Morocco!

[gibbo]

Finally got around to uploading some pics from our trip to Morocco in May. Most are taken around the Merzouga area but we also spent a lot of time in the Atlas Mountains.

The crew, from left to right Damian, Gibbo, and Kiwi Pete
http://www.xrv.org.uk/getimage.php?id=614

Erg Chebbi. This was the view from our Auberge. Beautiful.
http://www.xrv.org.uk/getimage.php?id=615

Carvin in the sand. Great fun.
http://www.xrv.org.uk/getimage.php?id=616

Creating a little sandstorm
http://www.xrv.org.uk/getimage.php?id=617

Stuck. Proper.
http://www.xrv.org.uk/getimage.php?id=618

Near Om Jarane. Stopped for a bit of a play & a photo shoot.
http://www.xrv.org.uk/getimage.php?id=619

Road to Remlia. This is a great section of piste about halfway along Chris Scotts M6 route. Had just crossed our first small dune & Damian picked up a puncture from thorns. The wheel tracks you can see are the road. Very desolate area, very near the Algerian border.
http://www.xrv.org.uk/getimage.php?id=620

[landyandy]

Great pics, m8!

[gibbo]

Great pics, m8!
It was a great trip. I would encourage anyone to go. Its relatively cheap, accessable, and the riding was awesome. Got struck down with a crook gut & therefore dehydration for a day or so but apart from that no problems. The twins were fantastic, but you must travel light.

2 weeks was a good length but it would have been nice to spend longer in the desert sections. It has given me a taste of Saharan travel & I will definately be back in the future.

[YEN_POWELL]

Nice pics, specially the first one. Would make a good poster.

[gibbo]

Yeah, its obviously been cropped from the original but it looks really good at high resolution and with a bit more width. Will have to play with the colours & contrast a bit but its one that I might print & frame.

[fewtrees]

That looks fantastic, incredibly jealous!

How were the bikes? Any tips for riding in sand?

[gibbo]

How were the bikes? Any tips for riding in sand?
Not sure, its one of those things you just do without being able to describe what exactly you do - if you know what I mean. Dune riding is fine, they are actually quite firm on the windward side, the leeward (away from the wind) side can be very soft, hence the "stuck" pic. In large areas of dunes like erg chebbi, you get "sand blind" especially when the sun is high. You cannot see any contours, dips, sudden rises etc. Fun but potentially very dangerous. Cresting the dunes requires a quick decision between "do I gas it to make it over the top, but run the risk of there being a big drop-off the other side" or " do I button off so I dont plummet to the bottom, quickly followed by my summersaulting bike, but run the risk of grounding & getting very stuck.

The soft, small "dunes" that you will cross on some roads, or areas of "Fesh Fesh" are very difficult to ride. It is basically wind blown sand / silt that collects in low lying areas, Oueds etc. Tyre pressures must be very low. Go where the bike goes. Maintain momentum at all costs, you dont want to stop in this stuff. I tried weight forward, weight back but am not sure what worked best. 2nd gear at 3000 to 4000 rpm seemed to be good. If you need to re-start from the soft, 7000 - 8000rpm in first should get you going again. Your bike will get hot - damn hot! Temp needle will be near the red & the fan will not stop.
WHEN you fall, take your time, pick the bike up (it is possible your mates will not be able to stop to help) and rest, drink lots of water. After you have done this a few times within 5 mins you will be knackered.

Travel Light! Keep out of other vehicles wheel ruts.

Thats about all I can think of at the moment. Of course at the time all of this must rush through your brain in milliseconds.

Travel light! Drink lots of water! And remember when you are burried up to your axles, have fallen for the 6th time, are hot, bothered, exhausted and have sand in every concievable bodily crevase - IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FUN!

Oh yeah - get a copy of Chris Scotts "Sahara Overland".

[Wilko]

That looks fantastic, incredibly jealous!

Yep me too, wish I could find the time and spondo's to have a go at that.
I can imagine staring at that view in pic 2, with fire going listening to a bit of the old Tinariwen!!

Paul :D

[gibbo]

How were the bikes? Any tips for riding in sand?
Sorry, the bikes.
The bikes were great. Getting gas was no problem so no need to take jerry cans, 45 litre tanks or any of that rubbish. A few mods are worth doing:
Cut down the sides of your bashplate to let the heat out. One of the bikes on our trip (+ 2 french Africa Twins we saw) had this done & it didnt get nearly as hot as the other 2.
TKC 80's were fine, I would have preferred MCE Karoos (although the other 2 running Karoos both got punctures - I got none) but next time I will spend the (lot) extra & use Michelin Deserts.
Use HD MX/Enduro inner tubes. We even thought Mousses might be a good idea.
I kept my crash bars on but took everything else off, racks, centre stand (which looses you a couple of inches of ground clearance) and I put the std screen back on. One of the bikes even had the screen cut down to about 2 inches high.
Get bigger footpegs. You will spend all day standing up - & if you are tall, bar risers are a must.
The one thing I wish I had done was get a set of Renthal bars. Mine bent just picking the bike up.
Make sure you have a good chain & sprocket before you leave. Mine was on its way out & was making horriffic noises.
Make sure you can change a tyre & repair a puncture before you go. It is not what you want to be learning when you are stuck in the middle of nowhere.

All in all I would not hesitate to take the twin again. A lighter bike would be nice (KTM 640 or XR650R) but a well prepped & well ridden twin will do the job no hassles.

[YEN_POWELL]

Nice pics, specially the first one. Would make a good poster.

Nothing wrong with JS Porter - leave her alone!
Look I know I've had a stroke and everything, so maybe the old grey matter is a bit sluggish, but I don't understand.

ps can someone take me to the toilet now?

[simplysie]

You aint on your own yen, i am confused too :roll:

Sie

[YEN_POWELL]

You aint on your own yen, i am confused too :roll:

Sie
Ahh good, not just me then.

ps too late now, I've done it.

[simplysie]

Either that or my medication is stronger than i thought.........lol

Sie

[Darkenbad]

Gibbo, can you send me pics of the cut down bash plate, I'm off out there again in October, first time had the needle in the red a couple of times when riding soft sand. The cut down bash plate would appear to be the solution.

Cheers mate

PK

[gibbo]

My bike didnt have the mod. I will contact my mate & get him to send a pic.
Where abouts are you headed? If you want I can give you some routes, waypoints etc. There is also an Auberge in Remlia I can highly reccommend.

[Darkenbad]

Gibbo,
Thanks for the prompt reply, I'm heading down through the RIF to Marakesh, then over the Atlas, I fancy a couple of Scotts routes, probably M5 and M7 depending on time and inclination. I'll be on my own so won't be necking it. Trying not to make the same mistakes as last time.

Thanks again.

PK