Lac Iriki photos
Foum Zguid in southern Morocco is where the Zguid river comes out of a canyon onto the plain (foum means mouth) and north of the canyon it was 5ºC at 8am, 800m south it was 14ºC. Sawtooth mountains on the way. Very close to the Algerian border, hence the the military post.The temperature climbed to 30ºC as I started on the dry bed of Lak Iriki which is 50 miles long. Too much loose sand, though and I bogged down several times.
Here I've lightened the bike by removing the panners and roll bag and I'm about to drag the 180kg bike out. Good for weight loss! After the third time I'm getting a bit stressed, not helped by the fact I didn't see anyone for five hours, so a bit lonely.
Video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jq78gfHQr6U
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Hello Tim,I wasn't going to write on this forum again, in one of my fits of pique, and more succinctly because I'm quite happily ensconced in my new travel website, but seeing as you're a bit lonely, I started rattling the keyboard again, with some of my rambles. I'm a bit worried about you, we must be about the same age (I'm 64) and the "one handed" video crossing the soft sand estuary, at speed, looks quite risky, as you discovered, the firm sand can suddenly deteriorate into almost quicksand, and you're not getting any younger, so don't give yourself a heart attack or stroke, trying to exert yourself, pushing that heavy bike out of the mire.
Just looking at the bike bogged down in the soft sand, my initial reaction was that it will need a full inspection and possibly an overhaul, subsequently. That sand will contain salt, which attracts water and the corrosive mixture will contaminate the brake calipers, wheel bearings, and just about anything else mechanical.
Anyway, I'm glad to read you are "alive and kicking" and envy you in 30 degrees centigrade, even if it's freezing in the desert night, which, knowing the desert in many counties well, I know it will be. Here in Scotland, it's the usual combination of gales, torrential rain, and tomorrow the snow blizzard coming directly from Greenland, is promised by the MET office, when they predict inclement weather, they are not usually wrong.....
So, take it easy on the bike, especially when you're on your own, without immediate assistance, in emergency, which, as we both know in Morocco, can occur anytime, without warning.......
I hope my ramble gives you some cheer and encouragement.
Good luck.........Miguel.
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Here's some pics taken a few days earlier near Amtoudi on what's locally called 'La Piste de la Legion', built by the French in the 1930s.Stream crossing with two marker cairns and on top of the markers is the grenade emblem of the CMA/4e REI which according to Martin Windrow's History of the French Foreign Legion is the Compagne Montée Automobile which was a truck/armoured car battalion. Second marker post reveals a date of what looks like June 1938.
These guys were the real adventurers. What I do might be pushing the limits at times, but at least there's nobody shooting at me. (grin)
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not a single link I can open, just video (and you all laughed at my video from Smara, that there is nothing there just sand haha)I get all the time just notice that XML Parsing Error: unexpected parser state
or The connection has timed out, The server at www.morocco-knowledgebase.net is taking too long to RESPOND
is it some wrong with links now? I wish to see the pictures :(
anyway I am not jealous because soon I will be there too :)
Hi Miguel, nice to "see" you again :)
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yes magic carpet as Id love to quickly fly over though Im very happy on holiday in just as enviably beautiful New Zealand....Foum Zguid I thought was rather nice with those palms around but sounds like you are taking a slightly uphill route if youve been coming from stunning Amtoudi - now thats a place I wouldnt mind being again right now for a nice walk up the gorge...but such as our weather here in NZ is so lovely that Im enjoying the chance of missing winter totally of the past few months that I can cope with already having been away from Morocco almost 4 months now - and by the time I get back to Europe and Morocco it will lovely spring or early summer again
continued safe and happy travels Tim!
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Dual sport bikes, I'm currently on a BMW F650GS twin, but I also have a Yamaha Tenere. Loc2roues in Marrakech has a variety of bikes that are suitable, starting with the Honda Tornado 250cc which is a lightweight manageable bike for someone with less experience. See http://www.loc2roues.com/motos.php
