Travel Reference
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WhenIarrivedatthetopoftheTizi-n-TestPass,ImetaFrenchcouplewhoinsisted
on taking my photo. I rewarded myself by buying a warm Coke at an inflated price. In the
mountains, all prices were inflated because of 'la transportation' or so I was told. I rested
for only a short time and after taking a moment to enjoy the view I prepared for my next
formidable task: descending.
Again, with a lack of safety barriers and road markings, descending was extremely
stressful.Infact,giventhechoicebetweenclimbinganddescending,Iwouldchooseclimb-
ing every time for one main reason- I am more in control. I remembered a cyclist I met
in 1989 in Switzerland. He overused his brakes on his descent of a mountain pass and had
brake-fade (his brakes stopped responding). At full speed, he hit a hairpin turn's retaining
wall and ricocheted parallel to the safety barrier. Luckily the traffic had stopped and he
didn't ricochet at an angle that would have taken him over the edge. He had major road
rash but nothing broken. That cautionary tale played in the back of my mind every time I
free-wheeleddownhill.Duringthisdescent,Ialternatedusingmyfrontandrearbrakesand
stopped several times to allow the rims of my bike to cool down to avoid a blowout.
I finally arrived at the bottom of the pass and was greeted by the heat. I stopped by
alargeirrigated fruit groveandate lunch undersome magnificent trees. Iheaded toAgadir
and arrived just as night fell. I made my way to the gate of the Catholic Church and came
across one of the resident priests. I explained who I was and if I could set up my tent in the
compound or simply sleep in a hallway. He said that was not a place for globetrotters but
asked me to wait anyway while he sought out the rector for his decision. He returned with
a set of keys and reluctantly allowed me to sleep in the African Studies room attached to
the side of the church.
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