A little Moroccan spice

[Timolgra]

We're camped north of the Dades Gorge and were hoping to ride the piste through to the Todra Gorge during the next day, but the heaviest rains for 45 years had destroyed many of the pistes in the previous week.

Mohammid, our local guest for dinner that night, seated on the left of the photo, assured us that to go north to Agoudal and then south to the Todra was our best option. He was also confident we could refuel there and since he had studied sociology at Fez university I chose to believe him

The following morning was freezing with ice covering the tents and the plan was for the GSs to head back to tarmac and then to Merzouga, the Landrover to Tinerhir where we would all meet that night and Gareth on his 650 Husaberg, Rick on his HP2 and myself on a DR 650 would head north and see how far we could get through the devastated landscape.

We passed through the badly damaged agricultural valley and were often told the way was shut. We pressed on to have a look, then the piste finished...

After retracing our steps a group of young boys showed us where we might be able to cross the river, although this then had to be repeated half dozen times with varying degrees of difficulty
This first crossing lulled us into a false sense of security

 

[Timolgra]

I'll only post the photos taken by myself and for most of the following two days you'll have to appreciate we were too busy to get the camera out that often.

The river was still strong and our young guides linked arms with me as I first walked all the crossings.

Here Rick is more than a little concerned since it's deeper than the HP2 air intake, which has no drain plug but can drain directly to the crankcase. So the bike was then pushed across with much entheusiam from our helpers

Here Gareth is given a hand

Then almost topples on the way out but manages to hang on

 

[Timolgra]

The pictures don't show how difficult this was for rick with his HP2, but believe me it was.
I was ready for this one and years of fords rides for practice allowed me to almost clean this and the remaining crossings on my DR.
There were many occasions where I was so glad not to be riding a GS and in fact there were several places a GS would simply not have made it.

Then on the last of these particular crossings Gareth was unlucky and hit a rock, the bike went down and the Husaberg was drowned
We spent an hour an a half trying to dry the bike out and get it started but to no avail.

It was impossible to get a non running bike back across the rivers and south to the Dades then Tinerhir.

Eventually I began towing the bike, with Rick on board, north up the piste with a thin tow rope. The piste now in relatively good condition climbed and climbed with each hairpin threatening to lure either of the bikes over the edge.

After what seemed an eternity we met a young man on the piste he unwrapped a cloth and offered us some of his bread which we accepted although declined his offer of goats milk.

By now we were high up in the Atlas mountains, in fact this high...

I felt Rick on the Husa behind trying to bump start the bike, I looked at the blue sky murmering "start you bastard"

A couple of minutes I heard it burst into life, YEHAA!

We are at the top of the Tizi n Ouano pass and it's cold.

 

[Timolgra]

With all three bikes running again we pressed on down a spectacular but deteriorating piste towards Agoudal.

Then the Husa died again. We couldn't start it, the tow rope had been lost from the back of the HP2 despite me going back a couple of miles to look for it.

We were 16km from Agoudal, no phone reception in the whole region with failing light and dropping temperatures and the piste, what was left of it, was too difficult to ride two up.

A decision was made, Gareth (poor sod ) was 'waypointed' on the GPS and stayed with the bike, there was a shepheards cottage nearby

Rick and I picked a route through a very difficult area of washed out river bed eventually find the piste again and were soon in the small village Agdoual.

I called Bill in Tinerhir on a landline, he leaves with Steptoe in the Landrover to come up the Todra and collect Gareths bike.

We go for fuel.. there is none, not even a garage, cheers Mohammid but a lad is sent with a 20 gallon container and may be back in a couple of hours.
Then we are told the route from Todra is shut and no vehicle has been up for two weeks. Bill and Steptoe are about to have a er 'demanding' drive

We find the small 'Auberge Ibrahim', I phone Bill to tell him we are going back to get Gareth and to meet us there if he can make it and ask to owner to prepare for 3 hungry men in 2 or 3 hours. Rick and I have decided that one way or another we will get Gareth back asap, it's too cold and isolated where he is to be there much longer.
A substantial tow rope is found and we head back out in the last of the light to find him again.

We get back to him just as it's getting dark, Gareth is 'emotional' and happy to see us , he's at 8000+ft and it's getting very cold.

Rick gets on the Husa, whist Gareth is entrusted with the HP2 and I start towing the Husa with the DR then..... feck me it starts the tow rope is disconected and Rick heads quickly back to the village, I stay with the HP2 and guide him through the very difficult ground in the dark.

