On my way to Algeciras - Morocco bound

[richie]

Today Thursday the 9th of November I did a circuit without my bags, from Erfoud to Merzouga, then on to Taouz to get to the end of the road, as it were. There I did a uturn and came back on my self to Merzouga and on to Rissani, I continued on to visit Gara Medour.

Between Erfoud and Merzouga, fortunately I met up with seven Belgian lads, I am sorry I can only remember Dominics name, but they allowed me to tag on with them for two hours and we went off road for a while. The smaller bikes had it easy compared to the bigger bikes.

Once we split up, I lunched and did the rest myself.

Sorry the images are not in order, my tablet seems to mix them up and I can't figure out why.

All fuji pictures of today are at https://balooz.com/begians-in-the-desert/

 

[simondippenhall]

Richie I am loving your photos…very evocative. What are you taking them with, exactly? Cheers! Simon


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[richie]

Anything square is my phone a google pixel 7 and anything rectangular is a Fuji XT4, the fuji pics are sooc but the pixel ones are not.

 

[richie]

Another good day a few hours along straight desert roads which I kind of like plus a blast to the top of the thodra gorge, tonight boulman dada or something, two nights here again . Initial impression nice place and friendly hotel.

I bumped the into the Belgians for lunch which was nice

 

[richie]

Some Fuji Shots

 

[gspod]

Great stuff, Richie - many thanks

 

[ATT]

I am enjoying this so much and am sure that I have been to Morocco at some point...I have, but no idea where to be honest.
Anyways...Do you have any idea if those who live there have any idea that they live in such beauty? Have you asked them?

 

[richie]

I am enjoying this so much and am sure that I have been to Morocco at some point...I have, but no idea where to be honest.
Anyways...Do you have any idea if those who live there have any idea that they live in such beauty? Have you asked them?

Some do indeed ,

Today Boumanli dada to Tamtatouchte through dada gorge then twenty km off road. It was so good I turned back and returned the same way. 250 km done.

The off road bit won't be off road for much longer .... Progress



Fuji shots later but here are a few from the phone

 

[richie]

Here are some fuji shots, plenty of bike shots, as I am on my own of course I have no one to shoot....

 

[frosti]

Nice report.
Good time of the year to be doing a trip.

Keep posting.

 

[G&T]

I feel warm when I see painted kerb stones. This is great Richie.

 

[Spear Ruler]

So jealous Richie! Chefchaouen was my last stop this time last year. Amazing country. Looking forward to more photos.

 

[richie]

So jealous Richie! Chefchaouen was my last stop this time last year. Amazing country. Looking forward to more photos.

What a day today, I decided to stay one more night in Boumalne Dada as I like the place. The hotel guys suggested a route which I did today 300km of which fifty was off road. Right on the limits of me and the bike.... Report and some photos later

 

[richie]

Spin in Morocco, well today when I woke up after my second night in Boumalne, I really did not feel like moving on. So after a chat with Yidir a local guy I made a plan to ride from Boumalne around a loop which included a long section of off road.

This was the first section of the day, and it was fantastic. The first 40K on the road. I picked up an auld fella on the road and he did the road bit with me chatting away in some language or other. Lovely guy, but I did not understand a word.

Once I dropped him off the rough stuff started, and it really did see me on my limit. A 250 would have been easier, very happy with how the Honda 500 handled it though. The really tricky stuff I did not get pictures of as if I had stopped I might not have got started again.

I picked my day for it though, unfortunately there was a group of thirty plus French buggies doing the same track so I had to stop to let them hoon past me, not a care in the world on them. Actually though, as it turned out, some of the sections were so technical I was happy they were there as if I had a problem they could of helped me out.

Once I got back to a tarred road I was in Tourza, and heading for Nkob one hundred K away so I rode at 100KMH to get there, I was worried I would run out of time for the last bit. I was wrong though the last mountain road was all tarmac so I got back easily for 4PM.

This, or at least the first 100 and the last 80 is some of the best riding I have ever done, fair play to Morocco...

 

[brut33]

Great photos and great trip. Enjoyed it.

I was reading about the temperature in Spain in Euroweeklynews.com being good for this time of the year.
Not sure when you're heading home but I hope it holds out for you.

Temperatures expected to continue rising across Spain despite yellow weather warnings

The current rise in temperatures across parts of Spain is expected to continue on Sunday, November 12.

euroweeklynews.com

 

[richie]

Today I yet again decided to stay in Boumalne, and am just finishing off a 100km short spin 15 of which was off road. It is just so easy to stay in the one place, there is so much to see. Tomorrow I will move on though to Tata, a bit of a ride but after four days I guess I should put some distance between Boumalne and me....

 

[fartoofastforme]

Hi, Why the Taouz u turn ? Great pix btw.

 

[Northern jock]

Some stunning country you're finding there. Nice to travel light, don't see any bag, do you have water, food and puncture repair with you?

 

[richie]

Some stunning country you're finding there. Nice to travel light, don't see any bag, do you have water, food and puncture repair with you?

I travel with a top box and soft panniers all half empty or full... When I stay in a place for two nights I am able to ride without baggage, I do have a puncture repair kit and sometimes half a litre of water in my back pocket.

 

[richie]

Hi, Why the Taouz u turn ? Great pix btw.

No U-turn at taouz, I went from there on the road to hkob, then back over the mountain to baumalne.