Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB

Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/)

- North Africa (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/north-africa/)

- - Carry on Dakar (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/north-africa/carry-on-dakar-18274)

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.

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak0921.jpg
We took the boat from Portsmouth to Bilbao, arriving as dawn broke.

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak0933.jpg
BMW party: Russ Malkin, Charlie Booman, two mechanics, unknown guy, Matt Hall (camerman member of BMW team)

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak0939.jpg
There were support vehicles parked all over Lisbon--great city by the way!

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak0942.jpg
Met up with another couple from the UK at the scrutineering

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak0946.jpg
The 'Race to Dakar' team bikes

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak0947.jpg
Nick Plumb's entry

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak0960.jpg
Sightseeing in Lisbon

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/daks025.jpg
Special stage in Portugal

Tim

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/daks030.jpg
Moroccan motorway

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/daks048.jpg
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!

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/daks066.jpg
50+ miles offroad near Er Rachidia

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/daks082.jpg
Offroad near Er Rachidia

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak0974.jpg
Steve asks why Simon's bike is facing the wrong direction and upside down...

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak0980.jpg
An unnamed shortcut past a feldspar mine cost several hours

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/daks088.jpg
Truck competitors near Er Rachidia

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/daks153.jpg
Messing about in the Gorges du Ziz

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak0990.jpg
Our helicopter support found some other GSers: Si Pavey, Matt Hall and Charlie Boorman

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/daks101.jpg
Nick Plumb near Erfoud (Nick was my instructor on the BMW offroad course)

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/daks102.jpg
Nick Plumb near Erfoud

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak0991.jpg
Charlie Boorman near Erfoud

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak0996.jpg
Pistes near Erg Chebbi

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/daks118.jpg
Car competitors near Erg Chebbi

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak1031.jpg
Valley of the Roses

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak1036.jpg
Valley of the Roses

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak1084.jpg
Shipwreck at Tan Tan Plage

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak1091.jpg
And again

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak1125.jpg
The food was generally excellent, here a tagine of prunes, almonds and chicken

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/daks163.jpg
Moroccan salad, cheese omlette (with laughing cow triangles!) and Berber omlette

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak1105.jpg
Bad week for sheep

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak1134.jpg
With another 600m of altitude to climb it was turn-around time

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak1135.jpg
The Moroccans reckon they're the ones who invented snowmen.

http://www.zroadster.net/tim/gs/dak1139.jpg
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

Great shots Tim, looks like a lot of fun was had by all!

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

great Matt,
us too, 2 640 adventures.
will be at tangiers by 13 march.
then mts onward down south. what's your plans?

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

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

Excellent photos. Thank you for sharing them with us.

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.

Tim

many thanks for the excellent photos. We are visiting in Apr and these photos make me want to go now!!

I so want to be there right now it looks amazing!!!

Thanks a million for sharing them!

:thumbup1:

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.....