The following is a resume by Christa Clutson from Winchester following her recent Morocco Atlas Mountains Raid Motorbike trip on her BMW 1200 Cruiser in October 2004 (published in 'The BMW Club Journal' February 2005)

CHRISTA "CRUISING" THE KASBAHS

This little ditty is dedicated to all those who thought that the BMW 1200 Cruiser was for transport to Sunday Pub lunches or the hairdresser - believe me, they are made for much sterner stuff!!

Rainstorms, Sandstorms, plagues of Locust and washed out roads were all encountered and overcome during a 4 thousand mile trip from Winchester to the very edge of the Western Sahara in Southern Morocco - and all in 17 days!

Such was the achievements of men (and two women!) on the recent SPC sponsored Adventure to the Sahara which was organised by WILDCAT ADVENTURES.

Simply getting to the North African Port of Tangiers was an adventure in itself - but once we left the bureaucracy of importing the bikes into the "Dark Continent" and survived the mayhem that was Tangiers traffic at night - the fun really began. A quiet and comfortable hotel in Asliah with views of the coast and sea greeted us all on the first morning, setting the bench mark for accommodation for the rest of the trip.

Heading South East towards the Algerian Border, the landscape changed dramatically from sweet smelling citrus fruit orchards through scrub and on to the red Sandstone colours that dominates the Western Sahara.

We all very soon settled into the daily routine of out on the road by 09:00 hrs following the agreed route, meet up for a light lunch at a point of interest before launching off on the afternoon leg of the trip. Book into the Hotel for the evening, followed by a daily debrief on the days ride and more importantly, the following day's programme.

The food was local, plentiful though sometimes "interesting" but always more than adequate. Accommodation varied from 5 star to the most wonderful Berber 'Auberge' at the head of the Todra Gorge. With little light pollution so far into the Atlas Mountains, the night sky was simply spectacular - and free!

At Tinerhir we turned West following the old Silk route towards Ouarzazate and on to Marrakech. This wonderful City deserved more than a fleeting glance and the itinerary called for a free day to enjoy the sights and sounds. A guided tour of the City was arranged and thoroughly enjoyed by all. The ancient Kasbah was both a treat and an education, long gone are the days when tourists were hassled and pestered into making a purchase.

For me, Marrakech was a highlight of the trip and one that will no doubt draw me back again at some point in the future. From Marrakech, we headed South West over the "Tizi 'n Test" road pass to the Berber town of Tafraoute. The pass was an adventure in itself, 26 miles of snaking tarmac from the summit to the valley below, a series of switchbacks and "S" bends that would shame the best that Switzerland could ever boast.

On the Tafraoute, nestling at the bottom of a deep valley, surrounded by the beauty and majesty that is the Anti Atlas Mountains. Here we enjoyed the second of our free days in an unspoiled ancient Berber market town. The sights, smells and colours are almost an assault on the senses - the "Time Difference" being measured in centuries rather than hours!

Each of us left Tafraoute with a momento - for some it was an exquisite carpet for others a locally made pair of slippers or a Tagine - but non of us could have failed to have been impressed by its simple beauty.

Tafroute was the most southerly point of our journey and from here on the route tooks us northwards, through the Portuguese coastal town of Essaouria followed by a marathon trip of 460 miles past Casablanca to return to our original hotel in Asliah. By this time, the travel hardened group breezed through Tangier and the return trip to the Spanish mainland was almost an anti climax.

And so - back to the Spanish port of Santander and a relaxing cruise to the UK. Nothing had changed at Plymouth - it was still raining!

A few interesting statistics - as a group we covered some 80.000 BMW "Bike"-miles, the damage was just one puncture and one leaking Gearbox output oil seal, the latter being considerate enough to fail just outside of Santander on the return leg.

One question remains: would we want to join such an adventure again?
the answer being: DEFINITELY !!!
a n d sharing the adventure with the same organiser and group of people who were great to be with!

Written by Christa Clutson, Winchester
Atlas Mountains Raid October 2004

Photos by John Fulton & Brigitte Lucas

MORE INFO on our Morocco Atlas Mountains Raid Tour Description