Morocco Off-road Adventure: Day 3 from Guelmim to Tafraout
Editor Danny Hermans registered for the Morocco Adventure 2023 to finally experience that “Dakar feeling”. He has plenty of motorcycle experience as an ex-motocross rider, but ten days on an enduro with stages of an average of 270 km every day is a completely different story. Follow his adventures on an enduro motorcycle through the south of Morocco for 10 days.
From Guelmim to Tafraout
Today the sunrise was very spectacular again, I like to take photos and enjoy this privilege every morning. I also had to sit out this ride in the assistance bus due to the injuries sustained on day 1. There was a noticeable improvement, yes. It's no different, but it wasn't a punishment either. Morocco is very beautiful and this trip through the south is a treat for me.
This way I could watch from the front row how the organization works behind the scenes. They follow all groups via an app that shows the location of the drivers. Problems of all kinds are reported by telephone to the bus and immediate action is taken and solutions are sought.
The candy box
It is clear that the organization is experienced and always starts a new adventure well-oiled. That gives a lot of confidence to the participants. The 66 participants include many riders who have already worked with this organization several times. Once again Jantine was just as generous with the candy box when we encountered a group of riders.
The Guelmim-Tafraout section slowly builds up to a beautiful natural beauty. Halfway through the ride you see more and more large stones appearing on top of a mountain waiting to roll down. Fortunately they don't do that, I doubt even an earthquake would get those big whoppers moving. The motorcycles have to deal with more and more thick boulders along the way, which means navigating many kilometers with the motorcycle.
There are cacti and palm trees on the flanks, you almost feel like you are in Mexico. Every now and then we come across a Berber village. There you always get a lot of attention and shouting boys rush out to give you a high five while driving. Nice!
Then the phone goes off on the bus. Arjan Brouwer, The Desert Fox himself, crashed. He flamed through an almost invisible wire tensioner at 70 km/h. Fortunately, the damage to life and limb is not too bad. His helmet will carry the marks of the crash for the rest of the week. Being a leader is no gift because those men are the first to deal with all the problems. The desert fox can continue on its way and that is the most important thing.
Camel legs
The riders and the van make stops along the way. Food and drink are essential for such activities. At one of the local butchers, a typical Moroccan delicacy hangs dangling from a rope. They are the legs of a camel, but we kindly thank you for that. Typical for the eateries are the butchers who sell their meat and urge you to immediately grill it on the grill in the eatery next door. Some riders could not refuse the offer and had to pay atonement afterwards. Their punishment consisted of a night of sprinting to the toilet bowl.
The landscape between the villages is very desolate at times. Surprisingly, every now and then you see “a local” sitting on a rock in the middle of nowhere and you wonder what the purpose of his day is. Or have we Westerners become so accustomed to the fact that we always have to have something to do? Sitting on a stone, gazing into the distance could be cathartic for our spirit. Who knows? The Moroccan is dressed in a black headscarf and is dressed warmly according to our standards, while the copper bastard produces merciless heat. The thermometer on the bus says 35 degrees.
As we approach our destination in Tafraout, the landscape becomes even more spectacular. In just a few kilometers the area looks completely different. The rocks look like they were strewn around by a giant. The villages around Tafraout look tired. Some houses have collapsed from old age and just next to them there is a mosque showing off its minaret that sparkles in the sunlight.
Hearing aid in the swimming pool
At the hotel there is another nice reunion with the first motorcyclists to arrive. They are received by the organization every day with the fryer at the ready. The Dutch like to make it fun and every day bitterballen, meat and cheese croquettes are handed out to the riders upon arrival. The hotel has a courtyard with a swimming pool that looks green with algae. The motorcycles will be parked just next to it and there will be a pleasant chat among the riders.
Despite the advice not to use the swimming pool, someone "bombs" into the water. However, he forgot that he was still wearing his hearing aid. These were neatly fished from the bottom by a younger rider and then placed in a container full of rice to dry them. Unfortunately, it was of no use anymore. Geert's ears had died.
There will be a lot of tinkering going on again tonight. Dinner is enjoyed in a beautiful tent next to the swimming pool, where the briefing for the day ahead will follow. The food is nice. The soup in Morocco is made from leftovers from lunch. This is followed by the tagine and it is always delicious.
Then I crawl into bed and look through the window at the hotel garden. I see the engines ready for another new day. I reflect on the past few days and consider myself rich despite the crash. The experience is so unique that it will always stay with me. I take another look at the schedule and see that tomorrow's stage is one that I have checked.
Missed the previous article about this adventure? This is the link: https://nl.motocrossmag.be/index.php/2023/11/marokko-off-road-adventure-dag-2-van-agadir-naar-guelmim
Tomorrow: From Tafraout to Foum Zguid
Participated in our Morocco Adventure Project:
- Bhr Parts
- Smets Screen Printing Sticker set GasGas
- Galfer Performance Brakes Remmen
- Dam Racing Parts
- Dapa Design Clothes
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