Hp2 in the sand (Another Moroccan RR)

[louisdut]

Ok and a KTM a Tenere & DRZ

This trip was planned around the riding rather around sight seeing the tourist areas, our aim was to ride in the sand.

I’ve known Ian, Steve & Mark for a good few years from riding together in the UK, trails, roads & enduro’s. We all enjoy riding unsealed roads. So the idea was to get to playing in the sand ASAP. So we vanned the bikes to Tarifa (Portsmouth to Santander Ferry), from leaving Worcester (UK) to riding out of Tanger Port (all paperwork done) took 52 hours.

This is our rough route in Morocco

A Couple of Videos

Our Morocco


<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/11814466?portrait=0" width="700" height="525" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/11814466">Morocco 2010</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1443772">Louis</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

Playing in the Sand

<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/11625625?portrait=0" width="700" height="525" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/11625625">950 se & Hp2 Playing in the sand</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user1443772">Louis</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>

We left the Van at Torre de la Peña II Camp site 3 euros a day for parking

Form the left Mark, Steve, Ian and me just about to leave the campsite

We past though customs and passport control with no problems and then rode down to the Ibis Fez for a good meal, a few beers

This is where the trip started for me, to this point it had just been the lasion part. We then rode down to Midelt (I'm going to let the picture do the talking but if you want any info about the trip please let me know )

Then we went over the Atlas Mountains

Not the best way to adjust the preload on my new shock (rock & tyre lever)

Always great to get the map out and share some info

Gorgelink Auberge was a great place to spent the night

It was getting a bit nippy so the central heat was turned on

Good food

Then Entertainment

Good night sun

May as well ride the Gorgelink piste then

Then over the Jebel Sarhor Tizin-n-Tazazert

We were heading for Zagora but made a small detour to Tazzarine for the night

 

[Toad]

Frankly I can't understand why you'd bother

 

[SkyGod]

I want to come next time please.

 

[louisdut]

I want to come next time please.

cool

 

[louisdut]

We rejoined the piste down to Zagora

Shade is your friend

We met a couple of bikes coming the over way and they just laughed at our heavy bikes

Mark had a puncture on the DRZ so we headed for some shade

Renault engine water pump

Pit stop for a spare tube as the valve had been ripped out of the DRZ's rear (yes it had a rim lock)

We spent the night in Zagora and it was an early start heading for Merzouga

If you look close you’ll see a thorn has pierced the hand guard

More travellers along this route (we met these guys again later in the week)

We stopped for a break miles form anywhere and this little fella turns up, with all those thorns around those must be tough feet

We stop for a cold coke, its hot by now

We had been told fuel was on route but it was great to find it

It was hard work form here in the soft sand but great fun

Last stop before the run to Merzouga

This was the last picture of the day as the light was going fast so we pushed hard to get to Taouz just as it was getting dark then rode the sealed road up to Merzouga

 

[Giles]

wow, that looks a really great adventure! Sitting on the sofa showing her indoors your pics! I'm dead jealous!!!!

 

[Riz Sauvage]

Awesome pics guys, visited many of the same places 2 weeks back, you've got some cracking pictures there, looks like you had a blast!!

 

[davidgibson999]

Great photos - really enjoyed that. Makes me want to go back...

 

[Dansin]

Fantastic trip by the sounds of it. This photo has got to be a prospective front page shot.

 

[FERRET]

Ide like to go next time as well if theres any spaces

 

[louisdut]

I want to come next time please.

Ide like to go next time as well if theres any spaces

Cool nothing planned yet boys Lets see what happens next year

Ok on with the pics

We found a great place to stay in Mezouga so decided to stay 2 nights so we could go and play in the sand

There was a great sandstorm while we were there

Time also to catch up on the washing

Lets go and play

OK fuel first

What’s that Mark has spotted riding in the sand

Ian was testing out new vented riding gear (long story but it was a bet with my wife after he told us that his daughter had brought him the mankini)

I didn’t take my sun screen so left my riding gear on

 

[Richie3264]

Fantastic trip by the sounds of it. This photo has got to be a prospective front page shot.

+1 saying that, theres quite a few that are up for the recommendation

 

[david a hall]

looked fab, i enjoyed that although the guy in the green thing was a bit of a negative

 

[louisdut]

We then went in search of the The desert artwork of Hannesjörg Voth

This looped us back to Erfoud and Shawarmahut for some food

The piste up to Boudenib

Great piste but we had to make a detour to the ktm workshop

But gave us time to take in a bit of Moroccan life

Off to the hotal 2 rooms 2 people 1 night not sure if they under stood but all worked out ok

Bikes were safe with the guard dog on look out

More food

Cool little bike

I was restocking my washing kit and look what I saw on the counter

No I didn’t buy any

When we returned to the hotal the lads we met on the piste to Merzouga were there so a few beers and many story’s of the trails that night

 

[strobingred]

morocco

Hey fellas,

It looks like you had a fantastic time. great photos.

I,m with Skygod.

What was the veg menu like steve??? Seems like a lot of meat hanging around. and in the mankini yuk

clive

 

[louisdut]

We rejoined our route and headed to Talsinnt hopefully find there fuel (there was )

Lucky for us it was market day it was great to have a look around

It seemed to be a proper Moroccan market (not a tourist market as we got no hassle at all)

I want that one

What’s that a spare piston for the Hp2

After shopping it was back to the piste

Good spot for a break

 

[GFJ]

Great bunch of pics - looks a great trip.

Not sure re the mankini/KTM combo - more of a Kawasaki thing perhaps?

 

[louisdut]

Ok we didn’t need to ride down here but great fun anyway

Puncture no.2 for the DRZ ok no.2 & 3 as know one checked the tyre so new tube was put in, wheel back in bike got ready to go and its flat again

One of those thorns

We laughed about it later honest

We retuned to Fez this time to the old town and went for a look around

Back up to Tangers we stop for some food

As we had not shaved well in Morocco ( can’t remember who came up with that idea and why but there you go ) some one suggested having ago with the chopper

Back to the ferry to Spain seemed so soon ( I’ll be back )

The ferry’s only 35 minutes long but time to catch you on some sleep

Back to the camp site safe and sound

Thanks for all the reply’s it was a great trip we all really enjoyed

Louis

 

[Pathologic]

Well done

Looks brilliant.

Regards,

Path.

 

[SkyGod]

Never get tired of that report. Who did your fuel panniers Louis?