I-n-Belbel Off The Beaten Path

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Even with a 4x2 car, you can drive safely on most sand tracks. Until 4x4 became so popular, in the Sahara, only official cars were 4x4 (mainly Land Rovers) and few private citizens owned a 4x4. Given that you have a good strong car that it is not too low, that it is fitted with good tires: no tire with a lower aspect ratio, no tire with an aggressive design that would dig the sand. Most locals drove Peugeot 403, 404 or 504 (phonetically called ‘Peejoh’), often loaded with heavy loads of cattle, people or else! Worn out tires was not a problem, as they do not dig up the sand!

As I owned a 504, I felt that it was not a problem to build a circuit with 1000 km of sand trail. We were 4 in the 504 and had two companions in a 2cv Citroën. (the same car and driver than in 1973 but a younger passenger). This circuit was interesting as it did not follow a main track as the north-south track from In Salah to Tamanrasset but a secondary track, east-west from Reggane to In Salah. Instead of 1 or 2 cars or trucks par hour, there were not more than half a dozen cars (almost no trucks) par day.