Cross Egypt Challenge is a series of endurance scooter rides aiming to promote tourism, alternative sports, and alternative means of transportations in Egypt.

I was accepted a ride for this years Challenge. I am honored and thrilled at this opportunity.

The 2012 season of Cross Egypt Challenge will start from Egypt's capital and the home of the famous Tahrir square, then heads north to the cosmopolitan city of Alexandria at the shores of the Mediterranean before heading west towards the city of Marsa Matrouh. The challenge will then heads down towards the fascinating Sahara desert where the challenge team will ride between Egypt's 5 famous oases, Siwa, Bahareya, Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga before reaching the legendary city of Luxor; the world largest open-air museum, where they will ride down the avenue of the sphinxes to end their long and tiring journey in front of the magnificent temple of Karnak.



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DAKALA OASIS TO KHARGA OASIS DAY 7

OCTOBER 18, 2012

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Four of us were housed in a separate hotel than the main group.  They are both fine first class hotels, the Desert Lodge and the Badaweya.  Ours, however, had air conditioning and a swimming pool. To make up for that, they made us get up an hour earlier than the main group to be sure we were on time.  Nothing has been on time yet, but today must be important. That is all right.  It was worth it.









 Today we just rode.  It was hot, hot, hot!!!!  105 F in the shade, if there was any shade. It wound up being the shortest ride of the trip, but one of the hardest due to the heat.



After the first refueling me and "Conchita" roared back in line and down the highway.  After about 10 minutes she coughed up a big cloud of smoke and quit. I rolled out of the line of traffic and to the side of the road.  I was pretty sure she was a goner as there was no compression. The maintenance truck pulled up and the mechanic confirmed that "Conchita" was dead.
crank all you want son, she ain't going to start
They took number #14 off the truck.  It had been laid down by Kahled a few days ago and he was now riding in the truck.

 I moved my stuff over to "Lucy" and roared down the highway to catch up with the group.  After about ten minutes, "Lucy" started bucking and sputtering. Over to the side again I go.
The maintenance truck rolled up and Khaled the mechanic jumped out again.  He quickly determined it was a bad spark plug.  Unlike the Vespa, the spark plug on this scooter is easy to get to, so he had it changed pretty quickly.  Off I roar again.



two down?


As norma,l the Governor met us to welcome us to his area.  A very nice gentleman and he had arranged a tour of the area on the scooter. As this would run into dark, I chose not to participate and stayed for the tear down of "Conchita".  Glad I did.  Three riders went down and one got hit by a car. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries.

 I cannot say the same for "Conchita".





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