Cycling from Tetouan to Chefsaouen

Reaching my limit ...

2019-04-16

My general idea was to cycle to the east of Morocco, and then turn south. The part along the Mediterranean coast from Ceuta to the Algerian border would be about 510 kms. So I left Tetouan in "Toutes directions". The first (and only) next town was Chefsaouen, also known as the blue city. That distance seemed oké to me so I freewheeled out of Tetouan at 10 o'clock. But already at the townborder the road started to climb.

Just a little bit, and I could make it continously, but it was more tiresome then I was used to and "speed" was down. I told myself that I had to get used to hills again after the wintertime. Little did I know what was to come then ... The landscape was nice and so was the weather. And also the road was in good shape. At several places the road was renovated. That caused all traffic to ride on just 2 lanes, and without a middle guide. So traffic was close to me all that time but the drivers are very patient here. Behind those mountains to the east is the Mediterranean sea at some 30 to 50 kms distance. I made a short stop at a petrolstation but it was closed. Luckily my OnTheRoad 4.0 🖱️ doesn't need any fuel !

This is a rather busy traject because it is the only route between these two major towns. Tetouan has about 500.000 inhabitants and Chefsaouen has 42.000. But some people have to use another type of transport ... I passed a few small villages were little moved. The further I cycled the less civilized the area was. And the more beautiful the landscape became. Then I passed a reservoir. And continued into the province Chefsaouen. And I passed another reservoir. There was a restaurant over there with a panoramic terras so I decided it was time to have lunch. But as usual when I am cycling all day I was not able to eat a normal amount of food. I choose a nice dessert and that made me feel full. The road was now heavily climbing and I had to push a lot. I decided to try to hitchhike then I was only halfway now. That worked perfectly then a delivery van stopped almost immediately. However it stopped 100 meters furtheron uphill and caused a trafficjam. The driver got nervous by that and continued after a few seconds. After some 15 minutes another van stopped and two men came out. It took a lot of words to make them understand that I would like to travel with them.

Finally they opened the reardoor of the van and then I saw that the whole floor was filled with plasticcontainers with some chemical liquid. It would not be a wise idea to put all my stuff in there on top of those chemicals. To bad ...

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After more long and heavy pushing I reached the top of that hill and I was really tired now. And saw that I had only "cycled" 37 kms in almost 7 hours, so with an overall average of only 5.4 kmh. That was due to the 642 vertical meters that I had already conquered until now. I passed a small shop and the man there offered me a chair. A special chair since the backrest was missing. It was replaced by some cardboard, so no problem 👀. Who was watching who ? The only roadkill I saw today. Finally I saw the outskirts of a town and according my gps that should be Chefsaouen. High upon a hill ... This is where I had been afraid of the last couple of hours. Another hill and I knew I would not manage it anymore ... I cycled up only the first 100 meters. I managed that because two big dogs were surrounding me there. Then I had to push again and made it halfway up that hill to this parkinglot.

Even the cars were strugling here to climb. And I was just too tired to do anything anymore. I had to push all the way up at my toes but managed just some 20 meters each time and then had to rest 5 minutes. Chefsaouen was only few kms away but it looked to be at another planet now. A planet that would be dark soon ...

I took 20 minutes rest (...) and pushed again in a stop and go tact of 25 meters. Then suddenly a car stopped next to me and a young guy asked me if I needed help ? Yes I do, thank you so much ! For the first time in my life I don't make it at a bicycle 💣.

He offered me to take me up the hill by car and I accepted. Then three guys and a girl came out of the (rather small) car. So I asked them how they tought to get all my stuff in it, and then myself ?! We managed just to get all the luggage in the trunk and at the rearseat. I explained them that the bicycle would not fit in anyway so I would cycle on at a very lightweight OnTheRoad 4.0 🖱️.

I had a note with me with the name of the hotel I was heading for but without the adress. My gps would guide me to it, but not them ofcourse. But they all had a smartphone plus internet and so they found the hotel online without problem.

Once they arrived there it turned out it was fully booked so they brought my luggage to another hotel 50 meters furtheron in the medina. They had sent me a text message about that but I hadn't noticed it while I was struggling to get up the hill. I could not cycle anymore, not even without the luggage ...

So I started pushing again, into town, through downtown, up a 20-steps stairway, through a parc and along a long boulevard. After 45 minutes (...) I was in the medina and entered it with the bicycle. It was very crowded there, as medinas always are.

The hotelowner told me my luggage was at the next hotel so I pushed on. I entered it and all I wanted to hear was that my luggage was there and there was a room available ?! Yes there was, and all luggage was already in the room. It was the most simple room I ever had (seen) but it was oké to me. And it costed only Mad 80 (€ 8) per night.

That night I had cramps in one leg but only once. The room was in the basement and it was perfectly quiet there. Not even the 0400 o'clock prayer was to be heard down there 👌. I had "cycled" 64 kms with 980 vertical meters. That took me almost 11 hours of which I had been "moving" only about 7 hours. So I had rested about 1/3th of the day and still had not made it up here ... It had been the thoughest (vertical) YesTrip so far !

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Whatever happened had happened but I managed to get to Chefsaouen !

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