Day 1.312 – Zülle’s Erection (UK)
Tan Tan -> Guelmime
Distance (km) : 129
Time on bike : 6h 53m
Brutto time: 08.30 – 17.45
Avg : 18.7 km/h
Max.speed: 59.4
Total (km) : 57.265
Altitude: 100 m
Difficulty: 3½
The flags hang limply outside at the Royal Palace a stone’s throw from my hotel this morning. I, however, get a mental erection looking at those flags that mean zero wind. Brilliant.
At the gas station in Tan Tan I put so much air in the tubes that I risk getting a tube volvulus. The tires are rock hard. In the same operation I clean the chain and derailleur (which have gathered a Little Sahara lately) with the pressurized air. This is going to be good …
It is a fantastic cycling day. The joy of riding is back, inversely proportional to the headwinds that have taken a nosedive and only wake up – with one eye – in the afternoon, but it never becomes a nuisance today. Beautiful, naked wild west-scenery all around me, that especially the many shorter ascents and descents testify.
My fists keep pounding victoriously into the air (there was no victory, just a feeling!) much the same way they’ll do lots of time next summer – God willing.
I pass two small coffee houses where I fill up the water bottles, coffee and yogurt goes in the stomach, but otherwise I see no settlements at all during the day.
I’m reminded why I am so fond of Morocco. The colors of the endless landscape, the climate, and the insane hospitality and kindness, I meet everywhere, to name just a few reasons.
Sunset hour as I get closer to Guelmim (approx. 90,000 inhabitants) is hauntingly beautiful and full of adrenaline. It’s been a long working day, and Zülle has delivered.
The receptionists at Hotel Alag are flirting girls behind the veil. One of them, Habiba, asks whether I am married and start all this marital we-could-marry crap, but I’m not in the mood for this kind of show just now, so I boldly kust point to my room key and lets her know that room #15 is where I belong, if she wants some who’s-your-daddy-action.
After nearly 7 hours of cycling, I have use the last of today’s energy efficiently, so I jump in the gas-fired shower, go out and wolf down large amounts of food, do some shopping for the tomorrow´s riding and fade out in my room (no guests) with my laptop on my stomach.
It is nice to be physically tired after a long riding day, instead of being frustrated with the damned headwind. If there ever was one, this is the right feeling after a long day at work…