West of labourirat
 

Any recent news of new road construction west of labourirat towards Msied or Howza:scooter:

Nothing new between Nov 18 and April 19. It’s graded almost all the way across to Maris [presume this was meant to spell Mseid] except the last section when you drop down into the valley.

I’m back down that way in a few weeks and will update if I see anything new


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No change when we passed this way a few days ago, only went as far as the junction with MW6 though

(and Chris is correct that should have said Msied not Maris!)

Gents,
Any more updates on the graded road??

We did MW6 a few weeks ago didnt look like any changes from the Labourirat end. While we were stopped for lunch just west of the village a tourist came through on a big touring bike with road tyres. I assumed he had come from Mseid.

Early October I was at the Mseid end with the Rally Du Maroc and there was work under way with some drainage channels on that end. I haven't been through the full length recently though.

We were there the other week in a rental Duster.
Tarmac currently ends 61km west of Lab, then a thin, unprepared trail with a couple of junctions for a few kms, then picks up and becomes a normal piste via the valley drop (below) to meet new tar a few km south of Mseid.
I traced the route off Google/Bing sat.

https://overlandershandbook.files.wo...023/11/x2.jpeg

Tbh, MW6 is more scenically diverse, but on the way we visited the rock art at
27.85183, -10.65733 and only a couple of good km off the main piste.
Very good Mk prehistory resource by Gandini.
Interesting chat with the bright young bloke who has been left to guard the fenced off site.

https://overlandershandbook.files.wo...023/11/x1.jpeg

Not seen 'Tassili' style paintings like this anywhere else in southern Mk, but Gandini link IDs more.

https://overlandershandbook.files.wo...023/11/x3.jpeg

We carried on SW to 'red sign jct' on the R101 Tan Tan–Smara road south of Abteh and on to Cheap Fuel Junction.
Not that interesting and some tricky route finding across the big oued.

https://overlandershandbook.files.wo...023/11/x4.jpeg

We then took an excursion to the tomb complex of Sidi Ahmed Rguibi in the middle of nowhere.
Ancestral father of the Reguibat Saharawi.
Warm welcome but matey called someone and access denied.
Despite what the internet claims, '1000s' of pilgrims no longer (if ever) visit the site.

https://overlandershandbook.files.wo...023/11/x5.jpeg

Back on the Gandini page I was trying to find this amazing looking place near Oued Chbika, even though I know these massive tombs never look as good from ground level.
https://overlandershandbook.files.wo...e_wwaaaxht.jpg

Could not find it until I worked out that since that image was shot from a plane about 20 years ago the place has become a quarry for wind farm installations and capped off by a pylon pathway. One antenna remains under a pylon.
https://overlandershandbook.files.wo...23/11/crez.jpg