The above photo is from the road crossing the Western Sahara.

My godson Edward Brial is biking from Paris to Dakar this summer to raise money for the charity Action Against Hunger, broaden awareness about the solar power potential of Western Sahara, and hit the road looking for adventure and whatever comes their way.

Originally the journey was passing through Mauritania, however the rise of radical fundamentalism in Mali has increased the lawlessness in the country, so the five young men are skirting that part of the expedition.

I’ve been keeping track of the boys.

The desert looks like Mars and reminded me of a road trip with my father to Arizona and Utah. We entered Cayenta, the capitol of the Navaho nation. There wasn’t a tree in sight. Dust devils skated across the junction of routes 160 and 163. Monument Valley was to the north. It was late in the day.

“We better stay here.” I had once skipped through this town thinking to find a motel with a more scenic setting. I slept that night in the car.

“Not much of here to stay at.” My father surveyed the landscape and said from behind the wheel of our rented car, “This looks like Mars fifty years after terra-forming.”

“You know about terra-forming?” I asked with incredulity, for he had never expressed any interest in science fiction or space travel.

“I might disapprove of wasting money on going to space.” His fingers tapped the wheel.

“Because there’s nothing up there?” I had heard his argument on more than one occasion.

“Exactly nothing, but this is better than nothing.” He pulled into the nearest motel. It was time for dinner and my father knew what was best.

As for Edward I wish him cool runnings.

To see his progress please go to this site;

http://paristodakar.org/

Monument Valley.

It only has one moon.