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North Africa Topics specific to North Africa and the Sahara down to the 17th parallel (excludes Morocco)
Photo by Hendi Kaf, in Cambodia

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Hendi Kaf,
in Cambodia



Trans Sahara Routes.

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  #16  
Old 8 Dec 2004
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Just to throw another thought out, I really hate tents in the desert! You miss the stars, the sunrise, the appearance of animal life in the dawn.

Even if you take a tent, try a night without!

I only use tents in sandstorm season and even then rarely. a poncho as a windbreak, a decent Karrimat-type insulator and a 3-season dossbag (or 4 season in winter) are the best solution - *dont* forget the windbreak, esp anywhere near a sea wind

Sleeping out in the air is wonderful! Smell the tea brewing in the fire embers, wake and see infinite stars over you, see the sunrise without getting up.....!

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  #17  
Old 9 Dec 2004
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hello runner,

i suggest you enter your tent for sleeping only!
of course everybody sits around a campfire and watches stars, scorpions and snakes in the evening. and in the morning we enjoy the sunrise through wide opened tent doors. while during the night's sleep, we too don't see anything at all except dreams. so there is no contradiction between using a tent and enjoying nature big time.

good luck to everyone
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  #18  
Old 9 Dec 2004
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"i suggest you enter your tent for sleeping only!"

I suggest you dont use a tent at all.

"so there is no contradiction between using a tent and enjoying nature big time."

I would respectfully disagree, for the reasons Ive already given.
Each to their own. My opinion (for what its worth) is that you lose the feeling of being in the desert when you're closed away in a tent.




[This message has been edited by Runner (edited 09 December 2004).]
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  #19  
Old 9 Dec 2004
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hi runner,

at home - you sleep under a bridge, right? no - for sure you prefer a roof above your head. so there's got to be something about that...

but anyway: some folks like tents, some do not. so what? they're all nice people, i believe.

greetings ;-)

[This message has been edited by desert soul (edited 09 December 2004).]
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  #20  
Old 9 Dec 2004
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Makes no odds to me what you do, mate.

I think the point about the futility of arguing on the WWW has already been made elsewhere....
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  #21  
Old 9 Dec 2004
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The Khayam tents are great except they are heavy, not good at all for bikers.

I can set mine up in about 1min 30secs....!

no need for pegs or ropes unless its windy.

Im looking for a ultralight one man tent 2kg or less that is free standing (none out there)

free standing is like chris scott describes above

since
(pegs in sand = hopeless, pegs in cacampsite also = hopless!)


amazing how tents are a big topic. but they can be SUCH a pain if the wrong choice is made.

they are always erected when youre tired at the end of the day

Karim
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  #22  
Old 9 Dec 2004
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One point ref the tent versus no tent question, the last time I was in Libya on the shitty side we had: a sandstorm, torrential downpours, cold biting winds and a violent hailstorm with stones the size of golfballs - no exageration (one of our vehicles back windows was smashed by one)! It isnt always clear starry nights in the Sahara!

A tent and (or) a bivy bag (Goretex ideally) is an asset on expedition whether you use it or not.

Ref dome tents - the ones with aluminium poles are the best. You can also get snow pegs, albeit at a price, which work in the sand for your guys otherwise burying tyres or jerrycans or shovels (as mentioned) works well. If you're looking for the ultimate modern dome tent for a group look no further than the "Vaude Base Dome" - it isn't cheap though but you can get a table and chairs up inside, cook and get out of the weather!


[This message has been edited by ctc (edited 09 December 2004).]
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  #23  
Old 10 Dec 2004
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hello runner,

ever seen somebody try to argue with smilies? so please, stay mr. nice guy ( as everybody knows you are normally ;-) )

hello all,

i would also submit to the posting ahead of mine, that even just the prophylactic "erecting" of a tent (you can always sleep beside it) in the evening can be a blessing in case of rapidly changing weather conditions. this is not too unusual, according to my own experience!
one time we froze our asses off while sleeping "under the stars" in the teffedest range / algeria. free dropping temperatures and a wind straight from the south pole came as a horrible surprise. there was no chance in building a tent anymore.
one other time on our way back home we were took by surprise: heavy and cold rains came crashing down the desert sky, and we had 10 minutes of weak downpour to raise our tent, before the whole shit came down on us.
so a little preparations for the bad odds seems to make some good sense to me...

good luck, again
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  #24  
Old 10 Dec 2004
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great thread, guys.
my fave tent (Karim) is from Decathlon (branch near Canada Water in London). its a forclaz 2 (ultra?)light. 2-man/1+bike kit simple dome with clippy bits. must be about 2.1kg with pegs and outer, but I usually just tie it to the front wheel (when parked raher than riding into the teeth of a storm) or kick sand up the sides to stop the wind getting under it.
while I also like to sleep outside the tent, its a bit of an umbilical chord for a townie like me that keeps going off the rails.
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  #25  
Old 11 Dec 2004
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I have a 3 person Sierra Designs Stretch Dome tent. I like a somewhat bigger tent, as then you have more space and keep some gear inside. It's about 10 years old and still going strong. Not cheap, but worth every penny.
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  #26  
Old 11 Dec 2004
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Just one more thought if you have more than one vehicle to tie it to it may be worth considering a Hennesy hammock as an alternative to other tents
Dave
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  #27  
Old 11 Dec 2004
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Rich
Is it one of these? and is it free standing (the ultralight one?)

http://www.decathlon-usa.com/us/prod...t/o_tent_h.htm

thanks Karim

------------------
<A HREF="http://www.desertbiking.co.uk
Water=Time,Fuel=distance" TARGET=_blank>www.desertbiking.co.uk
Water=Time,Fuel=distance</A>
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  #28  
Old 12 Dec 2004
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I've found that a cheap £30 tent from Milletts does the job very well. As Chris says, you can use snow pegs to pin it down in sand, and put anything heavy in it to hold it down on rock. The wind can blow it away so use the guys to tie it to your vehicle - preferably in the lee of it
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  #29  
Old 12 Dec 2004
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Quote:
Originally posted by coolkarim:
Rich
'Is it one of these? and is it free standing (the ultralight one?)'
I've checked tent offer for my next year bike trip to Mali, and decided for the ultralight. It's not standing free, but this has advantages and disadvantages... as stated in previous messages. And it's light, esay to mount and fits on the Zega cases. My previous one was standing free (the inner part) and in Mauritania last year gave me some problems in windy nights. After the trip I can tell you how it works...

Regards,
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  #30  
Old 12 Dec 2004
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I also tried using an army poncho strung up
between bikes (Austin Vince's idea..!)

advantages
light, no poles, can be used as a waterproof coat. quick and easy to setup

disadvantages
when it rains the roof fills with water
you are still in the 'open', and wake up covered in dew/condensation
as a waterprrof it falls to peices riding at speed
need minimum 2 bikes!

anyone agree?
cheers
Karim
...also trying to get topic desertcamping to the record books...

------------------
<A HREF="http://www.desertbiking.co.uk
Water=Time,Fuel=distance" TARGET=_blank>www.desertbiking.co.uk
Water=Time,Fuel=distance</A>

[This message has been edited by coolkarim (edited 12 December 2004).]
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