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.
Kasbah
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!!
Inside the Kasbah – a bike with one wheel!
View up to the roof of the kasbah
View from the tower of the Kasbah
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.
Bird watching
Ruin
Brian the Snail on the walls of the ruins
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.
View from a bridge – local laundry!
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.
Landslide
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.
Welcome gate
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