AGADIR 349km DAY 197

ASNI TO AGADIR    349kms    10 hrs.

Milan and I had a breakfast which was the best one to date, then I departed for  Agadir, taking the mountainous route. Had I taken the normal route I would have been there six hours earlier and 70kms shorter, but boring.

Went back south from Asni to R209 to Amizmiz to the R212 down to Ait Alizem onto the P2032 to the P2040 to Timezgadiouine which is at the highway that takes you to Agadir.

Was a magnificent route, extremely remote mountain pass that was about 80 kms long and slow going. I got up to 2 640m but then the wether turned on me and had light rain and windy and temperature dropped to 2*C and my hands were frozen and the fun was over and the pain began. The road was gravel and rocks and not very wide and huge drop offs and stunning views from up high of the desrt mountains with the vibrant colours until the clouds messed it all up. Seems like I descended for hours in the miserable conditions, switchback after switchback and then finally came to a tar road. My hands were to cold to open my zipper and look at my phone to see if I should go left or right. I chose right as it was downhill which meant warmth, but three kilometers down some guys stopped me cause I was going the wrong way. I camped out with them for about an hour so I could warm up and had some coffee and then they suggested I sleep there because the rain was bucketing down, and there was no ways I was going to sleep there.

 At this point I had only done 200kms from 9am and it was now 4pm. I puckered up and departed in the rain and had to ascend for about 10 kms and then finally started to descend on a beautiful pass high up in a ravine and the rain ceased and slowly got warmer and drier. The mountain peaks on the otherside of the valley had fresh snow on, of all the days to do this route today had to be the worst. Got down to the valley floor and it was 19*C and I was dry and warm again, gad I hate being frozen.

   Fresh snow on the peaks.

   Skies began to clear.

Got on the highway and 80kms later was in Agadir at the hotel ( 300 dirham €28 ) at 7:45pm, almost a ten hour day.

TODAY'S ROUTE.

   The waiter asked if I wanted frie with my meal, didn't know they were going to be baked on top. Was not good meal.