was soft and we carried on without problems until we got to a curve in the mountain were the snow was covering the tracks,I got out and walked to the next curve and it looked alright,if I could break the snow and do a track the rest could follow without any danger of falling off the mountain edge which belive me was high,I started well till the snow got hard and for my astonishment I was again without 4wheel drive,Jaret again had to pull me out of the dangerous situation I was finding myself as the vehicle was sliding towards the edge of the mountain,finally I managed to drop down the legde and we made our way back as it was imposible to cross this way,the kids were right but they did say this other way was clear on the tracks.We carried on our back track till I got to the junction were the other man led us,so I thought better to stay on the proper track to short cut and if the road block was there they would have to let as pass,we went on untill we reached the track entrance without seeing any roadworks,it was all part of a lie from the kids to get a lift home,well thats the way it goes in the mountains,you always have to check for yourself whatever they say.

We got back to the road and drove to Ouarzazate and then to Agadir were the rest of the participating team were,it took us a very long drive over 500 kms and in the night Dorian was feeling tired and Tarik took over driving his Mitshibushi,a lorry going over the speed limit touched Tarik on the road ,luckly nothing happened.We reached Agadir and got a hotel and rested for the next day to go to the finnish line in Sidi Kauoki Beach.

[Louis Balban]

well done Alfred keep it up