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Hamburg to Morocco in February? Hamburg to Morocco in February?
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Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

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Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #1  
Old 27 Jul 2010
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Question Hamburg to Morocco in February?
Hi, I am currently in South America and will be heading to Africa next year. I want to start in North Africa and go down the west coast, so that means entering at Morocco.

I plan to take the Grimaldi RORO from Buenos Aires in the beginning of Jan 2011 and you can only disembark at Hamburg (3 weeks later).

From there, how hard will it be to ride thru Paris (need African visas) and then down to Morocco? Does it snow usually? Is ice my main concern? Are the only mountains enroute at the Spanish border?

I dont have heated gear, but I'm surviving the chills of the Bolivian altiplano in their winter.

My ride report: Jammin thru the Global South
My trip website: JamminGlobal.com


Volcan Chimbarazo in Ecuador

thanks,
Jay
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Old 28 Jul 2010
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If you'll have to put up with Ice and Snow is anybody's guess. Last Winter here in Germany was extremly cold and had snow in record breaking levels, so my guess would be that the next one won't be as hard.

However most of the main roads will be cleared regularly so if you're alright with sticking to the more boring roads gettingt through shouldn't be much of a problem...
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Old 28 Jul 2010
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You may be able to load your bike on a train and miss riding through the snow altogether?
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Old 29 Jul 2010
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Hardly the spirit of adventure. But much warmer...
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Old 29 Jul 2010
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Hardly the spirit of adventure. But much warmer...
If the Europe trains are anything like those in the UK it'd be far more adventurous to take one! Always check you sausage roll for fur... on the inside.
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Old 29 Jul 2010
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Old 30 Jul 2010
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From Paris you go either down the coast towards Bordeaux and Bilboa and the across the Pyrenees or you could go down the route de soleil but you will have to go over massif central which can be bleak and bloody cold then onto Montpellier hang a right and head for Barcelona.
As for snow and ice chances are high in the Massif and Pyrenees, and my forecast is that you will be bloody cold or wet and if you are real lucky both !
Think i would risk the furry sausage roll
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Old 30 Jul 2010
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Central Spain can be really freezing in winter and I normally ride there with handlebar muffs, gauchos (leggings attached to the bike) and heated jacket. Keeping near the coast at lower altitude might be warmer.

Also, there's a ferry from Barcelona to Tanger that can cut off quite a bit.
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Old 1 Aug 2010
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Originally Posted by buebo View Post
If you'll have to put up with Ice and Snow is anybody's guess. Last Winter here in Germany was extremly cold and had snow in record breaking levels, so my guess would be that the next one won't be as hard.

However most of the main roads will be cleared regularly so if you're alright with sticking to the more boring roads gettingt through shouldn't be much of a problem...
Yeah, I followed the winter news in Europe last time around and that's what I'm worried about. Bloody climate change and it's unpredictableness

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Originally Posted by dave ett View Post
You may be able to load your bike on a train and miss riding through the snow altogether?
Yeah, was told about that from German's I've met on my trip. Any idea on cost?

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Originally Posted by oothef View Post
Hardly the spirit of adventure. But much warmer...
I know, right. But I'm getting all the adventure I want right now (burnt clutch disc north of Salar de Uyuni)

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Originally Posted by bushman_uk View Post
From Paris you go either down the coast towards Bordeaux and Bilboa and the across the Pyrenees or you could go down the route de soleil but you will have to go over massif central which can be bleak and bloody cold then onto Montpellier hang a right and head for Barcelona.
As for snow and ice chances are high in the Massif and Pyrenees, and my forecast is that you will be bloody cold or wet and if you are real lucky both !
Think i would risk the furry sausage roll
Thanks for the route info. Looks like bloody cold and wet is in my near future

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Originally Posted by Tim Cullis View Post
Central Spain can be really freezing in winter and I normally ride there with handlebar muffs, gauchos (leggings attached to the bike) and heated jacket. Keeping near the coast at lower altitude might be warmer.

Also, there's a ferry from Barcelona to Tanger that can cut off quite a bit.
Thanks for the info on Spain and good tip about the ferry from Barcelona. Got links for the ferry?
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Old 2 Aug 2010
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Here's the ferry company website - Acciona Trasmediterranea - but you can also book at aferry to
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Old 2 Aug 2010
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Yeah, was told about that from German's I've met on my trip. Any idea on cost?
You can check it out here. It depends a lot on when exactly you intend to go...

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