Day 192 27th January
85 miles (Ben Ahmet to El Kelaa des Sraghna) Average speed 11.9 mph Top speed 29 mph
Awake at 8 by Jasper’s alarm. Tea in the garage made by pump attendant/chef.
Setting out in the rain
We set off in the rain to the next town for brekkie where we had coffee in a bar with food from the takeaway next door. Lovely pancake with cream cheese and doughnuts. A few women begging and a few young boys too, but we escaped back onto the road after quite a downpour. Carried on through the rain until we stopped for lunch of fried chicken salad, bread & chips with mint tea. The toilet was so rank that I used the garage opposite.
Is this really Morocco? I thought it would be hot!
I wrung out my socks and and considered stopping in town as I was soaked through and my neck was hurting, but there was no hotel and I didn’t fancy going a couple of miles back to camp, so I carried on with the boys. Before long the sun came out and my clothes began to dry out.
And then the sun came out
Things were looking much better as it was also a pretty straight flat road. I was feeling good again as we were going at a good pace and leading the three of us onwards. It’s very different riding in a group of three. Not just the physical aspect of having someone to draft behind or taking it in turns to lead out, but also the mental side of knowing that these guys “have got your back” and are there to help if you are struggling.
leading the “gang of three”
On the practical side, it’s great to be able to leave your bike and go for a pee or a shop or anything really. Things were going well, but soon the neck pain came back with a vengeance. I was struggling but we couldn’t find anywhere suitable to wild camp. So I slapped a freeze pack on my neck after dropping it in the dust and we pushed on into the dark, another 10 miles to El Kelaa. We found Hotel Kelaa and after some haggling got a triple room for 130 dirham each. A good hot shower and change prepared us for a dinner in town of chicken salad, chick peas, soup and bread, which was much needed after a tough day.
Sunset street
During the last couple of days I’ve come to realise how much my mood can change within seconds and it can be the strangest things that trigger the change; it could be a dog chasing you, a child waving, people cheering, a farmer saying hi, kids throwing stones at you, people begging or just a smile from a pretty girl. It’s at the times when you really need a lift that most happen.
After two tough days in the saddle riding into the night with a Dutchman and a Kiwi putting me through my paces, a 78 mile day and an 86 means I’ve only got 55 miles tomorrow to Marakesh. I’ve slept in a petrol station and eaten tagine cooked by petrol pump attendants and cycled through wind, rain and sleet. I also clocked up 5000 miles. I thought it was supposed to be hot in Morocco!!!