Mutton, Mountains and Mayhem

We arrive back in the desert at Merzouga with the mammoth sand dunes overlooking our Riad. We are off the beaten track and a little way off the road with a couple of miles of sand track to get to our home for the night. All the riders negotiate this well except for Roger, who decides not to follow the route notes and the other riders but to follow his GPS. He arrives on foot. “I’m stuck” he says and so, hesitating only to collect the video camera, we go off to help. He has managed to get within 100 metres of the Riad via a side track before getting bogged down in the soft sand. A little expert help from Kevin and we have managed to get his back wheel properly buried in 9 inches of sand. It makes a great picture and the bike is so deep in he can get off it and walk away without the bother of putting the stand down.


After getting him out of the sand and into the Riad we have dinner in the dunes. A short walk from the Riad takes us out to a small encampment where a sheep is being cooked in a traditional Berber kiln. A great meal ensues as well as a camp fire sing along (only if you know traditional Berber songs though) and an opportunity for some star gazing. The sky was full and at least a dozen shooting starts arc across the sky for our entertainment. When the Berber musicians have had enough they insist we sing something. Between the Brit, Austrian, German and American present the only thing we all the knew the words to is Janis Joplin – “Oh Lord won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz” Ironic as we are nearly all on BMW’s!

The next day is up over the mountains to Fes and our last night in Morocco proper. One of the largest imperial cities, it is a bustling lively and noisy city compared to our last few nights. The Medina is chaotic and narrow and seemingly everything can be bought or sold. It is great to get back into the heart of an African City with all the peoples and cultures rubbing against each other and happily co-existing. There is banter and salesmanship but there is never any feeling of tension or threat. It is a great place to spend our last afternoon and evening before what is billed as a nice easy day back over the border to Ceuta for the night prior to our ferry.

In motorcycling you hear lots of people say that it is the last stretch of the journey that is the most dangerous. We had done four weeks with no real incident and the only real spills were on dirt roads. Well someone had been saving it all up for us.


The road through the Rif mountains looked great on the map and when ridden previously was a beautiful and enjoyable ride. However previously it had not been in the process of being prepared for resurfacing. The temporary surface varied from great tarmac to dusty, muddy, gravelly and everything else you can think off. As the weatherman might say it was “changeable” In total we had four drops and a car park faux pas. Two on the lightly gravelled top surface and two on a stretch of road liberally coated with diesel. The prevailing breeze was going the wrong way and so there was no warning odour for the diesel, it was just there and we were on it. Suffice to say all bikes and riders were fine, with nothing more than dented panniers and bruised egos. They were all quickly back in the saddle and looking for more adventure, which is great as there is the promise of more to come.

With the border crossed and everyone safely in the Parador in Ceuta we can relax and swap the day’s war stories. Getting out of Morocco and into Spain proved much faster and easier than doing it the other way round. The following morning we are up and away early for a two minute ride to the port and our ferry crossing back to Algeciras. We hope for a smooth crossing and no rain from the gathering clouds as we keep our fingers crossed that we can get to Malaga, our final destination, still dry. The rain holds off and we make it cool but dry.


Lots of handshakes and hugs follow as each group of riders makes it in to the Hotel to be welcomed by Julia who is joining the group over Christmas in Buenos Aires. The following day the bike’s are loaded into two trucks for the run to Madrid from where they are being flown to Buenos Aires over Christmas to be re-united with their owners for Section 2.


So Section 1 is done. Sadly we lose three riders who are making their way home from here and all three will be missed. In Buenos Aires some new members join the team. Section 2 takes the team from Buenos Aires south to Ushuaia and the most southerly road in the world before coming north through the Andes up to Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and into Colombia in March. Read on - the adventure has only just begun……..

Straight for the Mountains

We retrace our steps for a couple of days back north from Dakhla through the desert but stopping at some new and interesting destinations. Laayoune is the centre point of the dispute regarding the status of Western Sahara with camps outside the town of Saharan's bent in their independence from Morocco. Only 10 days ago the BBC was reporting rioting and cars burning in the streets here, but all is calm as we ride into town, The hotel is another one used by the UN to house their staff and so we do no not need to pay for a guardian to watch the bikes overnight as right outside is an armed Policeman or two.

