21 May 2023, beyond Nzala Beni Ammar, 60km
Hotel Albartquisia R470 [DH250]

Despite the distance, over 60km, the 615m elevation gain, the three or four hills we had to push-walk, and the intermittent rain for the first 25km, we both thoroughly enjoyed our day.
It was drizzling when we awoke with the alarm, and still spitting when we manhandled the bikes and panniers and water flasks and handlebar bags down the steep and narrow stairs from our apartment to street level. As several trips were required, we left the blue entrance door open, an invitation to a white and ginger street cat we had had to evict on a previous careless occasion.
I had also left our apartment door open on the first floor and thought I should at least close it to prevent the cat rummaging through our rubbish. When I entered the apartment there he was, snuggled into a warm nest on my rumpled blanket. I felt bad chasing him out, but he looked merely resigned.
I don't like cycling in the rain. Unless it is cold, getting wet is not the problem; poor visibility is. Today really was not too bad in this respect, but we donned our neon raincoats and switched on our flashing red rear lights. For around 12km, we rode the three-lane N6, which runs more or less west across the northern reaches of Fes. At Douyet, after a warming coffee, we veered right-ish onto the N4. We are sleeping at a petrol station hotel at an intersection: the N4 continues west; the N13, which we will take tomorrow, heads north.
The scenery through which we travelled was lovely. All farmed hills, mainly olives and wheat, but also grapes, and onions and pumpkins sporting their deep yellow-orange flowers. On the verges, wild carrot (Queen Anne's Lace) and thistles and garlic salesmen. The wheat is ready for harvesting, so for km after km hillsides are coloured palest gold. Where the fields have already been harvested, shepherds sit relaxed while their sheep graze the stalks.
There are no sheets on our beds and the mattresses are extremely grubby. We will sleep on top of the thin quilts provided, and use our own sleeping bags for warmth!