Cafe Echaraf to Dawra - Day 167

Date: February 1st, 2010
Distance: 110km
Country: Morocco
Song of the Day: Death or Glory - The Clash

Today was no better. We rode the first thirty klicks to Tarfaya facing the same headwind as the day before.

Tarfaya was actually a pretty town. It was the first town I have seen that had modern walls to it. Not to keep out invading armies, but to halt the encroaching dunes. There were a few buildings stranded outside, half filled with sand. It is also right on the coast, so it has nice sandy beaches. There is even some kind of fort out on the sand.

In town Jose and I stopped for some tea and I had an omlette. We also be a couple a Brits who were wandering around. There was a guy named Paul who had just ridden into town on a motorbike. Jake was just coming back to town. I guess he rode down on his motorcycle three years ago when they started a ferry to the Cannary Islands. I guess he bought some property in town because of all the tourists he saw. (I didn't know you could by land in Morocco without being a citizen either.) But then the ferry sank. So now that there is a new ferry coming he is back in town to try and make a go of it again. Anyway, an interesting guy to talk with.

From there, it was more hell in the saddle. The same headwind that had been dogging Jose and I was still there. The road also seemed to keep us pointed right into it. Only in the very late afternoon the did the wind switch direction. Or maybe it was the road. Either way, it wasn't much, but enough to keep me from going crazy.

Just before sunset, Jose found a spot to camp about 25 kilometers from Laayoune. It behind some abandoned houses, but that would give us some shade from the wind. So we pitched our tents up and cooked some food. It was pretty silent as communication between Jose and I is pretty limited. I miss my friend Tim from Switzerland. I had a great time riding and camping with him. We had a bunch of great conversations in camp.

-Dravis