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North Africa Topics specific to North Africa and the Sahara down to the 17th parallel (excludes Morocco)
Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



Trans Sahara Routes.

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Old 26 Jan 2006
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Carry on Dakar
Some pics and video from a recent trip to Morocco...

The video clip shows some offroad riding on a smoother part of the M5 piste in Morocco. I was riding one-handed at the time, with the video camera in my left hand. Please right click here and 'save target as' to your machine, then run from there.

Together with a few other BMW GS owners I went to Lisbon just before New Year to see the start of the Dakar Rally. We were supporting the BMW riders in particular, plus other UK riders.

After watching some of the stages in Portugal we then crossed to Morocco to watch other stages, then took time off to do some tracks and cross the various mountain ranges. In total I covered just over 5,500 miles.


We took the boat from Portsmouth to Bilbao, arriving as dawn broke.


BMW party: Russ Malkin, Charlie Booman, two mechanics, unknown guy, Matt Hall (camerman member of BMW team)


There were support vehicles parked all over Lisbon--great city by the way!


Met up with another couple from the UK at the scrutineering


The 'Race to Dakar' team bikes


Nick Plumb's entry


Sightseeing in Lisbon


Special stage in Portugal


Tim
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Old 26 Jan 2006
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Moroccan motorway


Barbary Apes: I was made a right monkey by this guy. He suckered me with a manoeuver to the single nut in my right hand, then with his other hand he snatched the whole bag of nuts from my left hand!


50+ miles offroad near Er Rachidia


Offroad near Er Rachidia


Steve asks why Simon's bike is facing the wrong direction and upside down...


An unnamed shortcut past a feldspar mine cost several hours


Truck competitors near Er Rachidia


Messing about in the Gorges du Ziz
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Old 26 Jan 2006
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Our helicopter support found some other GSers: Si Pavey, Matt Hall and Charlie Boorman


Nick Plumb near Erfoud (Nick was my instructor on the BMW offroad course)


Nick Plumb near Erfoud


Charlie Boorman near Erfoud


Pistes near Erg Chebbi


Car competitors near Erg Chebbi


Valley of the Roses


Valley of the Roses
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Old 26 Jan 2006
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These four little sweeties stopped us to warn about a fierce dog around the next corner


End of Valley of the Roses


What do you do whan the GPS points in the middle?


M5 piste and camels


Getting colder as we ascend


Previous night's snow


Start of the descent


Middle of nowhere
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Old 26 Jan 2006
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Shipwreck at Tan Tan Plage


And again


The food was generally excellent, here a tagine of prunes, almonds and chicken


Moroccan salad, cheese omlette (with laughing cow triangles!) and Berber omlette


Bad week for sheep


With another 600m of altitude to climb it was turn-around time


The Moroccans reckon they're the ones who invented snowmen.


It was a long ride back through Spain and France. After suffering wet and cold feet the previous day, this was my patented solution. It lasted about 150 miles, as did the dry weather that day. Sodd's Law guaranteed the plastic had disintegrated by the time the rain started.

Tim
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Old 26 Jan 2006
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Great shots Tim, looks like a lot of fun was had by all!
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Old 26 Jan 2006
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As I'll be in this neck of the woods in less than a month (cross fingers!) it's inspiring stuff to see pix like these. Thanks!
Matt
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Old 27 Jan 2006
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great Matt,
us too, 2 640 adventures.
will be at tangiers by 13 march.
then mts onward down south. what's your plans?
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Old 27 Jan 2006
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Valley of Roses seems spectacular.
I'm heading that way in 5 weeks. Would it be possible to have the MArrocan name of the valley, please? Thanks
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Old 27 Jan 2006
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Hi Ultracarve,
Shame, I'm hoping to be in Morocco by 18/19th February, and will be back in Spain by the 13th March on my way east. I'll keep an eye out for two KTMs! Maybe I'll see you on the way past!
Matt
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*Disclaimer* - I am not saying my bike is better than your bike. I am not saying my way is better than your way. I am not mocking your religion/politics/other belief system. When reading my post imagine me sitting behind a frothing pint of ale, smiling and offering you a bag of peanuts. This is the sentiment in which my post is made. Please accept it as such!
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Old 28 Jan 2006
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Excellent photos. Thank you for sharing them with us.
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Old 31 Jan 2006
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Quote:
Originally posted by radek:
Valley of Roses seems spectacular.
I'm heading that way in 5 weeks. Would it be possible to have the Moroccan name of the valley, please? Thanks
It's near the Gorge of the Dades. We headed north from El-Kelaa M'Gouna, then east to Ait Youl. The festival of the roses is held in El-Kelaa sometime around the beginning of May.

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Old 3 Feb 2006
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many thanks for the excellent photos. We are visiting in Apr and these photos make me want to go now!!
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Old 23 Jan 2007
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wicked photos
I so want to be there right now it looks amazing!!!

Thanks a million for sharing them!
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Old 24 Jan 2007
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Fantastic Pics. I watched the whole Dakar Rally on Eurosport -wishing I was there. Soon will be though, as a group of us are heading off for a month in Morocco on 2nd March.

The Valley of Roses is new to me and looks amazing. We'll have to get down there.....
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