ScuRoo

Last little town on edge of desert before we launch ourselves into who knows what. The Moroccans leave the testicles hanging on carcases so buyers know they're getting male meat for strength. Female meat is not sold. Welcome to women's equal rights Moroccan style...

Outside of Ouarzazate film studious have built sets & when they're finished filming they just pack up & leave 'em. Film sets for 'Kingdom of Heaven', 'Gladiator', 'Moses' & 'Cleopatra' which we are posing in front of. Note the rams horn on my crashbar that I'd ziptied on when we were on top of the mountain a couple of day's before. Felt appropriate at the time...

Anyhow, we made it over the range - it was hard too - proud to say the Quota kept me upright again & we eventually get to large town called Ourzazate where we stayed overnight at the 'Bikers Stop' run by a mad Dutchman called Peter, who married a sexy young Moroccan, and spends his day's renting out his bikes on tours, making his workshop available for running repairs, and generally having a great time. Except he's wondering, 'Who is this strange tall man who keeps giving out marbles'?

In the midst of which... a bloody Aussie who has'nt had a fall - the Quota is surprising everyone!

Isolated, harsh, magnificent!

Hurry up boy's, try & keep up with the Quota pleeeeease!!

Further South we went Baldini the better it got. See this little girl here? She got her father to ask for Glen's cigarette butt, held her thumb up between her Dad's hands while he burnt a wart off that was on her thumb. Laughed as she was flinching at the pain! Tough as nails. Looked like her hair had'nt yet been introduced to a comb but as cute & full of mischeif as they come!

Andy had a bit of retail therapy to pick himself up & was starting to feel the strain drain away.

After a nice cuppa suger-laced mint tea at the isolated little Bergere at top of route...

Beemer having another rest... Now, is that a face that is looking just a little bit ticked off?

Made it to the top! Dirty, sweat-lined faced from more falls, but in high spirits once more.

As we ascended we stopped for a rest as Glen was foo-kayed! I observed to Andy, 'This is as hard, if not harder than yesterday'. He smiled and replyed 'Yeah, according to the book this is Morocco's hardest route! I was'nt worried about you, but if if I said anything before we set off I thought Glen might refuse'. Nice one.

Next day Andy had us heading off the tarmac towards towards these ranges in the distance... Glens panniers were brand new for the trip but note assorted bungeys & ropes start to make an appearance...

Sump plate shat itself! Is the famed German indestructibility starting to unravel? And what about the Goose? Hell, it's job was to run back & forth helping the boy's to pick their bikes up! Close shaves had for sure, but only bike that stayed upright! Boy's were muttering something about 21inch front wheel I recollect...

Oh dear! Although Glen on his TDM had numerous offies along the 'Gorge to Gorge' - poor Andy on his Beemer had a few too...

O'kay, been to Fez etc. & moving South we get to Todra Gorge where we stop & over lunch Andy get's his Morocco Off-road book out which say's Morocco's 2nd hardest route called 'Gorge to Gorge' is a just up the road. Yeah baby, now we're talking, let's do it was the immediate cry apart from a little worry from Glen with his TDM. So off we head for it...

I'm liking it! Great utilization of base bike Enzo with enough tweaks here & there to transform it - muffler reminds me of speedway bikes, but imho, make it even more of a visual feature & have it sprayed that sexy gloss red too! Ka-POW!!! So, what's been done to make it the 'fastest goose on the West Coast'?

Yep, getting harsher. This was supposed to be our first off-road route across the Atlas mountains... but when we got there it was perfectly laid unlined tarmac! Bloody Moroccans are laying down asphalt everywhere it seems. Sometimes they get visited byvisitors in these mountains...

O'kay, we're getting further South now leaving the greenery behind and feel as if it's getting more interesting the harsher the environment became. Saw a few camels over to our left, pulled over & the little shepherd girl came up & silently watched. Andy gave her some marbles but she remained quietly expressionless. Before we set off again I gave her 3 dirhams & her face lit up like a fire-cracker! Big smile. I said my name whilst banging on my chest until she eventually clicked & said her name was 'Fatima'. I rode away with many thoughts of my 5yo. daughter & her life & thought about Fatima tending camels day after day...

Mohammed in straw hat and note the women are'nt too keen being in the picture. 'Why you so tall mister?' Got heaps of photo's of Volubilis but we'll hit the road I think - must see place though if you got the chance.

Hey, what's this tucked away in the mosaics? Bloody Hell! Those German's get around a bit don't they?!

After that fabulous lunch overlooking the valley where Volubilis the Roman ruins were we paid Mohammed for an excellent tour & he made it really come alive. Well worth a visit & it was the most westerly African outpost of the Roman Empire.

TDM has a 18 inch front wheel which is IMPOSSIBLE to source a knobby so ended up getting a Pirelli M21 rear & reverse mounted it with a Mitas E-10 at the rear, same size as the Beemer. The Quota has narrower tyres. I'll let you know Trevini how it got on later as we get into the rough stuff photo's! 'Spose it's about time I add myself into the piccies! The boy's kept on at me in my 'wife-beater'!

Here we are having the best meal we ever had in Morocco at a family run B&B/cafe on side of road as we're heading for some Roman ruins. Under the lids of the tagines was a bubbling mixture of turkey, potatoes & Moroccan spices made by the 'I'll have to kill you if I tell you' Mama. It was fantastic, but such a shame to have peaked food-wise at the relative beginning of the trip!

Oops! Here's the pic.