Morocco – May 2011
The Route
Portsmouth – France, Caen, Pons, Bordeaux, ST Jean Pied de Port – Spain, Espinal, Pamplona, Soria, Alcolea del Pinar, Sacedon, Cuenca, Motilla Del Palancar, Ossa De Montiel, Villacarrillio, Motril, Amayate, Algeciras, Ceuta – Morocco, Chefchaouen, Ketama, Fes, Azrou, Boulojoul, Midelt, Ar Rachida, Erfoud, Tinehir, Boumaine Dades, Quarzazate, Telouet, Marrakech, Tahanoute, Ijoukok, Tafinegoult, Agadir, Imsouane, Tamanar, Essaouira, Safi, Casablanca, Mohammedia, Rabat, Kinatra, Souk el Arba du Rharb, Larache, Tetouan – Spain, Ceuta, Algeciras, Sevilla – Portugal, Lagos, Budens, Odemira, Santiago do Cacem, Alcacer du Sol, Montemor O Novo, Estremoz, Santo Antonio Das Areias – Spain, Castelo Branco, Cavilha, Seia, Viseu, Lamego, Bilbao, Lekeito, Zarautz – France, Hossegor, Parents en Bonn, Biscarrasse, Soulac, Royan, Rochefort, Lucan, Nantes, Dinan, Caen – England, Portsmouth and Hampton here I come! I will be riding solo for this adventure and expect to cover 6000 miles over 3 weeks avoiding all motorways!
The next morning, I woke at 0515 in time for a spectacular sunrise emerging rapidly from the sand dunes. After saying our good byes to the cat, we set off on the return camel trek to Masouga in light wind and rain.
My day off by the desert gave me a chance to relax a little before driving a 4×4 around Erg Chebbi desert and drink tea with the Nomads close to the Algerian border where we were constantly being watched suspiciously by the
Today, I escaped from Fez. I found yesterdays ride challenging. Exchanging cigarettes with the guard I nervously set off on the 344 mile journey through the mid/low Atlas mountains. I was now used to the rain and had adapted various clothes drying techniques
I woke to prayers being called, echoing around the mountains. It was raining again. Why wasn’t it light I asked myself, then realised I hadn’t adjusted my clock, it was 0400 Moroccan. I continued to pack and put on my still
After 193 miles, a ferry sailing, a stressful border crossing and a 5 Euro bribe, I arrived in North Africa. I camped in Chefchaouen in the RIF mountains of Morocco, 63 miles south of Ceuta. The smell from the marjuanna fields
The 263 mile journey from remote Ossa De Montiel to Malaga was expected to be easy, little did I know there would be thunder storms the whole way, making the Spanish roads like ice skating rinks, often loosing the back end to
Highlights
As suggested in my web page heading, there will never be a conclusion to these adventures and although, sometimes challenging here are some highlights which added to my Morocco trip: The French roads. Twisty mountain roads. Crossing the Pyrenees. The 9 days of rain. Camping and camel trek in the Erg Chebbi desert. The cleverness of the Moroccans well established with tourism. Riding through the Todra Gorge. Achieving and navigating off road piste’s. Never felt threatened anywhere, in fact I feel more at risk in London. Marakesh Madina’s culture. Getting lost Marakesh. And everything else that goes with biking. The cost of fuel. The hospitality of the locals, especially Portugal. The disappointing and expensive Caen food. The different culture, food and languages. The undiscovered paradise in NW Portugal’s national forest park. But most of all, how achievable this is for anyone and any bike. I hasten to add that two weeks after I returned from this amazing adventure, I wrote my bike off on the M25!
