Erg Chebbi

"An inverted tear-drop shape, spanning an area of 125 square kilometres, 20km west of the Algerian border (closed since 1994). ‘Don’t stray too far, they’ll chuck you in the slammer,’ says John. The giant golden sand pit of Erg Chebbi, with the 150-metre-high Cathedral Dunes in its centre, pushes up the skyline. We detach our satnavs. Our bearings removed. This is the only section of the tour where John rides with us and gives us specific technical instruction as to how to proceed in this alien environment. If an episode of The Mighty Boosh were to be written about motocross, they would surely be riding over mountains of caramel blancmange...." BP

Read the full story of my five days riding with 13 others, in the Sahara, for our first Sideburn Sunburn tour, in Sideburn #21.
It wasn't all sand, sand, sand, sweaty scruttocks. Plenty of rocks and cooling rivers too. BP

Sideburn Sunburn Good Times

Our first Sideburn endorsed moto trip was awesome. A game-changer. We couldn't have amassed a more fun group of 14 guys from 3 different countries. Thanks to John of Moto Aventures for shepherding us so professionally. From ponderous river crossings in the High Atlas, perilous rocky cliff faces, a flat out dash across a firing range and conquering the mighty 150 meter high Sahara dunes of Erg Chebbi, we did it all - often with comedy aplomb. A happily relentless challenge to man and machine - but mostly man, as the 450 KTM EXC excellently prepared/repaired by Hussein every evening, were so forgiving.

Spectacular scenery every which where. Everyone said they would absolutely do it all again - once their bruises and blisters have healed.
Thanks too to Su and Maryam, for pre-production and real-time lubrication, ensuring everything ran smoothly. BP

GI posted a few highlights shot by various riders, whilst I was away, on the Sideburn Instagram

Wardrobe Dilemma

This time tomorrow I will finally be trekking over the Atlas Mountains and into the Sahara! Months of intense training will be challenged - I've put back on the 1kg I lost a week ago through nervous cake eating. My dickie knee that the Dr just drained 24ml of "Oh it looks like Castrol GTX?!" (said the professional, when he was expecting it to be a clear yellow liquid not thick black gunk), is already podgy again. In the next hour (real-time as I write this blog post) I need to overcome my teenage girl club night wardrobe dilemmas and just stuff something into a suitcase. Strappy sandals do seem like the best option for refreshing airiation. السلام عليكم BP

photo Pierre Bourdieu