Download route here....
https://www.wikiloc.com/outdoor-trails/ ... m-30652404
Next morning we break camp and we'll head on to Tafraoute at Lac Maider. Lac Maider is the white coloured area to the LHS in the above pic. We can pick up water and fuel in the village.....and drink tea.
The first section will be across some fesh-fesh and soft going. I fall off here every year. This is a mix of crusty white sand and soft sand. Just when you think you're going just fine there'll be a metre of soft sand and boing, the front will bed in. Try to ride from crust to crust.
Silt from now on.....when approaching all of this ride over towards the RHS as far as you can, where the cliff parallels you. If you keep left the silt will be deeper and more annoying.
A simple check of the terrain will show more greenery on the LHS......the RHS is on more of a slope......on the LHS that's where there will have been water collecting after rains, along with any silt washed down from the slopes on the RHS.....therefore silt will be deeper in the LHS. Again, no problem for the 4x4's to take the LHS but for you on a moto it will be more tiring to go there.
Hard pack ends more or less at this sign at
N 30° 40.811'
W 004° 34.009'
After the hard pack and just before you leave the soft going for good, the single and only route will have a few short sections of shallow silt to remind you of how annoying that mornings ride has been.
After a short distance you'll see this sign which means you're very close to Lac Maider and therefore Tafraoute. We'll stop at an auberge for a break.
Take the hard pack route to the left of this sign where you can see the small rock piles in the picture......after I advise what route to ride one rider rides off towards the bushes that can be seen in the RHS of the picture into the ever present soft silt going there and where he gets bogged down.....I didn't even get a chance to take my camera out!! Anyway....he gets going and rides over to us the hard pack.
Again, your GPS will route you there and not know the hard pack route.
We ride a few minutes and get to the auberge and where we can get fuel to ride on to Zagora by piste.
The auberge is here.....
After getting fuel and water ....it's noticed that one of the CRF's has too much play in the rear wheel bearings and the teeth on the alloy rear sprocket are getting too well worn ( Page One of Tip and Tricks of the Invite )
The other CRF rider has bearings and these could be swapped out.?
But, taking time and distance now into consideration, along with the condition of the piste remaining......and the state of the sprockets, but also that if the other CRF has a wheel bearing failure with none in reserve.....which would only happen when all of this ties together like this!!!
The BMW subframe scenario is also taken in to account.
This is also not taking in to account any other dopey stuff that would compound today.
I reluctantly decide we'd best get to Zagora by tarmac. This way as we limp along there's more chance of an easy tow with another bike or catching a local to ask for a local breakdown dude.
If we tempt a breakdown we'll all loose our repair day in Zagora by the time we get out. Experience shows to go with ones gut feeling when out here and not attempt anything goofy just for the sake of it. Maroc will bite you!