Six Days on the Saddle

 May 3-8... six successive days of riding the bikes and crawling in and out of tents each night.

Out of Marrakech initially along agricultural land and local people on their bikes...

We're quickly back into the Atlas mountains. Ramadan is over and local cycling clubs were out en masse on training rides.
It is going to be a tough week. Campsites were spartan. The first night at the partly restored remains of the 12th century Tinmel Mosque.


Later on a hilltop. A hot windy climb to camp... a bush camp with no facilities...
...but payoff was a downhill start the next day...
Did I say hills? Yes... lots of hills scattered over these six days...






...and a variety of scenery...



Paradise Valley, not to be confused with the Paradise Valley near Squamish... coffee served while feet are in the water getting nibbled on by the fish in the river... well, that's the theory but not many fish in there today and none biting...

We cross a dam that is quite low on water going into the summer.

...that's Rae on the dam...
The walled city of Taroudant - amazing how clean and well-kept these ramparts are... 

Some philosophical thought along the way - 'Education is what remains after someone forgets what they gained in school'...
...and onto 50 km of smooth road with a bike lane...
Of course for every inch of nice smooth road, there is a price to pay... rough unpaved road, bone-jarring, big rocks, but nice scenery...




Fifth night in a campground at the fishing and surf village of Imsouaine...



Then on up the coast to Essaouira passing a young dromedary near one of the beaches. 
A rest day in Essaouira on Monday 9 May, then three days of riding to finish where we started in Casablanca

Comments

  1. Don9 May 2022 at 20:32

    I've enjoyed reading through all the entries and congratulations as you're into the final stretch. Some big terrain after Marrakesh and the photo's spectacularly highlight long grinding climbs. Apart from windy days, looks like the weather has been cooperative and you've managed many big KM days. I had the fortune to see parts of Morocco in 2014, but it was car travel and perhaps the most interesting mtn crossing I've been on was down into Marrakesh, this after leaving Ouarzazate, a section I believe you also covered. Awesome.

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