LEG 4 – First marathon: charged with emotion

There is never a dull moment at the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles. The much-anticipated (or dreaded!) leg in the dunes was followed by the first of two marathon legs: two days of complete autonomy in the desert with no bivouac and no nighttime mechanical assistance. Relieved at having survived the dunes, the novices were now wondering what to expect, alone for two days in the desert! This leg would take the Gazelles across more than 320 km with 12 checkpoints to find before the next bivouac.

 

 

 

 

The morning begins with a rocky plain interspersed with stretches of well-defined terrain. The first teams reach CP1 around 7:45 and stop to take stock and carefully plot their next heading. Having experienced the frustration of driving in circles following a small navigation error, they are beginning to appreciate the importance of constantly checking their headings. “You can get really lost, driving in circles in the desert”. A faint track winds across the rocky plain, disappearing into the foot of the majestic rocky hills on the horizon. The landscapes are breathtaking, butevaluating distances in this seemingly endless environment is far from easy! Visual distances can be misleading… “And never trust the trails… It can be very tempting to follow a trail, but usually you end up losing track of your heading!” analyze Christelle and Myriam (Christelle Dagois and Myriam Taupin – WECKERLE COSMETICS). Another potential mistake: letting yourself be distracted by the headings of the other teams, who may not be looking for the same checkpoints (there are a total of 5 different routes).

 

 

 

By mid-afternoon the Gazelles begin to think about where they will pitch their tents for the night. Some teams have even planned where to meet ahead of time! The colours become vibrant as the sun dips in the sky; ochre dunes stand out against the base of dark rocky hills. “It’s hard to imagine how much the scenery can vary in the desert”, remarks Maude (Maude Rard and Mélanie Amiguet – DOMAINE YVES AMIGUET). ”It changes every day, and many times a day. The desert just never stops surprising us.” The Gazelles set up camp at the foot of a dune, after a bed of mauve rock and some strips of beige sand and camel grass: the location of CP6, which will open at 6 o’clock tomorrow morning.

 

 

Evening around the campfire
By nightfall, fifteen vehicles have gathered. The Gazelles pitch their tents: now the famous “marathon night” can begin! The Gazelles gather around a campfire, passing around sausages, peanuts, and even a small can of foie-gras. “It is so beautiful here. I love it!” exclaims Anne-Sophie of Team 101 (Anne-Sophie Dubos and Pilar Cabellos – FIBROMYALGIE FRANCE). With the brilliant desert stars over their heads, white sand under their feet, to the strains of a guitar and voice of Sabrina of Team 183 (Emme Hall and Sabrina Howells – SOULSIDE NETWORK) singing Bob Dylan’s “To make you feel my love”, the Gazelles swap stories, troubles, tips and plenty of laughter, thrilled with this marathon evening out in the open desert. Left to themselves but under the watchful eye of the organization, they are living their adventure to the fullest. “Everything we have experienced since the start of the Rallye is way more intense than we imagined” confide Maryline and Sylvie of Team 141 (Maryline Biotteau and Sylvie Deroo – CASINO DE ST JULIEN EN GENEVOIS). ”In the same day we go through a whole range of emotions – it’s crazy!” By 9:30 the Gazelles are heading to bed. “We’re sleeping in tomorrow – until 5 o’clock!” jokes one Gazelle.

 

 

 

 

Day 2

After a strong cup of coffee, the Gazelles pack up camp and set off. They have 6 more checkpoints to find before hitting the shower!! They cross the vast sandy plains of Oued Bou Haira to CP7, where the colour of the dunes resembles the coral of their vests… a feast for the eyes! Once again the Gazelles stop to check their heading, seeming relaxed on this second marathon day. “We slept really well!” exclaims a Gazelle. ”We really needed it…” But this is going to be a long day.

 

 

 

Curious formations shaped like tables and tajine dishes loom on the horizon. The routes are long and sometimes criss-cross: it’s enough to confuse anyone! Exhausted after 4 non-stop days, some Gazelles start to crack. Tears, moments of self-doubt… They stop in the shade of a lone acacia tree in the open desert to raise their spirits and recharge their batteries… This is where solidarity comes into play. After a kind word, a tap on the back, a willing ear, the Gazelle is ready to carry on.

 

 

 

 

The sand is followed by rocks… too many rocks, and a trail leading nowhere! A group of Gazelles make a U-turn: No pass here. Off they go in search of the twelfth and final red flag, and then the bivouac. Leg 4 is over, the shower awaits… and tomorrow another two-day marathon. The adventure continues!