We get back, eat and pile as many blankets on the bed as our ribs can stand then with all our warm clothes on try to get some sleep. Sometime around midnight Bill and Steptoe arrive, they've had and epic journey to get there and conditions were so bad they had to walk the last kilometer or so.

Next morning we get fuel and our route back is discussed with locals, but the Husa is going on the back of the Landy

 

[Timolgra]

Right, got another glass of wine so here's a bit more


The problem now was that we were due in Zagora that night.
If you look at a map of the area Agoudal is where the rotes from the Dades and Todra converge and we need to go back via Tinerhir.
The only route for Rick and I was to ride north towards Imilchil through the flooded valley and pick up a tarmac roads east to Rich (R706), here we refuel a quick coffee then Tinerhir via Errachidia, a bloody long way on a trailie

We refuel, grap some gear from our bags in the hotel Tomboktou, check the bikes and at 3pm head out onto the piste which for us is a 'short cut' over Tizi n Tazerzert to Nekob.
We are riding fast, just the HP2 with Rick, who has finished 4th in the British Enduro championships and me, a tosser on a DR650.

It's a shame to rush this route but we will lose the light so just a quick pose by one of my favourite views

Then onto the top of the Tizi n Tazerzert just as the sun sets.
I say hi to a the woman who lives there and a lad shows us there's no need for HP2s and big trail bikes

 

[Timolgra]

The light is quickly gone as we almost tumble down the steep decent on a very rocky and damaged piste. It's dark with still a long way before tarmac, luckily it's the 3rd time I have travelled this way this year so navigation is not an issue.
With Rick's headlight close behind we press on, riding perhaps too fast but with that rhythm we all love

Eventually the lights of Nekob can be seen and we are soon there, refuel our bikes a second quick coffee of the day and at 6.30pm are on the road for Zagora.
Oh for my GSA right now.
After what seemed an eternity down the Draa Valley Rick and I rode through the walls of Zagora with both hands in the air.

That was a bloody long way on a trail bike.

We drank beer ate and went to bed buzzing and knackered.
Bill arrived at around midnight after his own long drive via Ouzazate.

Next morning the lads in a local garage washed our bikes free of charge. Free that was untill the Landrovers shocks were renewed, we were becomming regular customers after the recce trip.

 

[Toad]

It's only after a couple of beers I can explain just how much I want to be a part of this in the future

I just need a way of explaining this to Cal (Mrs. Toad)

Thanks for the pics and words Tim, they're doing a great job of elevating me out of the Dutch Sh1thole I'm currently staying in!!!

 

[Steptoe]

Very nicely put Tim . Very hard, but you really enjoyed every minute. It's good to sit back and take stock of what you achieved

Kin cold

 

[Mutley]

The stuff I left out

Don't stop now Tim, show them the stuff in the desert too

 

[MikeP]

Another brilliant thread, well written and great photo's.

Loved it, part of me wishes I'd been there but another part is glad I wasn't.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[LivNorway]

Another brilliant thread, well written and great photo's.

Loved it, part of me wishes I'd been there but another part is glad I wasn't.

Thanks for sharing.

Oh, that is just peanuts! Any girl on a Scarver could do that!
(Honest; I'm sooooo glad I was not there! But you seem to love it, so if it keeps you happy do it again and post more great pictures! )

Cheers to the desert heroes!

Liv.

 

[Timolgra]

After getting the bikes sorted, broken shocks are discovered on the Landy and replaced.

The GSs are due in Zagora today but will ride up through the palmery of the Draa valley and then to Taliouine by road.

The offroad bikes are back to full strength, Andy (Devon) on his Yamaha TTR 250 is feeling better after a tummy upset, the Husa is less hormonal, the HP2 is looking hornier than ever and my DR, well it just does the job perfectly.

We are to head west out of Zagora on the Desert piste to camp in the dunes near Foum Zguid, but first stop for the obligatory photo.

