Day 203 7th February
36miles (Oulad Othmaine to Zagora) average speed 10.3 mph Top speed 25 mph
I was awake at 6, but the toilet was locked so I used a trench at the bottom of the garden. I couldn’t decide between reading and watching sunrise or sleeping, but sleeping for another couple of hours won. Then I made some English tea and Hussein made brekkie of omelette. I packed up and went to see the kasbah, which was free as there was no-one there to charge me.
I had a good look around in the dark and saw great views from the top.There were lots of artefacts on show including a bike with one wheel!!
Back at Jardin camping I loaded up and had a cup of English tea. Then Hussain asked me to help lift a water tank down from the roof and put it back up again. I’d already done last night’s washing up so I certainly did my fair share!
Then I got on the road about midday, with a varying road quality even the newly laid tarmac on this stretch was bone shaking, and there were still a few roadworks to navigate. I stopped after an hour as usual and found myself at a ruined tower where I spotted a small black bird with a white head near the river and took photos of Brian up the tower.
The kids were great in every village I passed as they shouted encouragement and said hi while waving. Next stop was on a bridge across the river where I bathed my feet and watched the women washing and the kids playing.
A boy came past and picked up one of my socks that had blown away ( brave kid!) two younger boys asking for bonbons or stylos. I gave them chewing gum and the older one 3 dir for watching my bike. Just around the next bend was a landslide with men trying to repair it.
A lorry waved me past first and followed me through, I can’t imagine that in England! There was a bit of a headwind and I had a drink at a roadside cafe with a rat and some sheep. The road improved and I raced into Zagora where I found Prends ton Temps quite easily even though the area was very run down.
I was welcomed by the belguid? And given a wonderful cabin as there was only hard gravel for camping. It was a wonderful place and I got dinner and brekkie and loads of coffee for 200 dirham. He also offered a desert tour for 600 but I felt I needed to continue cycling as I’d come this far, although it was tempting. I went into town and had a Sprite in a hotel to watch the sunset, but the view from the terrace was blocked. Back for a lovely salad with chicken tagine and fruit for dessert. Followed by an early night.
Prend de Temps Camping cabin 100 dirham incl breakfast