Hello friends,
This is my first post, I hope I am posting in the right section, and also hope that it isn't a repeated post. I searched the forums and founds nothing, so here it goes.

From August to December, I will cycle tour from Lisbon, to Mauritania and back.

The long trip to Nouadihbou, I will cycle all the way, passing through various regions of Morocco, and also all the way down Western Sahara, no hitchhiking at all. In Nouadihbou I plan to take the Iron Train to Choum or Fderik and then cycle to Terjit, Chinguetti and Ouadane (Richat Structure). I will then take the Train back to Nouadihbou and start my return trip to Lisbon.

Since Western Sahara is long and monotonous, I don't wish to cycle it again, that would be boringly-suicidal*, I hate repeated roads. My plan is to hitchhike on a truck/pickup than can carry my bike and the panniers to Guelmin/Tiznit.

As I've never been there, Do you guys think that it's easy to take this lift from Nouadihbou, given that I go north out of the city and wait for a truck. And even if it's easy to take a lift, is it common to have trucks run all the coast up to the "border" with Morocco?

Bonus questions: (I have limited time, so can only visit one).
What do you think is worth more? to explore the iron mines in Fderik/Zouérat or to visit the Richat Structure? I love industrial work and machinery, but the idea of visiting the Eye of the Sahara is exciting. But I see two problems:
-Is it even possible to visit the mines and the working trucks or is it closed and strictly to personel?
-As exciting Richat Structure seems from the air, I have a feeling that from the ground the geological formation will be super similar to most southern morocco landscape, and it won't be that interesting. Tell me if you think otherwise. Or if you know of any hot-air balloon tours over it.

Thank you very much! I've been reading this forums for some months now, so I'm happy to join, and hope that after my trip I can share my experiences and help future travellers!

you can follow the trip later on instagram @loistouring http://www.instagram.com/loistouring

*I know I'm going to love riding WS, and I'm aware that it will be a challenging 8 day stretch fighting sand, wind and nothingness, and the reward will be priceless. However, repeating it in such a short time, is unthinkable, and I'd rather use my time for new challenges