Day 196 – Marakesh to Touama

Day 196                                                       31st January

 

42miles ( Marakesh to Touama) Average speed 11.1 mph Top speed 31 mph

 

A nice gentle day to get back in the swing of things. Up early and down to brekkie which once again was nowhere near likely to be ready by 9, although it was meant to be from 7. So I made my own tea and cooked some frozen bread with jam.

I chatted to the German woman I’d spoken to the day before and she looked impressed by my loaded bike and wanted to take a photo. I gave her Snail Pace Cycling details and made my way out of town via the bank. It was a reasonable day if a bit overcast at times. The road was good once I found it and wasn’t too busy. I made my way past a few golf complexes and found the road to Chwiter.

Then after a few detours for roadworks, fresh tarmac had been laid for quite a few miles which made for a great flat ride. I stopped at a roadside cafe for tea from a very nice guy and said hi to his daughter.

I carried on across the river at Al Haouz, on the other side of the bridge I spotted the Hotel Coq Hardi, but at 300 dirham a night I decided to carry on. The scenery changed into red earth and palm trees with mountains ahead.

Lots of farmland and more hills to negotiate. Having checked the road ahead I decided the hotel Dar Oudar was too good an opportunity to pass by with some big climbs to come, so an early stop at 3.30 meant I had time to unload the bike and explore the village.

I looked at the mountains to come and went a little way on to see what was ahead of me tomorrow. While out I saw a woman walking her sheep, some cactus bearing fruit, a Berliet lorry on the mountain road, a medical centre that was now a welding shop, a donkey with a nosebag having lunch and the first sign of snow on the mountain slopes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back at the hotel I had tea on the terrace and a good hot shower.

I went across the road to the restaurant opposite the hotel where I had pizza and watched Liverpool on TV.

Hotel Dar Oudar 125 dir with brekkie