Morocco Sept 2012

[Gorilla GS]

Many thanks for your last reply to my post asking for initial advice on Morocco. Well, the plan is now taking shape.

We are shipping the bikes into Malaga and flying into meet them on Thursday evening 6th September. We then expect to have bikes all ready to go by Friday afternoon. Leaving from Malaga to catch the ferry either later that day, or early Sat morning.

We will then have 8 days riding with the plan being to be back at Tangers the following Sat evening/Sun morning.

Day 1 my thoughts are:

N2 to Chefchaouen
N2 to Bab Taza
R 419 to Ourtzarh
R419 to R506
R506 to Pont du Sebon
R501 to Fes

Stay in Fes for the night.

I'm hoping that the above route, apart from the first N2 bit just to get us on our way south, will be an interesting route. Are the R roads tracks/ pistes or tarmac? We want to use pistes as much as possible without them being impossibly difficult.

Any thoughts much appreciated. Cheers Guy

 

[Gorilla GS]

Morocco September 2012

Does anyone have any thoughts on the proposed route above? Advice much appreciated as this our first trip over there. Cheers

 

[Tim Cullis]

Assuming you are entering via Tanger Med or Ceuta, I'd suggest you nip on the new motorway down as far as Tetouan. This might sound a bit incongruous but it only costs tuppence happenny and you can relax, overcome your excitement and look around a bit.

Then take the N2 (which doesn't actually go into Chefchaouen), and on to Bab Taza where there's an ancient road roller on the roundabout that has the turn off you need.

There's an easy 44-km piste alternative to some of the R419. After only about 500m on the R419, fork right and head generally south. After about 33km of piste you reach a river bed where you fork left, and you rejoin the tarmac R419 at Bni Ahmed (N34 50.782 W5 04.810).

Pont du Sebon I guess you mean Pont du Sebou? Nice scenic route on the R501 though you might find the tarmac a bit chewed up in places...

In Fez I normally stop at Pension Campini (N34 03.483 W4 59.020) which is nothing to write home about but is inexpensive, clean, safe parking (next to police station) and only about 500m from Bab Boujeloud which is the entrance to the medina. Nearest beer is at Hotel Batha (pronounced Bat'ha).

 

[Gorilla GS]

Thanks Tim

I'm hoping to be at Ripley end of next week and will come and introduce myself. Looking forward to your Garmin workshop on the Fri morning. Cheers Guy

 

[Tim Cullis]

My Morocco talk will now be a double-length session in the Australia room, 8-10pm on Friday, and the Garmin will be a double-length again in the Australia room, 10-12pm on Saturday.

 

[Gorilla GS]

See you there on Friday, unfortunately can't stay for the Saturday though.

 

[BAKERMAN]

Why are you at www.hogrizonsunlimited.com Saturday !

 

[Gorilla GS]

It's their week-end in Ripley 6-8th July, unless I've got the dates wrong?!

 

[Gorilla GS]

Apologies Bakerman, I missed the point. Hope you have a good week-end!

 

[Tim Cullis]

Pity the dates have clashed once again. Ideally would have liked to attend both.

Hope the Gohraots goes well.