Morocco 23

[woodsmith]

I recentley returned from almost 3 months in Morocco, the vast majority of the time being spent south of the High Atlas. The origanal plan had been to spend two months there, landing In Marrakesh, following the Atlas Mountain Race route down towards Tiznit and then taking the Route of Caravans from Bikepacking.com back up to the Atlas before following my own route to Fez, Tangier and the boat to Spain.
Things turned out somewhat different almost from the off. I'd hardly ridden in the previous 2 months due to a knee injury in the New Year so the whole trip was a bit of a risk which thankfully paid off.
I intended to take the first day easy but ended up doing about 100km and totally exhausted, pushing up tarmac climbs I should have ridden easily. On the second day snow blocked the pass to Telouet requiring a back track. A couple of days later I couldn't cross the waist deep, swift flowing, snow-melt swollen Dades river and (too quickly really) abandoned following the route, opting to take mostly paved roads to Tiznit.
The route of caravans was excellent, although several sections have been paved or are in the process of being upgraded/paved but it detracts little from the experience as the traffic density is often no more than a handfull of vehicles / hour.
From Boumalne-du-Dades I took a week long loop down to Merzouga and some great desert riding including a pretty full-on sandstorm. Back in Boumalne again and after a week off with the worst bout of the Flu I've had in years the route I wanted to follow was experiencing a lot of rain and 4x4 drivers I met told of deep mud and swollen streams. Sod that. So I headed back towards the desert , crossing Djebel Sarhro a second time, this time on the previously aborted AMR route. A second crossing of the 100 mile desert section from Foum Zguid to Mhammid was far tougher and far hotter than the first time exactly a month earlier and 12 litres of water was barely enough for the day and a half in 40 degree heat.
From Imilchil I followed my own route but by the time I reached Midelt the cough I'd being suffering since the flu seemed to be worsening and after 4500 km and 50,000 m of elevation gain I was feeling pretty burnt out. 10 days of being a tourist in Fez, Meknes and Marrakesh ended the trip. Quite opportune as my aged mum fell and broke her colar bone the weekend I returned.
Its an amazing country, amazingly friendly people, great food, still very cheap, stunning scenery, epic riding. Just don't go during Ramadan if you can avoid it. It adds another level of difficulty that you just don't need.

Photo dump here https://photos.app.goo.gl/92Yy1dtFxntET9z76
rather than clogging up Stu's bandwidth.

[redefined_cycles]

Thanks for sharing all of them lovely pics and hopefully my guesstimates turned out ok/helpful!?

Looks like there's tortoises regularly seen? What's that snake? plus, did you figure out why them 2 buildings had twigs sticking out of them.

Can feel the solitude from much of them pictures through/in the mountains

[thenorthwind]

Fantastic pics, thanks for sharing. Looks like an incredible trip. Very tempting.

[woodsmith]

Thanks for sharing all of them lovely pics and hopefully my guesstimates turned out ok/helpful!?

Looks like there's tortoises regularly seen? What's that snake? plus, did you figure out why them 2 buildings had twigs sticking out of them.

Can feel the solitude from much of them pictures through/in the mountains

Hi Shaf. Yes, thanks for the tips re.Ramadan. I didn't see that many tortoises, maybe 6 in total, but they are easy to photograph No idea what the snake was apart from a bit grumpy as I'd just riden over its tail.
The tower is the minaret of the Great Mosque of Tiznit, the other, also in Tiznit was taken over the wall of the curentley closed museum so it's purpose is a mystery.

[redefined_cycles]

I'm gonna guess that you didn't attempt to join any locals at (just at the point of) maghrib (sunset prayers) time whilst they stuffed themselves with lovely Moroccon food dyring the opening of the fast.

You'd have been most welcome I'd (educatedly) guess and would have managed various delicacies as you passed through Ramadhan (and Morocco)

So many pics, wow... (thanks again).

[woodsmith]

I'm gonna guess that you didn't attempt to join any locals at (just at the point of) maghrib (sunset prayers) time whilst they stuffed themselves with lovely Moroccon food dyring the opening of the fast.

You'd have been most welcome I'd (educatedly) guess and would have managed various delicacies as you passed through Ramadhan (and Morocco)

So many pics, wow... (thanks again).

I did get invited to join people for the evening meal during Ramadan a few times but it was either hours before when I was continueing onwards or when I'd already eaten in my hotel room. I have to say that the food was one of the highlights of the trip and eating in back-street, hole-in-the-wall cafes was always great fun. Unfortunatley of course all were closed for the duration of Ramadan so the only cafes open were those in more heavily touristed areas. Any supplies had to be bought late the night before when shops re-opened after last prayers as nowhere was open generally until mid morning.

[redefined_cycles]

Haha... sorry to hear that Woodsmith sir. I never said before, but Malaysia. Aren't some of the Atlas mountains extended over into there. Some of the kindest and most polite people you'd ever meet (IMO) and food - to die for

Just saying

[fatbikephil]

Great pics Woodsmith, looks amazing. Mebbes next year....

[woodsmith]

Haha... sorry to hear that Woodsmith sir. I never said before, but Malaysia. Aren't some of the Atlas mountains extended over into there. Some of the kindest and most polite people you'd ever meet (IMO) and food - to die for

Just saying

I take it that Malaysia is an auto-correct of Mashallah? I did get a few of those along the way although it was much more common in Turkey.

[redefined_cycles]

Haha... sorry to hear that Woodsmith sir. I never said before, but Malaysia. Aren't some of the Atlas mountains extended over into there. Some of the kindest and most polite people you'd ever meet (IMO) and food - to die for

Just saying

I take it that Malaysia is an auto-correct of Mashallah? I did get a few of those along the way although it was much more common in Turkey.

Nope, Malaysia as in Malaysia. But yes, I've seen MashaAllah - used generally as a compliment or, 'wow vaguely exciting' or 'May God Bless that with yhe literal translation being Whateve3rr God Wills - spelt similar to Malaysia but not quite...

Malaysian food and people, a whole new ballpark of 'amazing/hospitable'. Plus I'd imagine the shops to be open during ramadhan too...