{"id":1161,"date":"2014-02-06T18:43:12","date_gmt":"2014-02-06T18:43:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/usnomadstudio.com\/usnomads\/blog\/?page_id=1161"},"modified":"2014-04-05T10:30:11","modified_gmt":"2014-04-05T10:30:11","slug":"notes-from-the-road-mar-15","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/usnomadstudio.com\/usnomads\/blog\/?page_id=1161","title":{"rendered":"Notes from the Road – MAR 15"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NOTES FROM THE ROAD<\/h2>\n
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< more recent<\/a> | 15 MAR 2014 | older ><\/a> <\/p>\n

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THE GRAND DEPART<\/h5>\n


\"069_NIC_15032014_Paris_060053\"<\/p>\n


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<\/strong><\/h6>\n


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15 MARCH 2014:<\/strong> 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.

\nThe 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 G\u00e9n\u00e9reux.

\nHalf 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 A\u00efcha 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.”

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

\nFor more live coverage of Today’s event from the official Rally site: English<\/a> | Fran\u00e7ais<\/a><\/p>\n


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VIDEO: THE OFFICIAL START OF THE RALLY<\/h5>\n


Gazelles TV presents the start of the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles from place Trocadero, in front of the iconic Eiffel tower.<\/p>\n