The wind gusts were my primary enemy today paired with the sand and even managing to swirl tiny little stones around a couple of times. Two times, at very low rolling speed, this brutal force was close to success but I found the balance back before falling over. While walking the bike, I firmly had to hold it for the wind not to take it away. In fractions of seconds these gusts changed direction from left to right followed by total calm sections. Erratic!

The sunshine helped a lot, not only to admire the scenery but also to stay relatively warm. After passing the Tizi-n-Tichkat pass, all layers were needed for the downhill to our accommodation for the night. Great hospitality shown by the hotel staff, who put the gas heater next to the hot mint tea served immediately upon my arrival. A very charming place, fully booked.

A challenging day in the saddle but I feel very much rewarded by the scenery of the Atlas Mountains and its, for sure, long lasting impressions.

Fair winds…