29-30 April 2023, Tinghir, 20.47km
Riad Amadou R295 [DH155]
The 20-plus km cycled yesterday, except for the last couple into Tinghir, were uninspiring and draining. We cycled the N10 which, despite its moniker, is narrow and a little jaded with too much traffic for comfort. It is in the process of being widened and upgraded, the work-in-progress neat, and climbs a gentle incline from east to west.
We cycled toward mountains we will need to conquer later in the week, seeing for the first time real plastic pollution, the empty bags clearly water-borne and lying despondent in dry beds. As we entered the town, we crossed the palm oasis along the Todra river. We will see a lot more of this in the next few days...
But first we are resting. I'm tired, largely due to the excessive heat, I think. Budget accommodation rarely includes aircon, and our rooms are often too hot to allow a full night's sleep even though we have taken to sleeping with our door open. Our Tinghir host has lent us a fan, so hopefully the next couple of nights will be more restful than last night.
We awoke yesterday to a puncture in Charl's back tyre. Our auberge host, when he saw Charl changing the tube, offered his assistance and later comfort in the shape of mint tea and biscuits served on our verandah. He also proposed a safety measure we have not encountered before - securing the quick-release lever on the front fork with a cable tie to prevent the front wheel dislodging on a bumpy road. This is an unlikely event, but would be disastrous!
During my first ever cycle tour through South Korea in 1987, I read a Stephen King novel in which he described the hero taking a nasty fall after losing a wheel. The idea has haunted me ever since!
Today we booked our ferry to Spain to coincide with the first day of our Schengen visa, May 29.
In other good news. There are no flies in Tinghir! They did bother us on the ride here, one flying into my left nostril and becoming lodged there (yes, seriously), but either are not allowed within the town limits, or have found something more interesting to bother than us.