Driving 10 miles to ferry from Bilbao + we experienced our first bit of rain on this trip - must be preparing us for UK! Saw Hockney at Guggenheim earlier-wow!
Mixed day today. Morning through the mountains, lovely smell of pine forests. Twisty roads, great views. Then we got stuck on a dual carriageway to Valladoid and struggled with strong winds and even passed through a mini hurricane - nearly took us off our bikes! Clutch is playing up - just hope the bikes keep going ...
In Herrera Del Duque, Near lakes + Spanish mountains. Lovely twisty empty roads. Great day of driving today. Bar of chocolate melted on my bike, All sticky now
Made it out of Morocco in one piece + over in to Spain ready for the long drive home. Only 1800km to go! Love Morocco + we been treated well. Hasta la vista!
Here are some more photos from our journey through Morocco: 1) Sharing energy 2) carpets drying in Chefchouen 3) Grafitti in Chefchouen 4) Market in Chefchouen 5) Camel in desert 6) Donkeys at work in Chefchouen. 7) Donkey eating in the mountains. 8) Desert animal herder. 9) Gite in the mountains. ...
Photos for @abaonline The first photo - can you spot the ABA promo bug? These animal herders were intrigued by the ABA bugs.
It seems like a long time since we stayed on the hill farm Gite in the mountains. It was a beautiful tranquil place and we were made so welcome. After we left the Gite we drove to the Rif mountains and passed through wild west territory. The Rif mountains produces 48% of the worlds marijuana. As we drove through the ...
Slept in a gite on a hill farm above stunning gorge. Made part of the family+milked goats, fed donkeys. Drove thro Rif mountains 2day+chased by drug dealers!
Driving through the sahara + got stopped at police roadblock - they just checked that we had water - nice. Now in Ziz valley. Another hot day. Passing camels.
Found a fuel pump off an old Honda, fitted it and bike going again - all for £50. Will head for Midelt throgh the Ziz gorges tomorrow passing thro more desert.
Stuck in Tinejad as Karl's fuel pump given up on his Africa Twin motorbike. Found a local mechanic who is trying to help. Another hot day in Morocco 40deg +!
Offroad driving over the Atlas mountains today. Survived a crash on piste + had to get bike welded.. Stunning mountain scenery, scary twisty tracks, just wow!
Scary amazing day thro Dades valley with desert and strange rock formations either side. Now in Dades gorge100m,sheer drop on side of track. Fantastic views.
High up in the .High Atlas mountains on route to the rd of a !000 kasbahs. Sun beating down but a lovely breeze. We hav the rd to ourselves + what a grand rd!
Three photos of the many people we have given Anti Bullying Alliance promo material so far in Morocco.
Here are a few photos from the trip to date: 1) On route to Morrocco in Spain 2) Taking a rest on the road in Morroco near the farmers aqueduct 3) Karl driving without his protective gear! 4) Volubilis 5) Volubilis 6 and 7) Birds at Volubilis 8) Dogs resting from the heat 9) Donkey is the favoured for ...
Yesterday evening we arrived safely in Marrakech. Total miles so far is 1500. We are in a nice hotel on the outskirts of town - our first bit of luxury with a pool and a hamman spa. Our bodies are not getting any younger and the heat, miles and breakdowns have taken their toll so far. We are therefore taking the oppo ...
Chainday! I lost bike chain 5times 2day! K's bike chain grinding. In zech-cheik on route 2marakech. Parked bikes in hotel lol! Hot!
I have been giving out promotional items for the Anti Bullying Alliance here in Morocco. I have given items (bugs, pencils and badges) to men, women and children in every town I have stopped in so far. At the same time, to those that can understand I have been explaining a little about what the ABA does and about ant ...
Walked 3 miles today through the mountains to Volubilis, an old Roman town in Morocco near Moulay Idris. Very relaxed place - could walk anywhere, touch and pick up stuff - no guards or people monitoring you. Largest Roman ruins I have seen outside of Italy. It was The Roman Empires adminstrative centre for 'Roman Af ...
