Morocco October 2015

[mussy]

The longest single day on the outline route is 250km on piste but may vary in reality depending on previous days distance. For a section this length I plan on it being a 10hour day with breaks.

These long sections are definitely a test of preparation but not necessarily resulting in a need for uprated suspension. My 95 is on standard Toyota springs and dampers with additional springs on the rear. On my first trip I snapped both rear shocks and sheared the upper rear trailing arm mount. Everything else has covered 180k km and 4 Morocco Trips. A well maintained truck will easily cope with these routes. If things do get broken there are good mechanics in Zagora, about half way and parts fairly easy to source

Agree, stock 80 can do this no worries..., I always stop in Erfoud and Zagora for the mechanics to have a quick look over the car.

 

[MarkW]

We may well take a morning rest in Zagora to refuel and get the trucks checked over if necessary. By the time we get to Zagora we should have covered 4 days off road or about half way on this part of the trip.

 

[iceman]

Had a look at the route looks really good, esp the bit I've not yet done.

 

[MarkW]

and I reckon we've got another 4days to fill up before heading home. I feel some High Atlas routes are needed but not sure which.

I did MH1 from Morocco Overland a couple of years ago and almost rolled the truck into a river bed, covering about 1km an hour very tough driving so not sure about repeating it again.

 

[Chris]

I have to say I am about as excited as an excited person living in Excitedland. I have this date ring fenced in the diary. Bring it on. Can we have a big countdown clock?

 

[MarkW]

You'll love it, even after my most terrifying motor experience ever (see above) I still want more. Morocco is a country I love and have visited for years before the truck but now there's so much more.

This will be a real adventure even if things go tits up and there are breakdowns etc, can be stressful at the time but when your on the ferry home I guarantee you'll be thinking about the next trip.

for an early taste all my photos are here https://www.flickr.com/photos/trackasylum/sets/ almost all are geotagged so if you use flikrs map function you can see where they were taken and some are along the route

 

[AndyCook]

You would love Morocco Chris, we had a fantastic trip there and want to return one day.


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[Chris]

Hope so Andy. If I had a time machine, I'd be dialling it in now.

 

[MarkW]

203 Days

 

[MarkW]

198 Days

Been working up a High Atlas Route, not straight forward as theres a lot of dead ends. But I may have an interesting 2 days in the Atlas on the return leg coming together

 

[Chris]

Just been trying to book this route for another family trip this Summer and in peak, it's been damn near impossible to book a crossing that suits us; they've all gone. For the October weeks, it's cheaper of course and more availability but I'd like to get something booked as soon as really. What's the story on this. I'd like to meet up and do this together. If we decided which ferry to book there and back, I'd be up for that. There does seem to be quite a variance on the prices on the same dates depending on the times. I'm happy to follow your lead Mark. If you say it's the 18.00 or whatever, once you know then that's what I'll book. As I shall be on my own, I can sleep on a park bench if needs be or in Weatherspoons. The other trip will be en famille so it's a bit more restricted. Having to work around the tribe just slows everything down. If I say wheels up at 02.00 then that's when I roll.

 

[MarkW]

I'm planning to book the ferry in the next couple of weeks. I was thinking on the drive home tonight that I should post to let people know the prices go up later on

As I need to fix dates before I start my new job and no ones suggested alternative dates it will be as follows for me

Outward will be the 17:00 Portsmouth to Santander on the 2nd October
Return 15:30 Bilboa to Portsmouth on the 22nd

I've considered the economie option in the past and whilst its £60 cheaper it eats more time up leaving on Saturday. The Friday ferry fits in well and means we could be in Morocco Sunday night rather than Monday. Plus its a small boat and would get tossed about more in a storm and I get sea sick

 

[Chris]

Great. Quick search gave me the following

 

[MarkW]

The first option gives another 24 hours in Morocco and makes the whole trip exactly 3 weeks from leaving the UK to getting back.

First thought your quote was a little higher than mine but your truck is taller than mine so you'll in the next price bracket. My truck is borderline on the height with my rack on but last year I got caught out and they made me pay more for the extra height. thought about dropping tyre pressure for the ferry so my trucks a inch or so shorter then I can sneak into the normal cars price range

 

[Chris]

That was a guess at the height. it's pretty damn tall. So liek you say better to be sure. My 80 is lifted so it's not just the extra on the roof, it's the extra full stop.

 

[MarkW]

when I booked last year I don't have the rack so just squeezed into standard car prices, then I put the rack on but didn't really think about the extra height until check in when the girl pointed out I was a little high, she let me away with it on the way out but I had to pay for the return. The need to know for loading I think.

Not decided if I'll keep the rack on this year, if I'm on my own I don't really use it except to mount the aerial.

 

[AndyCook]

Cap finistere is the nicer of the boats as well


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[Chris]

Had a measure up today. Actually the RTT is only 500 mm above the roof but overall the top of the tent is 8 feet. It only asks for additional height. Some carriers ask for total height so I guess going 750 extra is going to be about right.

 

[Garfieldus]

Had a measure up today. Actually the RTT is only 500 mm above the roof but overall the top of the tent is 8 feet. It only asks for additional height. Some carriers ask for total height so I guess going 750 extra is going to be about right.

Be prepared to be caught for the extra height at toll booths also

If it's manned you can protest. If it's not, I don't think there's a lot you can do.

 

[Bat21]

.... It only asks for additional height. Some carriers ask for total height.

I thought Britany Ferries was 'upto 1.8m' and 'upto 2.5m'?

Be prepared to be caught for the extra height at toll booths also

Toll boths.... where?