NOTES FROM THE ROAD


< more recent | 15 MAR 2014 | older >


THE GRAND DEPART


069_NIC_15032014_Paris_060053


Team 171 USnomads joined more than one hundred other teams in front of the Eiffel Tower for the official departure of the 24th edition of the Rally Aicha des Gazelles


15 MARCH 2014: Under the cloudy Parisian sky, the first teams began to take their places around 7:00 a.m. on a prestigious starting line. The Eiffel Tower looms in the distance, silhouetted by a timid ray of sun. The vehicles are parked in a precise and orderly formation. Friends and families gathered to wish the teams good luck as they prepared to depart for the grand adventure.

The Gazelles danced their ritual “flash mob” to the sound of “Happy” by Pharell Williams, going through the motions of shovelling and scanning the horizon as they performed the choreography created by Canadian choreographer and judge on “Danse avec les stars” Jean-Marc Généreux.

Half an hour before the official start there is a flurry of photos and hugs and some honking of horns then at 3 o’clock sharp, Dominique Serra, founder and director of the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles, waved the starting flag as Chakib Ben Moussa, the Moroccan Ambassador in France, addressed the crowd: “I would like to wish them all a good Rallye, an adventure full of emotion and the joy of discovering our country and our people.”

Then the teams set off through the Parisian streets on their way south…

For more live coverage of Today’s event from the official Rally site: English | Français



VIDEO: THE OFFICIAL START OF THE RALLY


Gazelles TV presents the start of the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles from place Trocadero, in front of the iconic Eiffel tower.





VIDEO: HEADED TO MOROCCO


M6 presents the start of the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles in three parts:

PART ONE OF THREE par Rallye-Aicha-des-Gazelles



PART TWO OF THREE par Rallye-Aicha-des-Gazelles



PART THREE OF THREE par Rallye-Aicha-des-Gazelles


PREVIOUS NOTES FROM THE ROAD >

WHERE WE ARE


ABOUT THE DAY’S COURSE

TROCADERO CEREMONY / DEPART





The official departure of the 24th Rallye Aicha des Gazelles from place Trocadero in Paris takes place today. The teams, friends and family, te media and the just plain curious gather around the foot of the Eiffel tower, where the organization has set up tents for the first public presentation of this year’s Rally. The vehicles will start their engines and take off at 3pm local time, heading south, towards Morocco. Tonite they will stop at Clermont-Ferrand, half-way en route to the ferry port in Barcelona. The journey to Morocco will continue over the next two days.


TEAM 171 PRESENTATION



USnomads, c’est l’histoire d’une amitié de plus de 20 ans, qui s’est construite à travers le temps, les cultures, les expériences de la vie et des voyages. Seule l’union de deux caractères forts et respectueux l’un de l’autre explique que nous soyons arrivées à nos fins dans chacun de nos défis.

Ceci est notre première participation au Rallye des gazelles et nous ne sommes pas des professionels, mais JoMarie a une certaine expérience de l’Afrique et des situations d’urgence. D’autre part, elle s’est totalement investie dans la préparation de cette course et Isabelle s’est récemment mise à la navigation.

Le Rallye des gazelles dans le désert marocain sera le théâtre d’une nouvelle épreuve pour nous : une Jeep, une boussole, une carte et tout le pouvoir de notre volonté d’y parvenir fera le reste.

Ce défi sportif s’inscrit dans un projet humain plus large, celui de traverser le désert du Sahara d’Ouest en Est dans l’espoir d’accompagner les équipes d’ONG dans leurs micro-projets d’aide aux peuplades nomades locales. JoMarie en produira un film documentaire qui donnera à mieux connaitre les hommes de cette partie du monde.

L’équipe 171 prendra fièrement son envol le 15 mars 2014 avec toutes les autres participantes ! Et que les meilleures gagnent !

Mais quelle valeur et quelle portée aurait cette leçon de vie, si nous n’étions pas soutenues par l’amour de nos proches, de nos amis et de tous ceux qui nous entourent. Merci !


SUPPORTING MOTHERS

Team USnomads is proud to support the work of MothersToMothers, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that recognizes the ability of mothers to change their destiny. MothersToMothers, founded by Pamela Parlapiano, partners with local women to create community supported day care and learning centers that change lives. Their model project in Amacho Wato Kebele, Ethiopia, has shown how with just a little help, the mothers in the community can improve the lives of a whole village. Please join us in supporting their efforts to take this successful model to more villages: Donate to MothersToMothers here. (Note that all donations go 100% directly to MothersToMothers).


CURRENT WEATHER


Detailed weather: Errachida



MORE NOTES FROM THE ROAD:
14 March – Technical Verification day

8 to 13 Mar 2014 – Paris: Preparations
1 to 7 Mar 2014 – Paris: Preparations
22 to 28 Feb 2014 – Training
15 to 21 Feb 2014 – Training
Archive


FEATURE

TWO FRIENDS, A JEEP AND A DREAM

We just seem to love “road trips.” The excitement of laying out the maps, loading up the Jeep, and heading out to discover something new has brought us together before. In 2010 we criss-crossed the United States in a marathon drive that covered over 10,000 miles and encompassed 25 states in 46 days… [read]


MORE INFO:
About Team 171 US Nomads
Team Training
Practical Matters — Logistics
In Our Words — Reflections
Team News
Contact Us


FEATURE

TIERRA DEL SOL DESERT RUN

A photo storyboard highlighting some of the challenges posed during a multi-day off-road run through the dunes of Desierto de Altar in Mexico with Tierra del Sol. The annual trip offered plenty of opportunities to get intimate with sand … [read]



> Team US Nomads is training hard to face the challenges of a Sahara crossing like no other. The first step in their journey is the 2014 Rally Aicha des Gazelles. Find out more about the team and their inspiration …
> A true test of endurance, the Gazelle rally pushes teams to their limits in a struggle to overcome the harshest terrain in the Moroccan Sahara. The key to success is a seamless combination of off-road driving abiility, land navigation skills and strategic thinking. Learn more about this unique race …
> Team US Nomads is working to connect people across borders and cultures in a true exchange. This includes a series of humanitarian efforts to assist communities in the region undertaken with the rally organization and other NGO partners. Discover how we are doing good as we go …
> Team US Nomads needs your support. Whether you represent a corporate organization interested in sponsoring the team, a humanitarian group that would like to find out more about working with us in the Sahara, or if you would just like to follow along with the adventure, we want to hear from you. Find out how to get involved …


ROUTE MAP

Copyright @ USnomads.org.