After Laayoune we stop at a special little Riad on the coast where we can fish for our supper from the beach. For some the opportunity to swim out into the huge surf is too tempting. It is a bit like being in a cross between a fight and a massage as the surf tosses you which ever way it chooses and pounds your muscles, leaving you feeling a bit bruised and battered but ultimately refreshed. However all return safely for a great fish supper overlooking the beach. The last day north bound in this desert takes us to another remote and peaceful Riad and then we are straight back to the mountains

The Tiz N test pass was built in the 1920's and some of the surface looks like it is still from the original construction. Rising to 2100 metres it twists and turns and winds its way on and up for 50+ miles of glorious fun. At the crest is Mustafa's Cafe. As he says “we Mustafa coffee” with him. To the rear of his cafe is a gravel track rising higher still and some riders go exploring. The 5 kilometre track rises to 2470m and has some stunning views and very big drops. A good ride but certainly not for those with vertigo!

You cannot visit this region of Morocco without going to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ait Ben Haddou. Recognizable to many from films such as Gladiator and Jesus of Nazareth it is one of the best preserved Ksars (a medieval fortified city) anywhere. We have an afternoon to explore but only after riding the Tiz N Ticha pass and a small back road route to get there. The back road was being worked on and for 30 miles we have fresh laid gravel being watered and graded. It makes for some challenging sections and we have a couple of minor spills in the group but all survive. For those continuing to Patagonia where Ruta 40 and Carreterra Austral await us this is good practice Where there is 30 miles here there are almost 1000 more awaiting us.

We ride on enjoying being back to the twists and turns of the Atlas mountains heading back out to the desert at Merzouga and a final night in the dunes before ultimately heading north to the ferry in a few days.

The twists and turns lead us to the Dades and Todra Gorges. The two beautiful and dramatic valleys are separated by 40 miles. However on the map there is a track that heads north from Dades to Agundal and then back down the Todra. Kevin has had it in mind if the weather is good to try the route and with the sun shining almost all the group decide to go along. What follows is a fantastic, full and challenging days ride. The Dades is paved to mile 20 and beyond this is rock, gravel, sand and mud for the next 35. It is remote and beautiful. Yet still along the “road” are scattered the odd shepherd with his flock and a small village or two. The ride claims only one faller and that was due to a suicidal dog who desperately wanted to see the underside of a V Strom. Fortunately both rider and dog survive. We arrive back at our hotel late in the day with just enough time for a celebratory drink and a late dinner. This turns out to be the best Tajine of the trip. Or is this just because we had all worked hard and were hungry? Seconds please!

We have a brief return to the desert ahead of us and the promise of an evening in the dunes, and a traditional Berber meal. However that is still ahead as we have only a week left of section 1 of Discover Our Earth before we freight the bikes to Buenos Aires ready for South America in the new year.

Fish in the Desert

The road from Marrakesh (isn't that a song title?) leads us to the coast and Essouria. Formerly a Spanish fortress town the old Medina is set back from the sea defenses of walls turrets and cannons. It forms an interesting mix. With the Medina more compact that than of Marrakesh and seemingly calmer due to the lack of scooters, the whole place feels more relaxed and laid back. This is probably added to by the surfers who flock here for the Atlantic surf.

The harbour is flooded with blue fishing boats as the town remains a major fishing port. Unsurprisingly there was lots of fish on the menu! From here we head south towards the “border” with Western Sahara, Our destination is planned to be Tan Tan. However as is the way with travel things change. When we arrive in Tan Tan there is “problem“ with hotel and so without any word they have moved the whole group to their other hotel in Tan Tan La Plage., a beach side town 15 miles further on. The location is tricky to find but we are on the beach. With fresh fish on the menu again the evening turns into good one for all.

From here we cross into the Sahara proper and the desert landscape of scrub and rocky rolling dunes or hamada is on either side of the road. We are heading to Boujdour. It sounds quaint and French but isn't either. It is proper small town Western Sahara with no concessions to Tourists. There is one restaurant with a Pizza sign over it but this has closed down a while ago. The town appears to be dry although the local urchin Mohammed will get you anything. Hash? Women? Drink? Nothing is beyond this 14 year old who makes it his business to see to out every need. Copies of documents – Mohammed gets them; Bags to carry – Mohammed carries. He earns well from the group and Larry suggests if we come back in a few years Mohammed is likely to be Mayor. I think he is probably right!

