D16 – 70.0Km
You undoubtedly will not believe it, but TransAfrica caught cold. Headache, badly of throat, nose which runs, we all got it and the first-aid kit enters in action… the fault to a good stormy shower fallen violently on the camp, followed by an almost fresh nightwhich made it possible some of us to unpack their sleeping bag for the first time since the departure. Our layout is today punctuated by many villages and bordered of great extents of millet, sorghum and corn, an almost uninterrupted way. This rain season which is ending was very generous and the cultures, although sparser than in Europe, form beautiful green spots between savannas and the small forests reserved for the herds. In this northern area of Mali, far away from the capital and exclusively agricultural, the populations can be optimistic for the months to come and happy for harvest will be good. For Serge, now that heat fell, the main new difficulty has remained the same one for these last 4 days. The good odor of the tar is already far and, in lack of good foot support in sand, to run is hard and its weakened right ankle works too much. And then, which was to arrive arrived. Randomly of one of the multiple forks where the tracks are duplicated, Serge and his support-vehicle did not see the tire tracks and went on the left whereas the truck passed earlier took on the right side. After telephone link and GPS standpoint , rather than to come back, Serge decides to cut straight through the bush to find the camp, guided by the Toyota in which Stéphan calculates the road. Maybe an excellent exercise of orientation but not welcomed at the end of the stage and hottest hours. As a result, an unnecessarily lengthened stage and a shortened afternoon nap. At 6.40 PM, at the same time as the sun, the camp dies out without noise in the silence of gilded savanna. One woman for five men?! … Yesterday in Senegal, today in Mali, our crew often astonishes the local populations, with 80% Muslim, more accustomed to the opposite proportions… Last but not the least, after the Lulu, Rémy, JB and Stephan, we are pleased to present you Laure, the only woman of our team, also the youngest but nevertheless the chief manager of TransAfrica. Physiotherapist and living together with Serge, she took part in all his transcontinental runs (the USA, Australia and South America) where she takes care on her darling 24H/24. Always the first up and sometimes the last aslept, her energy seems without limits. Her determination too. When Serge feels exhausted and when others would be tried to advise to him a longer pause, without showing any weakness, she is the one who can find the words – he admits requiring it sometimes – to resume his run ahead.
