Today paradise was just a 40 minutes drive away from home. Some snow under blue sky up in the Black Forest were another Christmas gift granted to us and we decided to return to a place, which we visited many many years back but has never slipped our minds – The Krunkelbachhütte lies above the picturesque village of Bernau at 1294m altitude. Great place to rest & enjoy.
We can take a few more of these days.
Fair winds…
Crossed many bridges on my logistics ride today under chilly conditions.
The year‘s end is close and we enjoy some quite quality time in the Black Forest. 2024 was of cumulative nature.
Fair winds…
Ireland is circled in by the fourth named storm this season 2024/25: Darragh
As you would expect, it will peak here in Dun Laoghaire just after midnight.
We have some extra defense lines out and will be glad once its over.
Cross fingers…
Mohammed gave me this little farewell present after only two nights at his lovely hostel & home called Dar Joud, located in Tabourathe. Himself being an artist, it came out of his atelier next door. While his focus is on paintings and sculptures, his son Aïssa is soon going to officially open Taman’Art Space in the nearby vicinity. After a short talk you sense, a young artist with a clear vision. It will be a success.
There are still so many encounters and impressions buzzing around in my head, it will take some time…29 days left to recover.
Fair winds…
For me, Body Logistics is more important than Bike Statistics. The latter one follows the first one. The body will take you forward, the bike is just the toy & tool to get there, finally.
Already during the adventure planning stage I tried to estimate, what my body will accept ensuring, that I do not overstretch myself. This would result in non-enjoyable rides, whatever the scenery offers.
Strain, Tolerance, Cardio Load come as a daily tripple and result in one of the four Fitness Levels under the Polar terminology. I had to ensure, that I will stay within Productive and Maintaining, not getting into Detraining and Overreaching levels, which are both counterproductive on the longer run.
The Nightly Recharge, a combination out of Sleep Score and ANS Charge, have a huge impact on the Body Recovery, which then impacts again the Fitness Level provided on daily basis. Although resting in many different places under very different condition, my sleep recovery was extraordinary high during this trip.
Another important contributing factor is the Heartbeat Zone while biking. I managed mostly to stay in Zone 2 and slowed down as and when needed. Obviously some Zone 3 and 4 have to be accepted but the duration shall be limited in order not to drain on the long term. The bloody dogs took me to Zone 5 and beyond, no doubt! Glad it did not become an interval training and remained a one-off.
The last decisive factor to me is the nutrition intake. Besides plenty of water with some mineral tablets, I tried to eat as healthy as possible. Omelettes became my standard breakfast. The Moroccan food is very healthy in the first place but unfortunately more and more fast food is taking over, much worse within the bigger cities. To the contrary, in terms of plastic rubbish flying around, the cities are much cleaner than some parts of the country side roads. Different topic.
All in all, I would conclude: I sailed along the edge between physical demand and scenic bike riding, staying towards the side of enjoyment rather than fighting for strenght – the sweet spot of my motivation and satisfaction for this kind of adventure.
It is over…until the next one will come.
Fair winds…Morocco!
My very last leg rotating trip here in Morocco got devoted to Siri’s Home rather than Rick’s Café. I preferred spiritual heritage versa cheeky tourist trap.
After Siri – a holy man – arrived from Bagdad in the 19th century and settled on this rock, his influence was not limited to Casablanca but the whole region. The rock became a tiny village, which the government has now turned into a heritage site respecting his last will to get buried on this little island, thus a Mausoleum. An inspiring legend, which now lives on. Moroccan opinion polls supported the transition from a hippy village to a proper pilgrim spot as another gem for the city of Casablanca.
The bike is packed up by now.
Fair winds…
My late afternoon walk took me to the Petite Place Des Habous and its surroundings. It is also known as the new medina in Casablanca, a very charming place and excellent example for tradition and tourism going hand in hand. On my way I passed some posh living areas and l’Hermitage Garden.
Fair winds…
Zouheir operates the nearby bikeshop in Casablanca and is a friend of Ismail, who did the service on our reliable CO2 free two-wheeler in Marrakesh. A concise biker community.
Zouheir helped me out on the bended rear derailleur upon arrival in Morocco and to find his shop in the first place was an early adventure into Morocco. At that time I had no option than to find his boot within the labyrinth of the souk in Derb Ghallef. It is close to where we are staying, a 10min walk.
The guide reads as follows:
“Derb Ghallef Flea Market“
“Derb Ghallef is a vibrant, bustling district in Morocco’s largest city, Casablanca. Located in the Maârif neighbourhood, this busy, commercial area offers visitors an insight into the real Casablanca, away from touristy hotspots and landmarks, but still offering plenty to explore and experience.
Putting this neighbourhood on the map is the vast flea market – one of the biggest permanent second-hand markets in Morocco. If you enjoy rummaging through cluttered stalls packed full of antiques, books, garments and furniture, then you could spend days at Derb Ghallef Flea Market. However, it’s most famous for its electrical items, with many stalls selling phones, laptops and gadgets. The unpaved passageways can become sweltering in the hot summer months, while during rainy season water can cascade down the narrow walkways. The souk is also one of the best spots in Casablanca for sampling kebabs and tagines from one of the many street vendors and tiny, independent restaurants.“
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While searching for the boot in the labyrinth, supported by some locals, I asked myself, if I am on the right mission here or just challenging fortune. The moment Zouheir grabbed my bike and put it up into the bike stand, I knew, it will all be good – and it was. Professional! I have all confidence.
The bike was now back for a mini-service-cleaning before hitting the road on some final miles through Casablanca and getting it subsequently packed for the flight.
Fair winds…
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