RALLY
1996 DESERT CANNONBAU RALLY
Cairo, Egypt
•
ultralights) from crossing
the border between Israel
and Egypt, the remaining 28 cars and 19
motorcycles spent six specta'cular days
crossing some of the most inhospitable
terrain in the world.
Billed as the Desert Cannonball, in
honor of legendary American motorcycle and car racer Cannonball Baker, this
abbreviated edition of the Pharaohs
Rally provided ample opportunity for
the entrants to test their navigation abilities, driving or riding skills, mechanical
expertise and physical stamina.
My involvement came about when I
met Fenouil at the initial Nevada Rally
in 1993. We talked then about Egypt and
the desert and I knew then I wanted to
go and see for myself. When Cycle News
ran ~ short paragraph in its "In the
Wind" section about the adventure, I
immediately made contact again with
By John Alkema
Photos by Richard Andre and Alkema
CAIRO, EGYPT, ocr. 12-17
gainst all ·odds; the irrepressible
Frenchman Fenouil pulled off
another edition of the Pharaohs
Rally with his usual flamboyant style.
Although plagued by interna tional
political problems which prevented the
16 entered ultralights (that's right, I said
r
16
(Above) German Jutta Kleinschmidt pilots
her BMW in the shadows of' the Great'
Pyramids in 'Egypt en route to her fifth_ place finish.
(Right) Italian Fabrizio Meoni blazes his
KTM across the Egyptian desert. He was
consistent and won the rally by almost
two hours.
(Below) The vast and barren desert
provided many opportunities for the riders
to test their riding and navigational skills.
Paris and within days, I was committed.
I must thank Alhambra Honda for its
as.sistance in getting my bike and equip-ment prepared.
.
The rally started at the famous World
War II battiefield of El Alamein, 80 miles
west of Alexandria. El Alamein derives
its notoriety as the place where the
Allied forces stopped German Field
Marshal Rommel's march to Cairo during the North African campaign of 1942.
From El Alamein, the course headed
due south over gently rolling, desolate
desert terrain, absolutely barren of vegetation. Initially slated as the first special,
test, this section had to be a transfer, or
"raid" section, due to the lack of sufficient helicopters to transport the medical team. The night was spent at the
first of the oasis bivouacs, Bahariya, 175
miles to the south.
Although the special test did not take
place, the first day still provided the
entrants with a day of riding where they
