9 May 2023, M’Rirt
Hotel Azaghar R476 [DH250]

Awhile ago, Charl and I met a couple touring by car. On a rack at the back of the car, were two bikes. Charl raised a chuckle by exclaiming, "Now that's the way to tour by bicycle!"
Today we strapped our bikes to public transport and cut 177km from our planned route to Fes.
At around 0730, we boarded a mid-sized bus in Imilchil, and took a stunning drive to Aghbala, our bikes and bags travelling under a net on the roof*. Between Aghbala and Khenifra, and Khenifra and M'rirt, we travelled by collective taxi, our bikes strapped to the car roof in each case. Directly opposite the taxi rank in M'rirt, was a well-priced hotel where we are spending the night.
Our current plans are as follows: spend four days cycling the 140km between M'rirt and Fes, spend eight nights in Fes, cycle 200km to Chefchaoun, take a bus to the Tanger-Med port to board the ferry to Spain.
Today's route was stunning and varied, some of which I have managed to capture through a grubby window. At first, the terrain was bare, then dotted with pine, then much more densely treed. We climbed into mountains and dropped into valleys, where land lay ploughed or planted. We saw wheat ready for harvesting, and red poppies, and blue lupins, and bee boxes, and peach trees.
*The video recorded through the bus window is of the town of Tizi N'Isly. On occasion you will catch a glimpse of the shadow of our bikes on the roof of the bus.