Going Bezerk Amongst the Berbers (Moto Morocco Apr 09)

garfield · May 30, 2009

Paul's KTM is also suffering today, mercifully we have a really cracking ride over to Marrakech. We also saw the Moroccan Vicky Pollard, a complete obscenity to my eyes, it induces even more screams of laughter in the group

We're in the Souk that night, it's just awesome, I really dig Marrakech, I want to go back, I love the place, it's chaotic in a great way. Mercifully Bill's bike is repaired and working well.... :clap

I eat a snail for the first time, I'm put off my Paul shouting it's alive, oh dear I'm not well

garfield · May 30, 2009

Some pre dinner fun, style icons we is...

Dinner tonight is in Le Sable, one of the finest eateries I've graced, the belly dancers arrive, some get into the spirit of it all, some don't.... :augie

to ever increasing howls of laughter, Paul and I plead for the ping pong show to start, alas no, belly dancer is all that's on offer. Bill claims something about a wooden leg means he can't dance judging by the drooling I'm suspect it was wood that was stopping his leg from moving....

I'm hauled up to perform, why do they always pick me, I want my mummy, I throw her off course though by doing an Egyptian Sand Dance.....1-0 to me....I'm from the ghetto I is and we know how to do a dance off....

Uinneag · May 30, 2009

Ready steady cook

oops sorry :blast

Fanum · May 30, 2009

I so hope you're going to post the video of you dancing the sand dance with her Paul :clap

Just love the view from up here- you can see 20 miles of piste down to Nekob and the road towards the Draa valley :thumb2

Keep it coming Sir :bow

garfield · May 30, 2009

Fanum said:
I so hope you're going to post the video of you dancing the sand dance with her Paul

might do....might not.... :augie

garfield · May 30, 2009

DAY SIXTEEN: Wednesday 15th April 2009

Marrakech to Khenifra

We awake to the news that the transport strike is on in Morocco, there's likely to be very little fuel around. Leaving Marrakech in rush hour is outstanding....

Sod that though, I've woken to a decidedly weak stomach, I wire a packet of immodium down my neck, I cannot afford to sh*t myself when I'm riding and whilst I may use a stand up toilet, I will most definitely not crap behind a big bush

We use tarmac today to push us North where the fuel is likely to be. There's a few Tossers in Morocco, they all seem to be struggling with fuel, Steptoe is off to Ouzzazarte... :comfort

We have lunch at the cascades, it's really nice, there's monkeys, dirty little mange ridden monkeys, I wish I had a gun because there would be no monkeys when I had finished.... :green gri

I am actually scared of heights....

Bill and I race on probably the most awesome and most sublime twisties ever, naturally I win....

the view from the top.... :bow

Khenifra when we arrive is loaded up with soldiers (we even watch a group of kids scrapping with each other in the street - it's all go here), before finding our hotel I pop to a local stand up toilet, I've been keeping it in since Marrakech, the resultant back pressure means I blow 9 tiles up...

.....I feckin' hate cleaning.... :blast

We find a local bar in Khenifra close to the barracks of the 7th Cavalry, I buy Vodka by the bottle, thankfully it's not the kind of vodka that makes you blind. Tired and with little dinner I head for bed, wakening up in the middle of the night and shiver violently for about an hour, I really am not feeling well now and when you're all alone in the dark, it's gets a little worrying....

Fanum · May 30, 2009

garfield said:
Bill and I race on probably the most awesome and most sublime twisties ever, naturally I win....

Only just

Wouldn't have had anything to do wit the fact that you were on a 1200 and I was on a 650 with MX tyres on it at all would it

When you come back out on the road only ride I'l be on the lebbenfiddy and we'll see what happens then :augie

garfield · May 30, 2009

DAY SEVENTEEN: Thursday 16th April 2009

Khenifra to Chefchaoun

I feel a little better this morning, lots of rehydration salts inside me and plenty of water and chocolate along with plenty of immodium and my special tablets.... :augie

The fuel situation is still there, yesterday Mr Ifan and Bill organised several drums of fuel, we fill up and hit the road.... :clap

Our lunch stop is near Vanuobulous, V is quite spectacular, lunch is awesomely cheap and the man who looks after us is a real pleasure to meet, I don't go into V, Paul however did, his bike was now on the trailer and he was a passenger in the van, the KTM was working no more, it's was quite a shopping list of problems.... :comfort

During the day, Reg has a moment with a zig zagging cow which eventually face plants itself at high speed in the road, my how I laughed....

Dogs are charging us more today as well, they'll soon stop when they get a 60mph size 11...

By night we make Chefchaoun, I do like it here, it's very pretty, after lots of hunting for a restaurant that did beer, we eat and then it's back to our auberge, a place that could really do with the assistance of an electrician.... :augie

garfield · May 30, 2009

DAY EIGHTEEN: Chefchaoun to Tanger

Friday 17th April 2009

Today was about the commute to the ferry back to Tanger and our hotel in Alhaurin

The first part of the roads were dreadful, plunging down a hill in the p*ssing rain, visor misted up, sand and crap flung up, mental van drivers and lorries that either didn't know or care that you were there....it could be scary if you let it....

Bob had an off on a corner, he was in front of me, on some diesel, mercifully he stopped short of the armco, he was such a trooper in getting straight back on the bike and it's a testament to the BMWs, 2 minutes of spannering and it's back on the road, well and truly dinged to sh*t, Steptoe should make some money out of this one....

