Adrift Traveler: September 2012

I woke to either the large ants or the small cockroaches running over me. The police did no show at 10:00 when we said we would go. I kept a weary eye on the few cars on the road with us. Mid morning we picked up a tail and this guy did not hide. He even looked like he was sight seeing as he kept taking side roads to the coast. Mid day the police switched and the new police came by to introduce themselves. Nice new attitude. Later they came by before town and offered us water and told us the town had a hotel. At the hotel the police chief showed us the room.

Hot showers and decent room, life is good.

Ctr Bir Gandouz

9/29/12

159 Kilometers, 6:53 Moving Time, Max Speed 44.7 k, Moving Average 23.0 k, Stop Time 19:10 Overall Average Speed 6.1 k, Start 10:10 end 19:00 Accent 661 meters.

Sunny with tailwind

Love & Kisses

Steve

Today's tail

Steve

I wake up early but can not write on the iPod as the light wakes up the flies and attracts them. I use the stream to keep the cockroaches down the pipe at the squat toilet.

Pups playing on the main highway

We get going at 8:15. At 12:30 we had done 60k. We start seeing wildflowers today. Mid morning spotted our tail. This one tries to hide. He does not make us feel safe. Not brightest lad as we're finishing an hour lunch he starts to charge his phone. Sits behind us during lunch and tries to hide his face when we looked at him. Later in the day we come across four police running a radar trap out of a gas station. It looked like a check point so we stopped with the stopped cars there. Our follower pulls into the back of the station and goes into the building.

We tell one of the police we are being followed. The officer talks to the guy we pointed out. The officer tells us that he is a fisherman and he knows him. We do not believe he is a fisherman. We make it to the turn off to Dakhla No sign of the tail as we go through the checkpoint. We continue on to Al Argoub We find fresh vegetable but no room or hotel. We asked about a place to stay at what appears to be a guard station. Two men there after a bit suggest a cafe and they go over to the cafe to check.

After ten minute and the officer touching Cindy when I was not looking we are not liking the town as we see no women. We say we are going to check out the gas station. At the gas station we can get a room and omelets. Then our tail shows up and talks to the person running the station. Our tail fills up on gas then leaves. The owner tells us we no longer have a room and must leave. As we leave the sun is starting to set. According to the sign earlier the next gas station is 43 k up the road. Cindy says she is up for it and we have a very good tailwind which keeps us from going back to El Algoub. I am thinking we could wild camp once it is dark.

As we ride we see nothing to hide us for wild camping. Also getting over the surprise of being evicted we are not liking that we are in the desert alone with this guy. Little traffic is on the road. We have a near full moon and when it is dark we turn out are lights. It does not take long for our follower to appear on a side road. We can pick out his lights easily and he has a broken tail light. He start circling us as he could only spot us when driving past us. His circling increased and the traffic was almost nothing. He passes us when a car is coming the other way forcing us off the road.

He stopped a ways ahead as we approach he did not move. He always drove on before, he did that all day. Luck was with us and we flag down a pass old land cruiser. The older man driving spoke Spanish. We told him about loco hombre following us in our limited Spanish. He has his two lads help put the loaded bikes on the roof rack. Cindy and I are on the roof rack with the bikes. Loco hombre drives up and is upset we are getting a ride. He now has a companion which was not there at the gas station before.

Our driver talks to him and gets upset. Our driver tells us to stay up top and calls the police as he sees there is something very wrong. Loco hombre keeps telling the older man that he is the police. The loco hombre takes a photo of me and bikes with his cell phone. He is very mad for some reason we are getting a ride. After a long time and many phone calls from both sides we take off for the gas station. The land cruiser starter gets a good work out before the engine catches. As we arrive at the gas station the police arrive. There are many heated words and the old man takes heat for giving us a ride.

He gives as well as he knows what is right. I thank him and he wants nothing for his help. We sit in the gas station giving our information to the police. We are given a room for free. The large room has on small mattress. I go for my air mattress after locking the chain that is what holed the door closed.