March 2, 2023
Day 15: Tiglatine to Telouet
Tizi n’Tichka pass
Starting a tour with cycling 6 days and then taking 5 days off the bike probably wasn’t the best plan to then next go over a big pass. This morning starting out with a 2km climb without a warm-up and only a granola bar didn’t get us over the pass either. A grand taxi did.
On the climb up to Toufliht, we pick up school children who walk along side of us. Just staring, not asking for anything. Patrick high-fives some of them and in return they push the bike for a bit.
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We pass by the Auberge in Toufliht, yesterday’s original goal. It seems open and looks okay. The road levels off for a bit, even descends, but then starts climbing again gradually to the next town.
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We have to be realistic as to what we (Rachel) can do. Over Seven years ago, age 65-67, Rachel rode up over passes in the Indian Himalayas and the Pamirs. But then, we had been cycling for a year. We will not be able to make it up and over the pass today. Realistically our days of cycling over the big passes are probably over, but that does not mean we cannot cycle tour. We have never been interested in setting any “records” and even though getting rides could be considered “cheating” by some, we take advantage of having some extra money to “buy us out of trouble”.
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At Zerkten, Patrick negotiates a Grand Taxi to the top of the pass for 150dh $15US). The guy starts out asking 300Dh, Patrick counter offers 100. Another guy gets involved and the asking price first drops to 200, then to 150 with the caveat that we won’t leave for at least a half hour. That time will probably be spent to find additional passengers. We ride up the road a little further to see if there are other taxi stands, but no luck. When we slowly return the taxi comes driving towards us. The 150Dh price is again confirmed and we have a deal leaving right now. Panniers go in the back, and the bikes on the roof rack, and off we go. The road slowly rises for a long time up a valley, then the last 3-5 km are steeper switchbacks. There’s road construction and the taking out of many curves, straightening the road and making it steeper. At the summit, there is a strong cold wind.
We load up quickly and drop down about 3km to a junction of the old road to Telouet. We stop for a roadside coffee and visit with Polish travelers, and then two Dutch women with a car and caravan.
Then we head down 20km to Telouet. It’s not all downhill, there are a few hefty up hills. There is very little traffic, the road has recently been improved and the scenery is very nice. The last part the wind is getting pretty strong, and for a while we have to struggle into it.
and
When we arrive in Telouet we stop at a small restaurant and order some food. Kitchens are pretty slow in Morocco, so Patrick walks off to check on some accommodations. The place recommended in the Lonely Planet guide is nowhere to be found, but there is a nice-looking hotel with very friendly hosts. After looking at a couple of rooms and negotiating a price we get a nice room for 200Dh.
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After we are settled in we decide to first go check out the famous Kasbah of Telouet. It is a little further then we expected, and the wind has blown in some low hanging rain clouds. The cook of the hotels sees us trying to decide whether we want to walk over in the rain, and quickly offers us a ride in his car. People in this part of Morocco do make a living of tourism, but gestures like this are not about making money, he truly wants to help us have a good experience, and does not ask for money. Of course we give him a tip. The Kasbah was once quite the place, the pasha that ruled this land built himself quite a castle. Inside are old pictures of him with Charles the Gaulle and Winston Churchill. Most of the building is already ruined, or slowly decaying, but a couple of large rooms upstairs show the level of detail and craftsmanship that was put into the finishes inside.
Back at the hotel we crank up the little electric heater in the room and only venture out one more time to eat a pretty nice three course dinner.
Today's ride: 34 km (21 miles)
Total: 473 km (294 miles)
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1 year ago
1 year ago
What a pleasure to meet you again, I could not believe it! :D Sorry for having missed Rachel at first, it really all goes too fast when travelling in a car - but then I definitely recognised you Patrick with your custom handlebar bag. :)
Really like your candid way of writing and your comprehensive picture gallery which lets me retrace your tour and reminds me of many things I've seen.
I hope you are enjoying the sunny south of the Atlas! I would be very happy to stay in touch with you and I'll be sure to follow your blogs, maybe we'll see each other a third time on this tour, inshallah! :)
All my best wishes,
Cyril
1 year ago
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