The ferry is cool first chance to eat something which I might recognise, a baguette, crisps, fanta and a snickers bar is E8, I try to barter, evidently the Spanish don't barter or do humour..... :ymca

I can assure you I was dreaming happy thoughts....

back in Spain, just some of the group

had another race with Bill on Spanish soil, I won again.... :comfort

...first back to the Hotel..... :clap

It's back to the Mirador, a truly wonderful hotel and we are kindly cared for by Esther (I think that's her name... :nenau

), pizza, pasta, too much alcohol, oh dear, I have a long journey North ahead of me tomorrow, hey ho I'm happy, I'm drunk, I'm not even pleasantly happy, I've gone past that, I've survived, it was an Adventure not a Holiday, Bill was right, we laugh, we tell stories, I feel comfortable in the company of my new friends, I don't want to leave, why does it have to end, it's just not fair..... :tears

I stagger to bed at about 2 in the morning (I think :duno

).......

garfield · May 30, 2009

DAY NINETEEN: Saturday 18th April 2009

Alhaurin to Aniezo

I wake up, feeling rough, shouldn't have drunk all of what I did last night, 600 or so miles to cover today, hey ho, get your head down and go for it....saying goodbye to the gang is horrible, hugs all round, I don't think they saw my eyes welling up.....

.....

The motorway is cold, wet, windy and generally sh*tty. I can barely finish the sandwich I buy at lunchtime, it's vile, I survive by going deep inside my head, I sing very loudly songs from the most famous musicals, Sinatra and Elvis, all done in my own big band style....you have to do anything you can some days to survive the ride, today I survived....

The Picos were as beautiful as ever and I stop at Piedraslunga, plenty snow and fog around a few pictures and I head off for my B&B.

I'm very cold and hungry and I'm met by the owners of La Pisa like a lost son, it really is the most wonderful place to stay

I'm told I have a present waiting for me....a very very large whisky cocktail is given to me along with a note. If you ever wanted to see another definition of a Tosser, here you go, Sgt Bilco and Santrix, you are my heroes.... :bow

I stagger to bed at 9 having had a nice dinner, I'm drunk again but feeling warm inside at least....and very tired but glad I have a whole day to myself at La Pisa tomorrow, I head for the ferry in a day and a half's time....for now I sleep

garfield · May 30, 2009

DAY TWENTY: Sunday 19th April 2009

La Pisa all day

I sleep 15 hours last night, included in that is several day time power naps....

Reading passes the time, I feel rested and reflect on my own adventure of the past 3 weeks whilst reading Simon Gandolfini's book. A tube of pringle crisps is eaten for lunch, looking back how innocent was I, back then pringle's were crisps not the muck we know it to be now.... :rob

I go for a wander, take photos, meet Mrs Sutherland one of the neighbours as well as a little dog

Dinner is the most superb selection I could have hoped for....Jon is a great chef and Gwen is just fantastic to be around

Black Pudding with Apple and Sour Beetroot sauce

Estofado De Buey

Bread and Butter Pudding..... :JB

Surprisingly, I go to sleep easy tonight, tomorrow I head for the ferry.....

garfield · May 30, 2009

DAY 21-22: Monday and Tuesday 20th/21st April 2009

And it's finally home for the ferry.

The ferry crossing is good, I spend time with Bob and some guys who we met a while back crossing into Morocco, the company is pleasant. I find a problem on my bike a massive backfire when I'm checking in for the ferry, the girl in the box is terrified, Chris (Farm Boy) comes to my rescue with a repair

Here's Bob's bike on the low sided side.... :comfort

I think this is DaiB from here at the front of the queue

Goodbye Santander and Spain.... :beerjug:

I arrive in the UK at five the following day, by half five I am on the motorway outside the ferry terminal, by 11.30 p.m. I walk in my front door, not bad pace, I've covered 4,500 miles in the past 3 weeks, phew, what an adventure it's been.... :bow

garfield · May 30, 2009

Fanum said:
Only just

Wouldn't have had anything to do wit the fact that you were on a 1200 and I was on a 650 with MX tyres on it at all would it

When you come back out on the road only ride I'l be on the lebbenfiddy and we'll see what happens then

excuses.... :augie

.....

right that's me for now, I'm off to bed, I'm getting RSI, tomorrow I'll be putting some video on, it ain't over yet folks, there are still things to be revealed..... :guitarist

philmet · Jun 4, 2009

Pont Avon march 2009

Nutters from Sheffield!! And you thought Elvis was great - by the way Zippy with the mohican is just a good friend.

Got a 1200GS now.

Philmet

garfield · Jun 4, 2009

philmet said:
Nutters from Sheffield!! And you thought Elvis was great - by the way Zippy with the mohican is just a good friend.

Got a 1200GS now.

Philmet

......

......a cracking bunch of folks..... :beerjug:

.....

doyle · Jun 5, 2009

Very good report Paul, I think Morroco beckons.Well done.

Fanum · Jun 5, 2009

doyle said:
Very good report Paul, I think Morroco beckons.Well done.

I have some bikes to pick up In Scotland for our November trip if you fancy joining us on that one :thumb2

Bill

davidgibson999 · Jun 5, 2009

super report. enjoyed that.

chubs · Jun 5, 2009

Really enjoyed that trip report, fantastic selection of photos, humour and facts. :clap

Had a look on the moto morocco web page, was that a level 1 or 2 tour?

Fanum · Jun 5, 2009

chubs said:
Really enjoyed that trip report, fantastic selection of photos, humour and facts.
Had a look on the moto morocco web page, was that a level 1 or 2 tour?

TBH Chubs, it was sort of inbetween- we're moving away from categorizing them now and tend to assess people's riding and attitude (which is often as important if not more so) and tailor the routes we choose from that.....Our aim is to give everyone te best experience we can , to provide a challenge but to keep it within the safety zone, even if occasionally people are slightly outside of their comfort zones

- the feeling of achievement afterwards makes that well worthwhile

hell, I didn't know Garf was afraid of heights :blast

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