A superb solo Sunday 50km ride on the Grav-i-Ti. Picked up the Peak Forest canal, near home, all the way to Disley. Then onto the hard, climby tracks around Lyme Park before heading back through Chadkirk, then back onto the canal at Romiley and head home. Lots of wildlife, including a beautiful pair of Mandarin ducks. This Mother's Day lark is easy. #Cycling #OutsideIsFree #FromWhereIRide #NorthRoadCycles #GraviTi #BikeTooter #BikeToot #PeakForestCanal #LymePark #MandarinDucks #gravel #GravelBike

Mazaron Coastline #cycletouring #cycling #wanderer #exploring #bicycle #bicycletouring #adventurecycling #cyclinglife #cyclingnomads #traveldiaries #biketouringforever #pedalpower #travelstories #travelbybike #bikewander #bikelife #biketouring #fromwhereiride #worldbycyclingù #worldbybike #pedaljourneys #humanpoweredadventures #neverstopexploring #biketocamp #worldbycycling #BikeTooter #biketouring

Goodbye Africa, we should be back one day. #cycletouring #cycling #wanderer #exploring #bicycle #bicycletouring #adventurecycling #cyclinglife #cyclingnomads #traveldiaries #biketouringforever #pedalpower #travelstories #travelbybike #bikewander #bikelife #biketouring #fromwhereiride #worldbycyclingù #worldbybike #pedaljourneys #humanpoweredadventures #neverstopexploring #biketocamp #worldbycycling #BikeTooter #biketouring

Another 72km clocked up on the Grav-i-Ti. A few hours with my mate, Paul, out beyond #Manchester airport. The ride stayed dry and the sun popped out for the last hour. Nice! #cycling #NorthRoadCycles #GraviTi #OutsideIsFree #FromWhereIRide #GravelBike #daffodils #BikeTooter #BikeToot

After a short while, due the new-ish Ekar rear mech dying, the North Road Cycles Grav-i-Ti is back on - and off - the road. That was like riding a new bike. Amazing! #cycling #NorthRoadCycles #gravel #GravelRide #GravelBike #ReddishVale #FromWhereIRide #OutsideIsFree #Campag #Ekar #BikeTooter #BikeToot

last Tajin and one more broken spoke, some 10 km before Nador. we are happy we are almost back. #cycletouring #cycling #wanderer #exploring #bicycle #bicycletouring #adventurecycling #cyclinglife #cyclingnomads #traveldiaries #biketouringforever #pedalpower #travelstories #travelbybike #bikewander #bikelife #biketouring #fromwhereiride #worldbycyclingù #worldbybike #pedaljourneys #humanpoweredadventures #neverstopexploring #biketocamp #worldbycycling #BikeTooter #biketouring

And back to Nador we go #cycletouring #cycling #wanderer #exploring #bicycle #bicycletouring #adventurecycling #cyclinglife #cyclingnomads #traveldiaries #biketouringforever #pedalpower #travelstories #travelbybike #bikewander #bikelife #biketouring #fromwhereiride #worldbycyclingù #worldbybike #pedaljourneys #humanpoweredadventures #neverstopexploring #biketocamp #worldbycycling #BikeTooter #biketouringmike

After few days of calling, messaging, and reaching out to various shops in Morocco and Melilla, we realized that our best option was to return to Spain. Importing high-quality bicycle spokes would be both costly and time-consuming, with shipping times ranging from 4 to 7 weeks—and that’s if the package didn’t get lost en route. Additionally, import taxes could reach up to 60%.

Faced with these challenges, we made the tough decision to head back to Spain. Fortunately, we know a skilled wheel builder in Granada—the same expert who had previously rebuilt Mirko’s wheel. It felt strange to turn around, but we knew it was the right thing to do. We packed the bikes, bought some supplies, exchanged money to pay for our accommodation, and took the northern road out of Guercif, heading back toward Nador. #cycletouring #cycling #wanderer #exploring #bicycle #bicycletouring #adventurecycling #cyclinglife #cyclingnomads #traveldiaries #biketouringforever #pedalpower #travelstories #travelbybike #bikewander #bikelife #biketouring #fromwhereiride #worldbycyclingù #worldbybike #pedaljourneys #humanpoweredadventures #neverstopexploring #biketocamp #worldbycycling #BikeTooter #biketouring

We woke up very early to a perfect weather—clear skies, sunshine, and no wind. Excited to finally cycle toward the snow-capped mountains we had seen in the distance the day before. We ordered some tea, made oatmeal porridge, and took some local bread for the road. We said goodbye to the guys in the restaurant who had hosted us, and even the policeman stopped by to wish us a good journey.
Back on the road, we took a right at the roundabout onto a smaller road toward Midelt. It felt so good.
We only made few kilometers, when I heard a familiar sound—one I definitely didn’t want to hear. I stopped, checked my bike, and saw a broken spoke. This was bad news. In all our years of cycling, I had never broken a spoke, and now it had happened twice. It really felt like something was trying to keep us from moving forward. I called Mirko, who was already a few kilometers ahead. When he returned, I broke the bad news to him.
With no other choice, we turned around and cycled back to the restaurant once again. Finding high-quality spokes in Morocco wouldn’t be easy, and I also needed a skilled mechanic with experience in building a Rohloff wheel properly. We decided to head to Guercif, where we could find a place to stay and research our options. We were needed to find some spare spokes so we could temporarily fix the wheel.
There weren’t many accommodation options in the city, but we managed to find the only reasonably priced hotel and got a lovely room on the first floor. The staff was very kind— even bringing us a gas bottle so we could cook.
#touring #cycletouring #cycling #wanderer #exploring #bicycle #bicycletouring #adventurecycling #cyclinglife #cyclingnomads #traveldiaries #biketouringforever #pedalpower #travelstories #travelbybike #bikewander #bikelife #biketouring #fromwhereiride #worldbycyclingù #worldbybike #pedaljourneys #humanpoweredadventures #neverstopexploring #biketocamp #worldbycycling

Not long after leaving Taourirt, we noticed a car following us again. It was almost funny how they tried to make it seem like they weren’t—driving slowly behind us, then stopping to let us gain some distance, only to start following us again. It was the police. I heard that in this region, it’s quite common for them to keep an eye on travelers.
Dark clouds surrounded us, and in the distance, we could see freshly fallen snow on the mountains ahead—a breathtaking sight against this arid desert landscape.
At the next gas station, we stopped for a tea break and noticed that the car following us suddenly turned around and left—probably because we had exited their area. Exhausted from cycling against the wind, we looked for a place to rest but found none, so we decided to keep going.
The storm seemed to be moving in and daylight was fading, we reached a crossroads where we would turn toward Midelt and the mountains. We stopped at a small roadside restaurant for tea and food and asked the owners if we could camp in their garden. They were very kind and welcomed us to stay.
Soon, a different policeman arrived. He was very friendly and asked if we needed anything. When we told him we planned to sleep in the garden, he instead arranged for us to sleep inside the restaurant. He even gave us his phone number in case we needed anything during the night.
We drank more tea and waited for the restaurant to close. Once it did, we set up our sleeping spot on the first floor, grateful for the warmth and shelter.
#cycletouring #cycling #wanderer #exploring #bicycle #bicycletouring #adventurecycling #cyclinglife #cyclingnomads #traveldiaries #biketouringforever #pedalpower #travelstories #travelbybike #bikewander #bikelife #biketouring #fromwhereiride #worldbycyclingù #worldbybike #pedaljourneys #humanpoweredadventures #neverstopexploring #biketocamp #worldbycycling #BikeTooter #biketouringmike