Biking in the Atlas Mountains

see all photos »

The next 4 days featured the most extreme bike riding we've ever done and memorable accommodations.  First, we drove to a point just past the pass through the High Atlas mountains.  The pass was at over 6500 feet.  The tallest mountains in North Africa were all around us, a couple at 12,000 feet.  Hints of snow at the highest elevations.  When we got on our bikes, we started off on "pavement".  The first 20 km. was mostly downhill.  The pavement was barely one lane wide, not enough for 2 trucks to pass without going well onto the rough gravel shoulders.  The pavement got worse and worse, was riddled with potholes.  The road seemed to turn quickly more into potholes with patches of hardtop to break up the potholes.  When the road turned completely to rough gravel, it felt safer!  Maybe we were just getting exhausted and cared less.  Makes riding on the gravel roads around the lake look like a piece of cake.  The last 10 km was what looked like a donkey trail, in fact there were lots of them around.  But, it was actually regularly used by vehicles.  In fact, it was no worse or better than the roads we biked on for most of the next 3 days.  The road got steeper as we advanced, ending in a stretch of about 2 kn which most could not complete on the bikes.  Berber houses lined the trail, which wrapped around and behind them.  Our destination was a "Gite", owned as a cooperative by the local townsfolk.  They make all their hard currency off tourism.  The Gite was rustic but comfortable with hot water and real toilets.

see all photos »

Wednesday, our second on bikes, was just unreal.  It was the longest, about 45 km.  It took 6 hours to transverse with an hour break for our first delicious picnic lunch made by our own cook and served around rugs and cushions on the hard ground.  The road was basically no better than the last 10 km. of Tuesday's ride, except all downhill.  There were 2 substantial stretches so steep we could not ride down.  Many others where we had to stop and restart while 4 wheel drive tour vehicles scraped past us.  But, the surroundings were absolutely stunning.  Thursday's ride was the best.  We were now out fully exposed in the rock desert (hamada), riding on gentle downslopes on packed heavy stone.  We lunched at an oasis which had been converted into a Roman ruin movie set for the filming of "Gladiator".  Then on to the metropolis of the area, Ouarzazate.  Before dinner, we visited a major movie studio outside the City.  Friday was an optional bike ride day.  Bev picked up a touch of heat exhaustion, we think, and used the day successfully to recharge.  Those of us who rode, went on an out and back route to a beautiful oasis.  The first 20 km was a steady but not excessive uphill ride over packed stone trails and stretches of similar road.  The last 2 km was straight down but mostly on a concrete surface to probably the same elevation we'd just climbed.  Shortly after the concrete stretch and back out on the packed stone, Mike Harle decided to get real close to the earth and to leave a bit of himself in Morocco.  After 4 days of riding on these uneven surfaces, it was all too easy to relax and take in the surrounding sights.  Not good.  Just badly scraped and bruised, but he actually broke his helmet in 2 places.  Lunch was served in a Berber home for which the arrangements were made as we got there.  Gentle, friendly people.  Thus ended the biking part of the adventure.