The Sahara Desert is one of the harshest environments on earth | Imagine driving across the Sahara Desert with little more than a compass, a black and white hand drawn map from the 1960s, and a teammate. Every direction, for thousands of miles, all you can see is sand, dunes, and absolutely no sign of life. That is what the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles is about.Started in 1990, the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles du Maroc, as it is officially called, is a rally race held in the southeastern portion of Morocco, Africa, along the Algerian border. The race, put on by Maienga, an international event management agency, is only open to women. Their goal is to raise money to support a team of doctors to provide medical attention to the remote regions of Morocco. 
Nicole and Chrissie took time out of the race to hand out goodies to the desolate communities | They are extremely concerned with environmental responsibility and limiting their impact during the event. Some of the registration fee even goes to an organization that provides carbon dioxide emissions offsetting, so there is practically zero impact on the environment. The event is traditionally held in the months of March and April, while the weather is still relatively cool. There are three unique classes of vehicles; 4x4 (for 4x4 trucks), Crossover (for SUVs, vans, and crossovers), and Motorcycle (for motorcycles and quads). Other than that, the only criterion is your own determination, according to the Rallye’s website.Being an all women race, there are often a wide range of participants from all over the globe and from all walks of life. One of the teams consisted of a pair of Southern California women, Chrissy Beavis and Nicole Pitell-Vaughan. Chrissy is a rally car co-driver and has worked with some of the best in the industry. Nicole Pitell-Vaughan owns Total Chaos Fabrication in Corona, California. Total Chaos fabricates suspension parts for a variety of off-road specific applications. So both women are no stranger to driving off-road, but this would take them to the next level. 
This picture perfectly sums up life in the Sahara. Now imagine volunteering to race across it! | K&N has been a sponsor of Nicole and Total Chaos for a number of years.“I only work with companies that I truly believe in,” explained Nicole, “K&N has been making filters since the ’60s and they build some of the best air filters around. They were one of the first calls I made when I decided to go on this adventure.” 
Nicole Pitell-Vaughan and Chrissie Beavis representing Americaduring the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles | To say we were thrilled that she would be taking our product into one of the most inhospitable environments known to man would be an understatement.Nicole explained that the sand in the Moroccan Sahara is finer than any sand she had ever encountered before. This meant the truck needed an air filter that would offer excellent airflow while keeping out as much dirt and dust as possible. K&N has always claimed that our products really do work and this would be a test of that statement. Nicole and Chrissy would be driving the Total Chaos 2014 Toyota Tacoma 4x4, affectionately dubbed the “Morocco Taco”. We outfitted the Taco with a K&N 33-2281 replacement air filter. This helped ensure that the TRD supercharged 4.0-liter engine received the clean air it needed to work properly. Nicole explained that they were allowed an hour before they left the camp in the morning and an hour when they got to the next camp to work on their vehicles. 
The only navigation aids you can use on the Rallye are a compass and an outdated map from the 1960s | “I changed the filter once during the Rallye,” Nicole told us, “but I really didn’t have to. I pulled it out of the truck and it still looked brand new.”She also explained that the only problem they had on the journey, was a broken upper shock mount in the rear. Aside from that, the truck performed flawlessly, even climbing the Merzouga Dunes, some of the largest dunes in the world. 
Nicole admitted that she changed the filter once on the Rallye, but it was only for peace of mind | The conditions on the Rallye are not for the weak. Every morning starts with a 4:00 am wakeup call. You pack up, eat breakfast, then leave for the day. You travel all day to the next camp, or bivouac, and then eat, work on your vehicle for an hour, and go to sleep. If your vehicle needs more than an hour’s worth of work, there is a full mechanic team ready to fix any issues that might have presented themselves that day, like a broken shock mount. This lasts for nine long, grueling, social media and internet-free days. At the end of the Rallye, there is an awards ceremony and dinner reception in Essaouira, Morocco. From there you make your way to the airport and come home. Like we said, not intended for the weak.The US team of Nicole and Chrissy came in second place in the 4x4 class, the highest ranking U.S. team to compete in that class. Nicole said that her mind and body have forever been changed by the Rallye. “I entered the Rallye to redefine my career,” she explained, “and I have to say that spending almost two weeks driving through the desert with zero contact to the outside world does something to you. Not in a bad way, but it makes you look at the world differently.” We are glad that Nicole decided that K&N was worthy enough to come along for the trip. 
This is a tiny dune compared to the rest of the Merzouga Dunes | 
Nicole and Chrissy enjoy a moment of solace amidst a week of driving through the Sahara desert | |