Boujdour affords us minor celebrity status as we are the only tourists in town and the bikes are a fascination for all the young kids.

Another day heading south across the desert follows as our final destination is Dakhla. Dakhla is a tourist town (it thinks) on a peninsula The day involves many police checkpoints and army stops to check our documents. All are friendly but we are fascinated by how important it seems to be for them all to know our profession? However all the Police and Army are very courteous and helpful. There is a small issue of not stopping at the Stop sign which costs a fine of 700 Dhm but even this was dealt with in a nice, if costly, manner.

The ride through the desert is marked by two things. The first is the police and army checkpoints that all ask for Fishes. Fishes in the desert? Yes - What they are asking for is a copy of our passports and vehicle documents - “Fiches” Having them ready saves a lot of time at each of the stops. The other is the smell. Every few miles there is a terrible stink of rotting fish. Fish in the Desert? Yes again – There is a big fishing industry in Dakhla and they load the trucks up in Dakhla to drive north a loaded with fish packed in ice. The ice melts as they drive in the desert heat and so the trucks stop at the side of the road and open a valve on the back of the truck and empty the now melted ice and fish blood on the side of the road. It turns the sand black and it stinks!

All arrive in Dakhla and a day off to explore the dunes, go sand yachting, kite surfing or ride down to the Tropic of Cancer, which is just 35 miles south of us. Although most choose to rest and check their bikes and wander the town. We will cross the Tropic of Capricorn in Chile in a few weeks time and another of those milestones of travel.

Dakhla is a military town with Moroccan troops and bases all over town. In the harbour there are a pair of Moroccan Frigates which forms half of the entire Moroccan Navy! The UN are staying in the hotel we are using, as they are here to keep the peace between the Moroccans who claim Western Sahara as their own and the Saharan's who claim independence. However all is calm here at present, so lets hope it stays that way for another 36 hours......

Enjoyable but slightly Fawlty Towers experience...

As we roll into Marrakesh it is the first time it has stopped raining for three days. This is not what we had expected for Morocco especially after being so lucky in Europe.


Ten days ago we had sprinted out of Austria and into Switzerland sticking to main roads and low altitudes chased by a cold front and snow that hovered a day behind us. From Switzerland we ride for Arles in France close to the Mediterranean and better weather. Three countries in three days. We take the chance in Arles to visit the Roman Amphitheatre. One of the most complete and impressive surviving in the world. Day four brings country four as we cross the Col D'Ares at 1500m into Spain. Another 200m above us lies the snow. We descend to Barcelona and our first rest day, with an opportunity to visit the Gaudi and wander the streets rubbing shoulders with the ultra fashionable of Spain. The rest day is dry and clear and we begin to believe we have cheated the weather.


In land to Teruel and while it remains dry for us we are shocked to be riding away from Teruel with the bikes showing -5.5C. The temperatures stay below freezing for the first three hours of the day. Today we cross the Meridian going officially from East to West. In March next year the group will cross the equator in Ecuador and later in April cross the date line flying to Australia for Section 5. These are landmarks as we circumnavigae the globe.

After enjoying some spectacular riding in Spain we wend our way down through the Ronda to Algeciras and an uneventful ferry crossing to Ceuta. Ceuta remains a Spanish enclave and so we ride 3 miles to the border where with the aid of a, not so little, fixer we cross after a couple of hours of haggling. The haggling was due to one rider arriving without the requisite documents. This could have been the end of his trip at the very first proper border but fortunately it just ending up costing him a wad of Euros.

Our first stop in Africa is Chefchaouen, a beautiful blue washed town on the side of a hill with a great Medina and our first taste of Morocco. In the evening most of the group wander into the Medina from our riad and enjoy dinner on the roof top terrace of a local restaurant. And it is here that it starts raining. Now I don't just mean a light shower, I mean proper pelting down rain, and it stays for almost three days. The ride from Chefchoauen to Meknes was still memorable and enjoyable but it was certainly wet! Despite being just minutes walk from the Souk in Meknes, no-one can bring themselves to get wet again and so all stay in the hotel which was a very grand, enjoyable but slightly Fawlty Towers experience.


