SandRaiders 2023 Stage 6 - Zagora to Merzouga (long version 360K)
For some mad reason, I chose to ride the long version 360K verses 250K for Stage 6.
https://www.wikiloc.com/trail-bike-trai ... -133809677
The extra 110K meant I had to leave the hotel at 7:30am.There was only one person who was interested in riding the long version with me amongst my new buddies, James from California. I left everyone else behind at breakfast and finally rode out at 7:55am after vigorous urging from Pep.
I almost lost James (Who was riding a WR450) but found him at the petrol station in Zagora. After a quick picture at the Zagora sign (James missed out the day before because he stopped to use his reserve petrol), we vamoosed north east to pick up the long stage.
The ride north across the Aït Yahya Ou Moussa piste was quite uneventful until we got to the confusing new roadworks near Touna Niaaraben, where James took an easy spill in the deep gravel. We took Rte 2 North through an impressive valley rising up to 3,871 feet at Tizi n’Tanekfoult.
After stopping to take a break after a particularly hard and technical section, we had Joan (Org 5) catch us up on his red and white Chesterfield 3AJ. He rode as a SandRaiders Sweeper, gathering all the stragglers up. He spurred us on and I didn’t see him again until after Ramlia…
Our gpx track then took us north east over Tizi n’Amoun at 3,944 feet and down to Nkob at 10:10am where we refueled at Station Ziz. We then rode south east down the tarmac RR108, which became the RN17 at Tazzerine to Taghbalte where we stopped at a cafe at 11:22am. The temperature on my Garmin XT Zumo was showing a forecasted temperature of 54c for 1pm! Couldn’t be true, surely!
We then carried on with our tarmac ride south to pick up the P7108 piste east to Ramlia.
It felt good to ride a familiar piste (Stage 5 from Kem Kem) although in a reverse direction. As we rode south of Oumjrane, it started to get hot, especially as the wind turned to blow from behind.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/r ... YNLEnoPtvh
It felt really remote as there were no other SandRaider pilots around. Normally, we would overtake people taking a break or have faster riders overtake us.
As a result of the wind picking up, often we would be enveloped suddenly with massive dust clouds from behind. This got so bad at one point I had to stop as I couldn’t see more than a couple of feet.
https://gopro.com/v/wbmZ75pDZMgyR
As a result of my forced stop I Iost James but caught up with him at Auberge Dinosaur Kem Kem at 13:10. Time for lunch! Instead of sitting on the shaded porch because of the wind, we headed inside to find three Portuguese riders eating chicken skewers and chips. I ordered the same as it was a fantastic change from Moroccan Salad and Berber omlette!
https://maps.app.goo.gl/n2741T6WTMTbZofU8
https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/q ... Rc0wipKN4U
They headed off before us and after filling up my bladder with refrigerated water; the highest of luxuries, we took the sandier unnamed piste east towards Ramlia over Lac Maider skirting Sidi Ali and P7112 to the north.
The ride east was very sandy with long ascents, so I had to ride flat out in 3rd gear to avoid getting bogged down. James and I tried to find our own line, so we're often 100’s of meters apart. I realised I had left James behind when we were forced through a narrow point between some hills, so had to double back and look for him.
It was during this turn around that I discovered scooter tracks that avoided the worst of the sand I could use instead of resolutely following the gpx track. As we continued east, I realised I had been tempted to ride north east on the hard sand and had to make a 90 degree right turn to pick the correct route through the dunes. I am ok riding fast on loose sand in a straight line but really struggle when there are many turns amongst the sand dunes and bushes. Eventually, I lost James ahead due to my nav error and the myriad of tracks and fesh fesh dunes 2K before Oued Gheris.
As I was fighting to keep my 3AJ going where I wanted it to go despite my bent handlebars, I saw two white Landcruiser ahead and passed them quickly so I wouldn’t be caught up in their dust. After 10 minutes or so, I passed Jeremey’s Honda Dominator abandoned in the sand.
Very soon after this, my front wheel slipped out on a descent into the deepest part of Oued Gheris and I crashed down onto my left hand side. Luckily I wasn’t hurt and picked the bike up out of the sand. I struggled to find neutral but eventually did and managed to start the engine. It was hard to get going again in the deep sand and as I was stalling and restarting the bike, the two white Landcruisers drove down the slope behind me and cruised past at 5mph, which pissed me off a bit. I guess they had rich tourists onboard and didn’t want to open the doors and let sand blow in on them.
As I was revving the bike trying to get out of the sand, the discombobulating experience of the bike revving but not making any progress confused me. My fatigue combined with banging my head during the spill prevented me quickly realising that my 34-year old clutch was burnt out. After a few attempts to make sure the bike was in gear with my hand, I switched the bike off and pressed the emergency rescue button on the gps tracker.
https://gopro.com/v/69vNb29R7KOe2
I started taking my helmet and riding gear off as it was so hot and literally after I had done this and sat down in a little shade the SandRaiders rescue pickup truck came slowly over the edge of the oued I crashed on! Just as well I heeded the advice not to stray too far from the gpx track.
We loaded the 3AJ on the back of the pickup truck next to Jeremy’s and I squashed myself into the back seat. Luckily I was the only passenger!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/P ... 0NzplrJwQj
After climbing out of Oued Gheris and fesh fesh, we soon stopped at the Ramlia gas station/cafe to regroup with the other riders and SandRaiders crew.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/2 ... spS7plhw6g
https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/O ... waoEO6BDMj
https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/F ... mKabFtVmAI
After a cold beer from a fridge one of the SandRaiers crew had in his pickup, we headed north from Ramlia in the pickup. It was a very slow experience bumping along in a car instead of riding a bike but it was great to see the rally from an organisers perspective. They had quite a bit of communication and navigation kit in the vehicle and I was really interested in the conversation they were having via the radio in Spanish.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/u ... VODVVQLtXN
Sadly, one of the portuguese riders crashes ahead and badly brakes his ribs. I think he was treated by one of the doctors who left Ramlia earlier. His bike was put onto one of the other pickup trucks and we followed the last four pilots who were being led slowly by Joan Marsal who was the SandRaiders Sweeper. I imagine that the drive in a 4x4 to the end of the stage at Merzouga would have been very uncomfortable for the injured pilot, but maybe the Doc gave him a morphine drip?
Eventually we got into the parc at Merzouga after dark at 8pm. Normally, I would get in around 4pm and have an opportunity to enjoy the setting sun.
I was quite concerned about my 3AJ but was really glad to give Pelaut, the head mechanic, my spare clutch friction plates but he gave me a hard time because I did not have new clutch springs!
I was incredibly amazed to see my 3AJ the next morning amongst the other bikes ready for stage 7; it started first time and the clutch worked again!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/share/l ... JikikTD7bR
It turns out that Max Seguara the young SandRaiders mechanic had replaced the clutch friction plates in his hotel room to avoid the blowing sand around 10pm! This is one of the reasons I love SandRaiders.
Anyone recognise themselves?
and I look forward to meeting some of you!
