Fez - Errachidia

What a fantastic days riding first up into the middle Atlas mountains and we are soon in a partly snow covered cedar forest watching the monkeys that live here. Then onward on some remote country roads where time seems to have stood still. These roads are made for motorcycling good road twisting and turning through the mountain passes, and so quiet that you can hear the soft bark of the BMW and the hum of the chain as we pass Sheppard's and their rustic homes, where the children rush out to wave hello.

 

We stopped for a simple roadside BBQ and Tangine of potatoes vegetables and meat.

 

Then across a semi arid plain before heading up again into the High Atlas Mountains.

 

its been a long day 420 km stating at 8:30 and getting to the hotel at 7pm but probably one of the best riding days that I have had anywhere, a bit cool 8 deg but sunny, beautiful scenery, a good mix of fast and slow roads, plenty of curves, and little traffic, and everyone is really friendly.

 

 

 

Chefchaouen - Fez

A good ride today from Chefchaouen to Fez (215 kms), less traffic on country roads, we stopped for a break along the way buying and eating local fresh oranges.

  

After we arrived and settled into the hotel we went on a tour of old Fez and its markets, visiting the leather tanning area and a Moroccan carpet shop. an interesting town, but not as pretty as Chefchaouen. Tomorrow we ride through the atlas mountains.

Malaga - Chefchaouen

On the Bike - hooray, it was great to get started on the tour, I'm glad that I drove a car around Spain for a bit first as it prepared me for today, within minutes of getting on the bike we were on the freeway belting along at 120 kph, exhilarating.   

 

We went along the coastal road to Tarifa, and onto the ferry to the port of Tangier then rode along the Mediterranean coast and into the Rif mountains finishing the days ride at the blue city of Chefchaouen, 300 kms.

 

The BMW 700 rides very well, but is a little tight for my legs after being used to stretching them out on the cruiser, and the roads we are on are in good condition constantly twisting and turning along the coast and through the mountains. nobody seems to obey any road rules here though, bit like India, so have to watch everybody and everything.

 

not many pictures on the road, but we walked around Chefchaouen before dinner, which is a very pretty town.

 

 

Malaga

With a trouble free drive to Malaga, I returned the car, contacted the tour company and completed the paperwork for the hire of the motorcycle. Although I am now quite comfortable driving on the "wrong" side many of the road signs and meanings are still baffling to me, but as nobody seems to obey the speed limits and I haven't seen any Police on the road, it probably doesn't matter. Another thing that one needs to get used to is that the traffic lights on your side of the road may be red, but on the other side they are green, the only meaning I can gather from this is that I have to stop because I have the red light, but turning vehicles can proceed as they have a green, and instead of a kangaroo warning, there are dear warnings.

 

This afternoon a quick tour of Malaga, and of course I again chose a segway :) another pretty town with Roman and Moorish history, the countryside in this southern area of Spain is very pretty, so I can understand why people come and live here, but I think that it would be a difficult lifestyle unless you learn Spanish and adapt to the culture of late start, mid afternoon break, work late and party later, it wouldn't suit me.

 

Ronda

After a two and a half hour trip in the car I got to Ronda, feeling much more at ease now on the roads, I think the hardest thing is feeling the width of the car and driving from the wrong side, especially on narrow streets and tight parking areas.

 

the streets in Ronda are very narrow, very sloping and paved in cobblestones, even dry they feel slippery, so I cant imaging how you would drive around here when its wet or icy !

 

Ronda is an interesting old Moorish town built on both sides of a deep ravine, and originally a Roman town. It also saw action during the Spanish Civil War.

 

Lunch as you can see was mixed Tapas and a beer, not bad. 

Granada 2

A cold but fantastic day in Granada, this morning I toured the Alhambra, an old Moorish castle and palace, later taken over by the Christians, and has over the centuries been changed and owned by many different masters.

 

A short break and then onto the Segway tour, this was great, a short training course and we were off, I was the only one booked for today so had my own personal guide, using the Segway we covered a huge amount of territory visiting many places and area's that I would  never have  got to on my own or on foot, we rode up and down some very steep hills stopping occasionally to take in the views or the local flamenco musicians playing in the tourist area's.

 

The Segway was easy to use but puts some strain on the muscles in the lower legs and feet as you use these to control it, but its a lot better than walking especially when there are so many hills to climb, I did 3 hours and the guide reckoned that it would have taken all day on foot to see what we did, and did not exhaust me as walking would have.  

 

back on the road tomorrow on the way to Ronda

Granada 1

I got to Granada about 1:30 pm after some drama with the car, I had a red light on the dash board came on that said STOP ! I know what stop means but couldn't understand why, then noticed another red light that looked like a flat tyre, and sure enough I had a puncture. I got the spare fitted, after working out how to get it out of the car, this took longer than fitting it. luckily I hadn't gone too far, so took the car back to the hire company and they just gave me another car.

 

The roads are OK and the GPS is getting me to the destinations, once I work out the real name of the road is that I want to go to, but the drivers are a little crazy all seem to drive about 15 km over the limit and either cutting in or overtaking, and the roads once you leave the freeway are narrow, so its not leaving me much time to look around as I am concentrating on the roads.

 

The scenery is interesting though, very hilly snow on the mountains ahead, and as you would expect many white houses with red tile roofs. Granada is a nice town, spent the afternoon looking around and the evening watching some flamenco dancing.  

 

 

 

Malaga

Finally arrived at Malaga, but with a bit of a rush to get my luggage and get onto the next flight in Madrid, even lost my boarding pass and had to get another one, I was running for the flight.

 

Got my car and after working out the GPS drove to the hotel, wont do anything else tonight as its 8pm now. even though I've driven on the wrong side of the road before it is quite daunting with all of the traffic and lots of roundabouts.

Southern Spain and Morroco

I'm off again this time on a motorbike tour of Morocco. This is what is promised on the tour, hopefully it will live up to this.

On this bike tour you will experience first hand the different facets and intersting contradictions of Morocco. Far away from the beaten track you will be on the road, where the country is still authentic and realize the dream to ride the african continent on motorcycle. Along the roads of the Rif mountains, you reach the old imperial city of Fez, which is, with its massive walls and mighty gates, one of the largest medieval cities in the world that is still inhabited.

From here you start the first mountain stages and cross the Middle Atlas with its thousand-year-old cedar forests and then the High Atlas, where still today Berbers, the natives of Morocco, live as nomads. You will reach the oases at the largest sand desert of Morocco, the Erg Chebbi, where you linger for a day and discover the secrets of the desert.

On unforgettable motorcycle tracks you admire the natural spectacle of the Gorges of Todra and Dades in the South of the High Atlas and continue the road via Ouarzazate to the caravan check point of Ait Benhaddou, whose entire centre has been recognized by Unesco as a World Heritage Site.

The crossing of the High Atlas to Marrakech is one of the most beautiful rides in the life of a motorcyclist. The single-track and very winding road leads through scenic and touristy little developed areas. The Mount Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa, awaits you here with a fascinating panorama.

You reach Marrakesh, former capital and famous for its markets and festivals. The lively beating heart of the city is the large square Djemaa el-Fna in the old town. To the north you cross the Moroccan hills and reach the Atlantic coast, where Casablanca and Rabat are, and you leave the African continent over the port of Tangiers.