A Familiar Morning Routine

The day began once again with our now well‑established routine: a quiet breakfast, a beautiful sunrise above the desert horizon, and the slow process of getting everything ready for another day in the Sahara.

Since we were scheduled to depart around 10:00 a.m., we had enough time to enjoy the morning, clean the tent, repack our gear, and do our best to sweep sand out of everything — the broom has become one of the most used tools in the entire camp.

A bit of improvised “desert hygiene,” waste disposal at the camp, and then we were ready to roll.

Constant Recoveries in Deep Sand

Today’s stage was again guided by our desert experts, but progress was slow from the start. The convoy kept being interrupted as more and more rally vehicles got stuck in deceptively soft sand. Even when the surface looks flat and harmless, the Sahara has a way of pulling cars in.

By midday, we had already helped around ten vehicles out of the sand — sometimes with pure muscle power, sometimes by towing, and quite often by using our sandboards, which saw heavy action today.

Another Radiator Repair

Unfortunately, we also encountered another radiator failure in one of the teams. That meant another long stop — more than two hours — while the service crew worked their magic.

We’re truly lucky to have such a skilled service team on this rally. Somehow, with limited tools and in the middle of the desert, they manage to fix things that would normally require a proper workshop.

Ice Cream in the Middle of the Sahara

One of the most surreal and delightful moments of the day came during this long repair break:
A rally team had brought along a portable ice cream freezer — yes, really — and set up a small “ice cream stand” in the desert.

Three different flavors, served to every rally participant, right there in the middle of the Sahara.
It was a completely unexpected treat and lifted everyone’s spirits. Sometimes the small, crazy ideas make the biggest difference.

Only 60 Kilometers — But Hard Earned

In total, we covered only about 60 kilometers today. With around 50 vehicles in the convoy, every recovery means everyone stops. It’s slow, it’s dusty, and it takes real patience — but that’s the nature of desert stages.

Fortunately, temperatures stayed manageable and clouds offered occasional relief. The organization kept reminding everyone to drink plenty of water, and we took that to heart.

Back at Camp: A Desert Cinema Night

By late afternoon, we reached today’s camp spot — another wide open area in the sand. With each passing day, setting up the tent becomes a little easier. Our small circle of rally teams again arranged the vehicles in a protective formation to shield us from the wind.

Tonight came with a special surprise:
Team “Aachener Wüstenwüchse” had brought a projector and a screen, turning the Sahara into an open‑air cinema. Even cocktails were planned — a perfect way to end a long day filled with recoveries and dust.

Looking Ahead

We still have two more desert days before reaching the Mauritanian capital.
If everything goes smoothly, we’ll be back on firmer ground soon — but for now, the sand continues to challenge us.

Tomorrow will bring more dunes, more teamwork, and hopefully fewer breakdowns.
But whatever happens, we’ll face it as a team.