Route

London, Portsmouth, Tours, Bordeaux, Carcasonne, Barcelona, Elche, Algeciras, Tangiers, Asilah, Rabat, Casablanca, El Jadida, Safi, Essouira, Marrakesh, Ouazazarte, Zagora, Mhamid, Nekob, Iknionn, Todra, Assoul, Asfia, Goulmima, Touroug, Erfoud, Merzouga, Rissani, Alnif, Bou Gafer Marrakesh……and back to London!!

Best Memories

In the Southern Morocco on the mountain piste routes North of the the DRAA VALLEY, heading up to the TODRA GORGE – through the Gorge and round the Northern piste circuit to GOULMIMA. That was fantastic – it reminded you why you love biking. Miles and miles of empty piste passing through scattered and untouched villages with a big ‘rooster tail’ of dust following you. If I went back I’d fly an enduro bike down and focus on these areas.
The hiking on the mountain paths from OUKAMEIDEN to IMLIL and then the ascent of DJEBEL TOUBKAL. Fantastic hiking through some of the most fantastic scenery. TOUBKAL was the first mountain I have ever climbed and the ascent was both hard work and fantastic in the snow. The descent (I’d forgotten I suffer from Vertigo!!) was not so great – made it none the less.
They say that the North and South of Morocco are like different countries. Well they’re right and if you’re on a bike – the south is where you want to be. Riding through the desert from MERZOUGA to RISSANI with just a compass was very memorable.
The TIZI-N-TICHKA pass from MARRAKESH to OUAZAZARTE. More hairpin bends than you can throw a stick at. Wonderful views from the saddle. Get cold at the top though – watch out!!

Worst Day

Riding South from TANGIERS to CASABLANCA. I’d taken my rainproof lining out of my jacket and driven through a storm. Got soaked and then dried off on the bike. Ended up with a chill to the Kidneys in a shitty hotel in Casablanca. Not good at all.

Favourite Places:

Atlas Mountains. ESSOUIRA was lovely too. Had a really good week there with a mate who flew out from the UK. The Glaoui Kasbah at TELOUET was stunning. I reckon that was a better site to see than AIT BENHADDOU. Read up on the history of Telouet. And a tiny village called IKNIOUNN on the piste south of TINEHIR. Got stuck here for the night (don’t ride the piste’s at night) where I stayed in a flea ridden bedroom with old boxes for a mattress and had two boiled eggs and a tin of sardines for supper. Priceless!

Biggest Headache:

Lonelyness: I’m a regular Guy – but spending a lot of time riding on your own and generally doing your own thing can start making you a little introverted when you get into company. Don’t underestimate it – it creeps up on you. Furthermore – a lot of the good experiences on a bike are when you’re doing things like the piste riding – it’s great to do these things with a friend – you can share the experience. In addition to this a friend in tow stops you looking like such a loner when you're back in civilisation -–hence it's actually easier to meet people. After all – the people you meet and the stories you share are vital.

Biggest mistake: Not going with a friend

Most Pleasant Surprise: Cuvee Le President (Moroccan red wine – excellent)

Illness: Chilled Kidneys

Cost of Trip: About £2000.00

Other trips planned: Trans – Sahara

One travel tip: Just do it. Don’t keep boring all your friends by talking about it. Hotmail was a great move.

Model of Bike: BMW R80GS

Age: 1992

Modifications: Billet 6 pot front brake caliper, side stand, Touratech sump guard, Ascerbis hand protectors. All of them great. No need for a big tank on this trip.

Tyres: Avon Gripsters – was going to get Michelin Deserts on – but they’re not so good on tarmac. I got through soft sand with two up on the gripsters – a bit hairy but managed it!!

Punctures: None

Baggage: Soft throwover panniers, tank bag, cargo net. – Remember – it’s great if you can carry all your baggage in one go – if you can’t you’ll worry about the stuff you’ve left on the bike when you’re dropping off the first load.

Bikes strong point: Good for all terrain. Some may say it’s too heavy for rough piste – that may be true, but what you do have is great torque which enables you to go slow on corners then point and shoot the bike. I would never have believed how good the bike was going to be on the rough stuff. By the end of it I was getting the bike over jumps!!

Bikes weakpoint: Wobbles at speed on crowded motorways – but I guess any enduro will.

Problems: Only the above

Accidents: One – dropped going over a 3 ft boulder on a narrow piste.

Same bike again: Not sure – depends where going.