I was attacked in Morocco today. It is ironic with the recent work I have done with 'street people' recently and while I was giving out Anti Bullying Alliance promotional material that a man came up behind me and Karate side kicked me in the back. I was shocked, it came out of nowhere. I swore at him as he ran off. I ...
Drove from Ceuta Moulay Idris in Morocco today, which is near the ancient Roman site of Volubilis. Today the chain came off the bike at 50mph - scary but no damage done - adjusted the chain and all seems well. The clutch bolt also came off and was lost. I found a mechanic who made me up another one - he had to re-t ...
Driving a vehicle into Morocco can be a tricky business. There are touts there who latch on to you and try to help you with the forms for a 'tip'. I had already decided that this time I was not going to let the touts force themselves on me. It was hard but I managed to do the whole process without the aid of a tout. ...
Curse of Salamanca-indicator broke, clutch broke, oil leak + fairing came loose all in the space of an hour. Bike now held 2geva with gaffatape + cableties lol!
A misty muggy morning in Bilbao. Hot! 650 miles till south Spain. Last time here I was fined 60 euro for driving without headlights in middle of day! Lights on!
On night ferry 2 morocco. Drove 475 miles 2day thro spain+searing heat! Had siesta in woods near cadiz-bitten by ants lol! Bike is sick-hope it survives africa.
Looks like we will be driving in the rain tomorrow! They say rain in spain falls mainly on the plain - well not for us!
Gave out my first @abaonline promo bugs today to other bikers at Bilbao - tried to get them to stick them too their bikes! LOL! Going to save the bulk of them for Morocco.
Curse of Salamanca! Bike broke down today repeatedly within an hour. First the indicator cover broke off, then the clutch went (which I readjusted), then a bolt came off the clutch plates housing (I have fixed a temporary one with gasket glue), have an oil leak (unlocated) but keep topping up with oil, and one of the ...
My recent updates sent from my mobile phone have not been logged, how annoying!
Keep forgetting how beautiful England is, esp on sunny day like this. Wonderful drivin thro somerset countryside. Nearly at ferry-40 miles to go. Woohoo.
During this expedition I will be raising awareness and raising money for the Anti Bullying Alliance. You can donate here: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/actionwork - I am paying for the expedition myself and all money raised will go to the Anti Bullying Alliance. Its lovely and hot today - great!
I @actionwork am now on route to the Sahara - I will be updating this blog when I can and posting updates on Twitter @driveforpeace via my mb. The sun is out, its a beautiful day, a day for motorbike travelling. Big hugs to the kids, thank you Kaia, Mir and Cath for the notes, I will keep them close during the expedi ...
Mobile update test. Everything ready just waiting to go.
Just a few days to go now before we set off. Repacked everything today. As hard as I try to reduce the amount of stuff I'm taking, it does just not seem to decrease! I have split my stuff into essentially 3 bags summarised as: 1) Tools, spares, oil, first aid kit and wet weather gear. 2) Camera, phone, torch, batter ...
Had new clutch plates fitted and the bike is running smoothly. I was going to take the clutch plates with me as spares but decided to bite the bullet and fit them here - what a lucky decision - the plates I had were the wrong size and so I had to get new ones. I also found that I had been given the wrong size clutch ...
Got the bike expedition ready last week, now need to fit a new clutch to be on the safe side. Took the bike on a test ride to London. I thought driving round London traffic might help prepare for Morocco! Parked in Morrisons car park while I went to visit a sick friend to come back and my heated grips had been vandal ...
A selection of photos from my last trip to Morocco on Motorbike.
This is a photo of the last bike I rode to the Sahara. Its an XTZ660, one of my favourite bikes - so much so that I have bought another XTZ660 to take this time. Photos will follow.
I have decided to use this trip to raise money and awareness about the Anti Bullying Alliance. Please donate via: http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/actionwork thanks
Bikes have been serviced. Maps and guide bookes sourced. Insurance and internatinal driving licence sorted. Bikes: Yamaha XTZ660 and Africa Twin 750 Thisn is a good site for what you need to do at the Moroccon border: http://www.morocco-overland.com/docs/
Somerset to the Sahara on a motrobike offroad through the Atlas mountains.