Maroc Challenge Winter Advance 1st Stage,Guercif - Midelt.2012

[Alfred Balban]

By nine o'clock I went to see the organisation again and was informed that the first stage was cancelled to high snow in the mountain tracks and that they would give us the new Waypoints but unfortunately the person incharge had gone earlier to the finnish line of the first stage taking everything with him,we were given the option of trying crossing the original stage track us we were a big team of eight vehicles,or do our own track to the destination of Midelt,this we tried me navigating without any waypoints on our GPS system but just the destination,we tried to do a crossing through the mountains and in a heavy muddy area I unfortunately damaged my front right CV Joint leaving me without 4 wheel drive,Jaret had to pull me out with his Toyota being the only one who can pull my nearly 3 tonnes Toyota out of the mud.We carried on following the foot of the mountains through a valley trying to drive southly to avoid the snow,we got to the edge of the mountain and there was still sign of snow on the tracks,we were informed by locals that we met that the tracks were also closed,pity cause we were just 20 odd kms from the national road to our destination,I had to get another itenary which took us to the road to Missour and Midelt our destination,386 kms.

 

 

 

 

In the camping we got ourselves organised and I got everyones verification of vehicles through the organistion,that included the documents of the vehicles,insurance,driving lisence,medical insurance,passports etc,etc.My GPS together with Francis were logged as the other participants were using navigators which were valid to get the information the organisation needed to verify the progress of the stages and controlling speed limits.I was also provided with our Tracking system which by being one of the first teams to apply for it was given to us for free by the company TraceMyway,the organisation informed me that the system would get connected in the morning as they had to send an email to the company with a code to get it activated.We also purchased the Maroc Challenge Tshirt which the organisation decided we all should pay for it,as all funds would be given to the Rally's Solidarity Project in the School of Hassi El Begga in the region of Merzouga.

Midelt is a town up in the Semi Atlas at about 1700 m,the camp site was surrounded by snow -10 degrees,so the team decided we should stay in a hotel for the night,some of the team went to get a Hotel for all 21 persons thats counting the followers,others stayed with the other participants in the campings restuarant having a meal and a coffee,I got the chance to get on the internet and found out that our tracker was not yet activated,I informed the organisation about this and they said they would look into it.In the restaurant I saw Jinson and had a chat with him,he also had problems activating his tracker the first day.

It had been a long day so I drove to the Hotel to get some rest for the next days stage.