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 ie when hitting a dry spell, riding with my arms and legs spread. It seem to work. With the cloud so dense I was unable to overtake the 5 mph laden trucks crawling up the mountain. Once over the mid, the weather cleared and to my pleasant surprise the Atlas roads were amazingly well constructed. They made the best riding yet with good twisties and long runs. En route to Erfoud, I left the Tarmac to go off road, crossing an Oued encountering some large boulders in deep fine sand, I then bottled it and rejoined the road. I easily located the campsite using given gps points from my camping guide book. The people in the South were much more friendlier than in the North. The dry desert 31’C heat was expected and I’m not expecting any more rain this far South, especially by the desert.. I’m looking forward to my first day off tomorrow after 2156 miles from Hampton to Erfoud using only A and D roads, avoiding all toll roads and motorways.

On arrival I booked a 4×4 safari and camel ride into the Erg Chebbi dunes to drink tea with Nomads and sleep under the stars. During today’s ride I constantly struck up conversation with myself and agree that ‘Helmets can be dangerous places’