- Date: Nov 09, 2024
- Starting Location: Dades Canyon, Morocco
- Ending Location: Zagora, Morocco
- Mileage: 249 Km
- Total Mileage So Far: 1540 Km (956.9 Miles)
Breakfast
We had an 8:00 AM start for breakfast, but this breakfast offered us the strangest choices yet. We looked at the buffet and saw that there were fried eggs as an option. It wasn’t until we got back to our tables that we realized that the eggs were cold, likely cooked the night before. This was likely our worst breakfast so far.
After breakfast, we mounted the bikes, and headed up to the top of the pass.
The weather
Will it be cold?
We started out thinking that the weather up on the pass would be quite cold, bu as it turned out, it was chilly, but mild. We saw a temp of about 14 C, but the ride up the pass was slow, and we were dressed in layers.
After leaving the scenic overlook, we headed back down the mountain, and continued through the canyons, eventually having morning coffee in a restaurant in Dades Canyon. Leaving Dades Canyon, we headed toward the mid-Atlas mountains, where we would eventually hit a high altitude of 7565 feet at the tizi-n’Tazazert pass. I purchased a sticker to commemorate our climb to the top.
By the time we reached this elevation, the weather had gained strength, and warmed up. We were never cold and after stopping at the high-point, we shed layers, and headed down into the valley. We eventually dropped to about 750’ or so, and began to experience the heat of Morocco.
Finally, by the time we arrived in Zakora, we were at a temperature of about 90 degrees F.
Lunch
We ate lunch in another Riad, which was classic Morocco. So many of these places are mostly complete, with some details left unfinished. In the case of this Restaurant/Hotel (Riad), the areas where the guests eat were in very good condition, but the area where the food was prepared, and which was visible through an open gate, was clearly in need of some repair.
We shared a bowl of Lentil soup, and I had the Chicken Tagine, with Dates and Almonds. A Tagine is simply any dish that is served in a Tagine clay pot. This tagine was a curry chicken, in a warm sauce of almonds, dates ,and curry. Delicious!
The ride
The pass
The high point of this pass was on a turn, at the crest. There was a hotel, restaurant, and enough parking spaces for us to park all of the bikes, along with other tourists. So, we stopped for pictures, and had a chance to look back down the pass, enjoying watching the buses trying to navigate their way up the pass.
The afternoon in the mountains
After leaving the lunch spot, we needed to fuel up, so off we headed to the petrol station, about 30K in the distance. Arriving at the station, we were surprised to see that they had no gas, and were closed. So, we continued on, and found another station in about 10K.
With only 90K to go, we struck out across the dessert. This time, the roads were almost completely empty of cars, and only small houses dotting the road, every 2-5 miles or so. This desolate part of the dessert is where you can really burn some miles, so using the power of the GS, we cracked the throttle and I saw a speed of about 145K, while one other rider reported hitting 167K, which is about 103 mph. So, it wasn’t crazy fast, but we had our foot in it.
Eventually we exited the dessert into the city of Zakora.
The Hotel
The night’s hotel is the Riad Lamane. As seems to the case with most of Moroccan hotels, looking at it from the outside is very deceiving. The outside is a simple wall, colored tan, with very little that differentiates it from any other dwelling ,or any other wall. But, entering the compound, you quickly discover that this little hotel is a 5 star gem. The rooms are huge, with a big bed, a big bathroom with separate shower, commode, and washing area.
When I say that this place is 5 star, I guess I stand by the fact that it would be hard to do much better than this. IMT bike has delivered a fantastic 5 star experience every night, in every city.
There was one unfortunate incident with our luggage. After leaving the bike and heading to the room to take a shower, we expected our bag to be delivered to our room. But, after waiting for a while, no bag appeared, and Paulo and I wandered the compound, knocking on every door, trying to find the missing luggage.
After trying every room, we finally found that it had been delivered to the Guide’s room. So, Paulo found the bag, and dragged it to me, and then he hefted it up the stairs. I know that he’s a younger man than me, and that I’m the client, but no matter what the situation, Paulo manages to go further than any expectation. He’s simply a class act.
This hotel was really quite beautiful, so we took a few minutes to show you our approach to the parking log, illustrating that the hotel is behind several walls, and well hidden, but the grounds are breathtaking.
Report from the road
Dinner
Dinner was a soup, and choice of Beef Tagine, Chicken Tagine, or Kefta Tagine. I chose the beef, and Elizabeth chose the Chicken.
What will tomorrow bring
Th ride to Ait Ben Haddou will take us up and over the Atlas Mountains, making our way through the Tizi-n’Tinififft pass. This pass will exceed 2200M in elevation. We’ll also stop in a movie studio in Ait Ben Haddou, allowing us to see the sets for a great many international movies.
