15 April 2023, Aït Saoun, 37.05km
Tigonsa Cafe R0 [DH0]

There is a 740m elevation gain over 35km between Ouarzazate and the outskirts of tiny Aït Saoun. The first half of the day was pleasant, the latter half too tiring. We are cycling toward the rising sun, toward the Sahara, toward summer. Despite being blessed by a breeze, and several cooling downhill runs, it was hot, hot, hot, especially on the long slow climbs.
We brought not quite enough water with us, so I was thrilled when a van driver pulled up ahead of us and hopped out brandishing a full 1.5 litre bottle of water for which he refused payment. Perhaps Moroccans know foreigners inevitably underestimate the heat. He also insisted we take a honey-based snack to nibble on, "for energy" he said.
Knowing we could not possibly manage another 380m elevation gain over the next 30km today, we planned to stop for the night. We could not find accommodation advertised in Aït Saoun, so decided to camp, hoping to do so at the family-run Tigonsa Cafe just outside the village. Photographs showed a sizeable property with potential. When we arrived at around 14h30, the place looked virtually abandoned, though there was a car parked outside and one door was standing ajar. Many people sleep through much of the Ramadan day, the world coming alive only shortly before sunset. We were reluctant, therefore, to knock. Instead we inflated our mattresses and took a nap in the shade. Then Charl cycled into the village, returning with cold water and Coke and orange juice. At 1730 we made contact with the family living below the restaurant. Not only did they offer to let us sleep on the couches in the restaurant, but they are cooking us dinner. And they have a western loo in the restaurant. How lucky are we?
It is a dry harsh world out there, yet beautiful. Hills covered in stones, softened by a low green hardy groundcover. Wheat, escaped from faraway fields, growing green-gold on the verges. Spring flowers now and then in lilac, yellow and cream. In the earlier part of the day, there were patches of water in riverbeds, and palm trees reflected. In the latter part of the day, it was so still we could hear electricity humming from the wires strung above or alongside the N9.
We were served a wonderful dinner shared with our host and his 11-year old daughter. Although the food was on the table earlier, we had to wait until exactly 1902 (sunset) before we could tuck in. Tomatoe and onion salad, beetroot salad, Harira soup, fried potatoes and eggplant, Berber pizza (a double layer of dough filled with vegetables). Served all at the same time were glasses of orange juice, tea and coffee.