Scram Africa 2023: The unforgiving steppe, a fateful fall and an unforgettable adventure
With the first rays of the morning sun we left the impressive dunes in Merzouga behind us and headed straight into the heart of the steppe and desert. It was a drive through endless expanses, past dried-up lakes that are a testament to the harsh climatic conditions of this region. Sometimes hours passed without any sign of civilization. The steppes, interspersed with challenging sandy sections, demanded everything from both me and my bike. People were driving to my right and left respectively - it was impressive to have so much space. No specific track had to be followed. Our destination was the end of the steppe in an approximate direction. With every kilometer, my confidence and attachment to my machine grew. It was wonderful.
The painful turn
When the day was already drawing to a close, an unexpected event occurred. While driving, my shoulder suddenly buckled. I heard a loud bang and immediately I knew something was wrong. Although I didn't know at the time that my shoulder blade was broken, the pain was intense and piercing. Right after the bang I tried to stop my bike and caught a stone with my right foot - that hurt!
The decision to get into the ambulance was not easy, but necessary. But every meter in the ambulance was also torture. Every little hump and bump of the steppe felt like lightning was coursing through my body. Finally we reached an asphalt section! The otherwise stunning scenery faded into the background as I focused on the pain and hoped that we would soon reach our destination for the day.
Since I was no longer able to ride my bike, the ambulance driver took over this task and brought my bike to the camp - thank you Azdac at this point! The doctor who attended to me got behind the wheel of the ambulance to make sure I got to camp as quickly as possible and got pain medication - again, thank you Sana at this point!
Arrived at camp
in the camp I learned that Jannik had also fallen. So we met again in the improvised hospital room, where we were both taken care of. Today had definitely taken its toll. Late in the evening the last ones arrived at the camp. It was the two Englishmen with their jeep "Fifi" who also had mechanical problems.
What we didn't know at the time - the night in our haimas (native tents) would be anything but restful.