In 1993, a French electrician named Émile Leray found himself stranded in the middle of the African desert while driving an old Citroën 2CV from Morocco.

His car was badly damaged after hitting a rock. The nearest village was 20 miles away, and he only had enough food and water for about ten days. Although the fuel tank wasn't empty, Émile had no radio, no phone, and no spare tire. Hpwever he was determined to continue his journey on his own.

Repairing the car on the spot was impossible. So Émile came up with a crazy but effective idea — to turn his wrecked car into a motorcycle!

Using only the tools he had with him (pliers, a hammer, a hacksaw, and a drill), he spent 12 days building a functioning motorcycle.

He shortened the chassis, installed two wheels, moved the engine to the center… and it worked!

This ingenious solution helped him escape the desert and return to civilization — where he was greeted with a fine of 4,550 dirhams from the Moroccan police for driving a vehicle that didn’t match its official registration!

His improvised motorcycle still exists today. It is a symbol of creativity and adventure in the heart of the desert.

1. What happened to Émile Leray in 1993?