Morocco 2003: Cycling in the Desert
Marrakesh – Telouet – Ouarzazate – Tinerhir – Alnif – Rissani – Merzouga – Tagounite – Ouarzazate – Essaouira – Marrakesh (october 11 – november 22, 2003)
The Atlas Crossing
Marrakesh – Ouarzazate
Marrakesh welcomes us with a cocktail of Arabic, French and Berber pleasures. We get lost in the medina and understand why people since ages cross the rough Atlas mountains to trade or enjoy the spectacle at the Jemma-el-Fna. After a few days however we get tired of the flute music of the snake charmers and decide it’s our turn to brave the red mountains towards the oases of the south. We ride trough the Haouz plain until the menacing Atlas mountains rise in front of us. Along pine trees and cork oaks we climb steadily to Taddert, from where we start the last steep uphill to the Tizi-n-Tichka.
Proudly we throw ourselves into the downhill and choose the old caravan road to Telouet. The mountains become bare and we ride trough a magnificent, red shaded rocky environment. The road wants to melt with the landscape and shakes off the tarmac. An rough unsurfaced track guides us along the green Ounila valley. The next day we hit the tarmac again close to the ksar of Aït Benhaddou and make a little stop at this Hollywood set before we head to Ouarzazate.
Along Casbahs and black hills to the Tafilalet
Ouarzazate – Rissani
We put up our tents at the lake near Ouarzazate. The fish jump too defiant up out the water and while the camels frown upon us we try to land them. The following day we stop our idle attempts, put away our rods and continue our road along the Dades valley. Dark clouds are gathering in the sky. We stay in Skoura, but the rain continues so we need to brave the water.
Along the “Casbah valley” we arrive at Tinerhir, after where we leave the tarmac and follow a piste trough the black basalt hills of the Jebel Sahro to Alnif. The gentle Brahim welcomes us and makes us continuous green tea, accompanied by his lute. The next morning he just asks a cigarette for his hospitality, and smokes it on the sly: the ramadan has started. We continue our road trough a savannah but mile after mile the landscape ges more barren and dry. The strong westerly wind blows us forward and the sand up.
In the Desert
Rissani – Tagounite
We stop in Rissani to buy provisions and to check the materials before we are guided to Merzouga by a last stretch of tarmac. Here, in the tourist village of Merzouga, starts our 150 miles long piste trough the Moroccan Sahara. Alternately cycling and pushing our bikes we advance trough sandy oueds, over white chotts and along purple, brown and black hills. Cairns and tyres mark the piste. Every morning we wake up at sunrise. At noon, when the sun burns merciless high above us, we rest a few hours under a lonely tree. We take our time, have been unexpectedly able to supply our provisions and are not in a hurry to leave this awesome surroundings.
After a week a ridge rises before us: the Tafenna crater. After a steep climb and a precarious downhill we reach a well, filled abundantly with water. A donkey descends the ridge and drinks together with us. We don’t see the owner, but know the populated Draa valley won’t be far away.
To the Atlantic
Tagounite – Essaouira – Marrakesh
A stomach disorder keeps me in Zagora for a few days, Koen and Paul continue in the direction of Agadir. Once fit, I cycle along the Draa valley to Ouarzazate and take the bus to Essaouira. In this relaxed town we meet each other again to enjoy the water of the Atlantic Ocean.