The bigger trail bikes were really at home now as speed increased

Despite being flat, this piste was very enjoyable and Bill was to act as 'sweeper'

 

[Timolgra]

We arrived at the dunes and play in the deep sand. Some of us deliberately bury the bikes for a photo

I'll include a couple of Rick's photos and hope he doesn't mind

...and some get stuck accidently but have their photo taken anyway

Here Bill offers himself but has no takers...or should I say 'givers'

After setting up camp Bill takes the HP2 for a spin in the dunes, 30 seconds later we see him and the bike somersault over the edge of a dune

The airbox is full of sand, the throttle stuck wide open, the starter buttons gritty and when trying to clean it all out the engine kill switch was jammed in the off position

We need to know how to bypass the kill switch and get the engine running again, not quite so straight forward on the HP2 or 1200 GS
Luckily we just about had a phone signal, I phone Jim McSharry in UK who then got Gazza to call me with details of how to fix it. If I remember correctly we made a link between terminal 6 and 8.

Next morning the bike is repaired but only starts on one cylinder I give a tug on the right hand throttle cable and we're running fine

 

[Timolgra]

We ride through little gorges and river beds back to the well prepared piste to Foum Zguid.
Just as we arrive at the edge of the piste Gareth's Husaberg stops again, this time it's terminal, it is deceased, it is no more.... this Husaberg is dead .

A few minutes later Bill arrives with the Landy and the bike is strapped onto the back, Gareth feels unwell, perhaps he's mourning but some rehydration salts soon have him on the mend

heavy traffic

And Andy battling on with his TTR

After food and fuel at Foum Zguid we 3 bikes head out on the fast piste towards Taliouine and Bill takes the tarmac via Tazenakht.

 

[unhinged]

Google Earth location of the GPS coords you've posted. Looks terribly desolate.

 

[snoopy]

Absolutely outstanding writeup Tim. You've done a better job that I did on describing across just how challenging some of the routes around Agoudal are, and how cold, rough and isolated bike riding is satisfying!

 

[Marks adventure]

Great write up Tim..

Oooooohhhhhhhhhhhh I’m jealous!!

 

[Timolgra]

The first part of the piste to Taliouine via Akka-Irhen is a fast well prepared piste.
After many offers from Rick I eventually relent and agree to ride the HP2, this could be an expensive and life changing moment.

Damn, it is. Rick has already been up to 110mph on the piste, I take it as fast as I can before my eyeballs try to make an exit,.... jeez,.... feck....that's far too fast for an off road bike... bloody hell I want one

As the lovely Anti Atlas roll by on either side of us my mind is already planning how to get the money together... sell my house, my partner? Oh yes!

 

[Timolgra]

When the hard piste runs out we drop into the river bed and out onto the remaing 20 miles or so of lovely flowing track to Akka-Irhen and a bottle of Coke and tarmac now
Some of these pistes are fast disappearing under either tarmac or machine grading so ride them now

As we ride the tarmac in the setting sun I look down at the old piste which was the route I first took this way in 2002 and remember the feeling of isolation and vulnerability as we four GSers navigated our way in 40 deg+ using Chris Scotts route description and not quite knowing what lay ahead.
Now on my 4th ride of that particular route it was all so different.

15 miles before the main road, I go onto reserve, Andy already has. He runs out but I have a litre bottle with me so give him that but have to tow start his bike as the batterys almost dead.
We get to the main road as it gets dark and Andy's bike has died. The hotel for the night is only 10 miles away so coasting down hill to save fuel and almost running wide on the bends with my poxy headlight we meet Bill in the Landy who goes up to get Andy and his bike. It appeared his charging system was broken but we didn't investigate what exactly.

We meet up again with the GS riders who have had their own adventures, we eat, drink the last of the beer and share photos and tales.

The DR650 was faultless , I adjusted the chain only once and lubed it with silicon spray. I was using progressive fork springs, more suitable gearing and MT21 tyres. A larger tank will be fitted if I use this bike again.
Towards the end of the ride the rear wheel bearing was showing signs of wear.

 

[Timolgra]

Our last days ride was up and over the Tizi n Test where we were all reunited and then to Marrakech.

we posed (again)

I enjoyed everyones company in particular riding in the High Atlas with Rick and Gareth who were not only very competent but more in importantly kept their spirits up and maintained a great sense of humour despite our situation there

Earlier in the trip, Mutley has suggested we try some male bonding as the Americans do by getting naked and howling (we didn't, honest btw) but the events around Agoudal surpassed that.

We all had a ball riding far too fast. stopping for a play in the river and a coffee near Asni

Bill, Steptoe and Andy were in the Landy which broke a hub on the way back and limped the last few miles with Steptoe telling stories to pass the time

And Gareth recieved an 'exhilarating' ride on the back of mutley