Justine’s Greatest Test
The Deadly Triangle: Three Desert Crossings of 1,000 Kilometers Each
After navigating the challenges of Southeast Asia and India, Justine Tibesar faced what would become the most grueling segment of her journey—the desert crossings of Persia (modern-day Iran). This section of her route required traversing not one, but three consecutive desert stretches, each approximately 1,000 kilometers long through some of the most inhospitable terrain on Earth.
The first stretch from Douzhab to Meched la Sainte took her through “a sandy desert absolutely devoid of everything except two or three destitute villages.”(1) As Justine described it, “Runways, sometimes hundred meters wide, criss-cross in all directions. Once I got lost and had to go back to the starting point.”(1)
The second 1,000-kilometer crossing from Meched to Tehran followed “the same sand tracks” with minimal signs of human habitation. The third and final desert section from Tehran to Quemanshah completed what must have seemed an endless ordeal through barren landscapes.(2)
Mechanical Adaptations: The Sidecar Solution
Recognizing the extreme challenges ahead, Justine made a critical modification to her motorcycle in preparation for the desert crossings. “I bought a sidecar to transport the necessary gasoline and oil,” she reported.(1) This practical adaptation allowed her to carry sufficient supplies for the long stretches between settlements, but created new challenges: “A loaded sidecar was too heavy for my small 350cc FN, but I was still able to cross the Sin Desert very slowly.”(1)
The sidecar, while essential for survival, transformed the handling of her motorcycle and required her to relearn riding techniques on already difficult terrain. The added weight and drag reduced her speed significantly, extending her time exposed to the harsh desert conditions.
The Merciless Sun
Of all the desert hardships, none was more relentless than the heat. In her own words: “And then: the sun—a sun that hurts.”(1) Without modern cooling gear or climate-controlled rest stops, Justine endured daytime temperatures that regularly exceeded 40°C (104°F).
The consequences were severe. In Douzhab, she reported: “I got a fever and sunstroke. 10 days on a cot, a native doctor, thank God I had taken quinine with me—I cured myself.”(1) This was her second major health crisis of the journey, forcing another extended recovery period while completely isolated from modern medical care.
Navigation Nightmares
The featureless desert landscape created constant navigation challenges. Justine described how the “runways” or tracks would “criss-cross in all directions,” making it easy to become disoriented. In one telling incident, she “got lost and had to go back to the starting point”(1)—meaning she had to restart an entire segment of her journey after realizing she had taken a wrong turn.
Without GPS, mobile phones, or even reliable maps of the region, Justine relied on rudimentary navigation techniques, local guidance when available, and her own intuition. Each day required calculating not just direction but critically managing fuel and water supplies to ensure she wouldn’t be stranded between distant outposts.
The Cholera Threat
As if the environmental and physical challenges weren’t enough, Justine arrived in Baghdad to discover a cholera outbreak. “I was hit by cholera,” she stated simply in one account, though it’s unclear if she actually contracted the disease or merely faced the threat of it.(1)
The outbreak forced her to alter her planned route: “I wanted to leave for Syria, but I was advised not to do so, as I would be taking too great a risk alone in the desert.”(1) Instead, she redirected northward “via Mosul, Deriso and Alep,”(1) adding even more distance to her already monumental journey.
Triumph of Will
The desert crossings represented the most physically demanding and dangerous portion of Justine’s entire 22,000-kilometer expedition. That she completed not one but three consecutive 1,000-kilometer desert traverses, alone, on an underpowered motorcycle with a makeshift sidecar, while battling illness, navigation challenges, and extreme heat, speaks to her extraordinary determination.
When she finally reached more hospitable terrain, her relief was palpable: “Europe was within my grasp, I greeted it joyfully—a few days later I was in Constantinople.”(1) Looking back on the remainder of her journey through Europe, she would remark: “The rest of my journey was just a drive compared to crossing Asia.”(1)
The desert crossings were more than geographical challenges—they were the ultimate test of Justine Tibesar’s spirit, resourcefulness, and will to overcome seemingly impossible odds. In conquering these vast, unforgiving landscapes, she secured her place in the pantheon of the world’s greatest solo adventurers.
References:
(1) “Artikel Justine Tibesar englisch.pdf” – Report from the magazine “FN Sports” / October – November 1931 by Paul Destoc
(2) “La fabuleuse histoire de Justine TIBESAR.pdf” – Le fabuleux raid de 22.000 km, en 1931, de Marie Justine TIBESAR, à moto du Vietnam à Arlon by Jean-Marie Zimmerman