The following day presents the first big challenge of the trip. Roads and towns are flooding as the dry earth of Morocco cannot cope with now 48 hours of torrential rain. Our route takes us up into the mountains and includes dirt roads and at least one Oued – River to cross. When the route was ridden for research the weather was very different and the dry river beds presented no challenge. However what they will be like now we won't know until we get there. As we get out onto the roads the wind is howling and the rain is pouring down and sideways and sometimes up as well. Some riders decide with only 8 days done and 240 to go that caution is the better part of valor and stick to a more main road route. However even then they are confronted with a washed out bridge and closed road.

The riders who have stuck to the route find the mountain roads are, if anything, in a better state than the main roads down in the valleys, that is at least until they reach the Oued. There are two options to cross – One looks like a class 5 rapid and a canny local in an ancient truck waits to see if we are stupid enough to try it. When we don't he turns back. Ten miles further down the now muddy and slithery road we reach another chance to cross and this is more achievable. The water is only two feet deep but the current is very strong and the surface underneath unstable. Kevin crosses having walked it first and then the riders brave it one by one with Richard standing knee deep in the current to guide them. Each makes it safely across with no drops. Neither the local in the truck or even our own 4x4 support vehicle chance it and both go back the long way to the main road in a 70 mile detour.


The rest of the day is spent winding on mountain roads to Cascades d'Ozoud and a remote and simple Riad. An evening spent beside a roaring fire in true Moroccan surroundings makes every-one forget they were ever wet.


The next day we visit a SOS Children's Village outside Marrakesh The work SOS do throughout the world for under privileged children is fantastic. A percentage of the cost for each rider on Discover Our Earth has been donated to SOS and so it is great to go and see the work they are doing. For Kevin it is also a reminder of previous visits to SOS villages as it was his and Julia's chosen charity on the Guinness Trans Americas ride.


And so here we are in Marrakesh and the sun is shining! Hurrah! A day off here will not be enough to explore this fascinating and complex city but a day is all we have. Form here we keep heading south and into the desert.

1 Day – Two Countries, We’re rolling

It’s very cold and frosty as we wake on the first day of Discover Our Earth. The final briefing meeting yesterday went well and every-one seems ready to go. Breakfast is subdued as the group appears excited and nervous that the moment to depart has finally come. 

The first ride is a short jaunt to Mieming Town Hall for the official send off. A grand affair with National Anthems played for each group of riders as well as speeches from the Chairman of SOS Children Villages and the Mayor of Mieming, who official starts the Expedition with wave of an Austrian Flag. 

We ride out as a group of Sixteen Bikes and one support vehicle down cold crisp and dry roads through the Tyrol and the Arlberg Tunnel to our first stop of the day. A great coffee shop with a biker theme, although in November at 1C we are the only ones hardy enough to arrive on bikes. The only Harley in sight is bolted to the wall as a display.

We have an invite today from “The Swiss Peters” to come for lunch. Peter and Peter are both riding on Discover our Earth – One on Sections 2,3,4 and 5 and one on Section 5. Their hospitality is fantastic as they open up one of their homes for us and are descended on by the whole group. Lunch is Goulash and Salad followed by home made Hungarian deserts. It is a very welcome warming feast.

The ride ends overlooking the lake of Bierlesee in Switzerland. A small friendly family hotel with a good fish restaurant. Day 1 is done, every-one is in, all the bikes made it and everyone is smilling. Day 1 – success – Now for Day 2……



View more picture from the start here.
Pictures by Alexander Segar.

Pre Departure

Week -1

Miles 0

We set off from GlobeBusters HQ in Wales in freezing temperatures and with ice on the saddle. The first stop in this epic 8 month circumnavigation of the world is at our Freight Agent, James Cargo in Heathrow. There we drop the second support vehicle and two GlobeBuster BMW GS's to be sea freighted to Buenos Aires ready for Section 2. They join three other bikes already collected from clients in Europe who are joining the ride in Argentina in the New Year.

From there our little convoy of the Support Vehicle and two bikes wend our way to the Channel Tunnel and across to France for the first night away for the Support Crew. Two days across Europe sees us arrive in a snowy, frosty and cold Austria. It is beautiful with the mountains and fir trees dusted with snow and the clouds wandering down the valleys heading no where in particular. All we need is for fresh snow to hold off until after the 21st so we can head south to the warmer coast of the Mediterranean.

We have a few days here to relax, put the finishing touches to a few little items and welcome the riders and bikes as they arrive, before the off on Sunday morning and the first days ride to Switzerland.

We hope you will ride along with us on this journey...