Gara Medouar trail condition
 

Hello folks. I'll be getting the ferry from Spain to Morocco on Friday. Does anyone know what the condition of the trail from the N12 to Gara Medouar is like at the moment.

I'm travelling solo and will be fully loaded. On an r1150gsa with Anakee adventure tyres.

I came across an old blog with the guy saying he lost the front multiple time in deep sand and it has me a bit concerned.

I've experience in rocks and gravel but sand is new to me.

Just looking for your 2 cents if you've been there, but all responses appreciated.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...d945105544.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f723997ceb.jpg

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The terrain is fairly flat so it's easy to avoid any patches of soft sand.

Are you sure there's a ferry from Spain, Alwyn?

Nice view from the rim of Gara, (though may be a reach on a GS ;-)

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It is not really a problem even with heavy bikes. Mostly gravel, a little little bit of not really deep sand. Been there several times, I ride a 1200 GSA, buddies had 1150 RT, 1200 Multistrada and a Versys, all with street tyres.

Regards, Reinhard

Oh man, I was so focused on getting everything arranged for the Ireland-Bilbao leg I neglected the Morocco side. A quick read of the Morocco tourism board indicated that I'd be okay with a covid Cert and didn't see anything about Ferries canceled.
Off to double check that now.

Photos look incredible guys!!

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Thanks Reinhard.
Looks great, can't wait.

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No Spain-Mk ferries since Covid broke.
It's all on this sticky thread (last page).
https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...rries-33321-13

Only ferry right now is from Sete, 400 miles east of Bilbao. Or Genoa.
I'm sure there'll be room for a bike.

For God sake. Seems like a massive detail to have overlooked.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...a808897708.jpg

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There but for the Last-Minute-Cock-Up (LMCU) go we all.
Just need to revise the plan. Irl-Bilbao is still a good start.

On my first Med crossing, I seriously thought I could 'work my passage' Marseille to Algiers, ie: scrub the decks or shovel coal for a free crossing.
And this was 1981!

Little bit disappointed. Booked this a year ago.
Fate has a way of working things out though. I'll find a fun route in Pyrenees or down the coast of Portugal.

Thanks Guys.
Al


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Sounds like a fair trade.
Thanks for the heads up.


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Fyi, I guessed correctly that that 'Motorcyclist' excerpt was one of the many exaggerations, errors and outright falsehoods that particular 'journalist' wrote of.
Perhaps that was why he managed to syndicate (or freely supply?) his articles to so many gullible moto publications...
Gara (also on the cover of the Morocco book) is of course, not a volcano, but still well worth a look.

A journalist exaggerating, there's a well known Land rover one prone to making stuff up to sell a story.

From the N12 you can see Gara Medour, no sand at all on the many times I've been or any on other more creative routes to get there. I suppose it depends on where you start, if you start on the back side of Erg Chebbi and go straight through the Erg then yes.

Yeah ferries are a disaster but these are atange times

BTW many folk think Gara Medour was, for a time, a prison run by the Portuguese. It wasn't, it was where Portuguese slaves were kept on the route south to Mali and beyond.

I drove it in a hire car......it seemed pretty solid underneath to be Frank. View from the top is well worth the effort .

Stall the ball. Are you this Chris Scott??

If so, I bought your book months ago for the trip. Its fantastic.

Thanks for the effort you put into the travel. Hopefully I'll get to use it next year.

Cheers
Alwyn.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...1f790c6e63.jpg

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