June 17, 2026
This year, in our two visits, we have spent 100 days in Morocco. Most of this time, Sharon and I have traveled together. Some of it we traveled separately. So Sharon has been to some places I have not seen. She has shown me beautiful photos from the Mediterranean coast.
Morocco is a place we enjoy returning to. No doubt, we will visit again. I dream about leading a group of touring cyclists along the route I took. I did the entire ride without needing to use the tent. Next time I may lighten my load.
Everyone knows that Morocco can get very hot during the summer. But here it is mid June and along the Atlantic coast, it rarely gets above 25C (80F).
Based on climate charts, I think it is possible to ride the Moroccan coast at anytime of year. The long summer days are very nice for touring. The foreign tourism dies down after May, though many locals head to the beach on weekends.
The people of Morocco are enthusiastic about touring cyclists. I get many positive gestures from motorists. Oddly, I do not see many touring cyclists out here. There are many more in Europe.
I have asked a few people about the current situation in Iran and the potential impact it might have on Morocco-US relations. The consistent answer I get is, the relationship between Morocco and Iran has been strained for several decades. There is little sympathy for Iran here. Furthermore the current conflict is in no way a battle over religion.
With a US or EU passport, you can stay 90 days here. I am told you can extend this period simply by visiting the foreigner office in some Moroccan police stations.
Moroccan food is a real treat. Sharon and I have taken cooking classes. They use a lot of spices, but the food is rarely spicy hot.
They sometimes use lemon which is preserved in brine. This goes great with fish or chicken. It stands out nicely. Chicken or beef pastilles are sweet and savory pastries served hot. Definitely worth a try.
Lodging is inexpensive. It is easy to find an Airbnb with two bedrooms, a kitchen, bathroom, laundry machine, etc. for about 60 USD per day, even in a touristic town. This would work well for a small group of touring cyclists.
So, If you’re interested in cycling Morocco, leave a comment. I’d love to start talking and planning. BTW, I don’t run a business. I do not accept money. Everyone would travel at their own expense and responsibility.
Cycling War Story
So, I am not afraid of making mistakes as long as the cost is not great. On my last days in Morocco, I made the mistake of trusting Komoot again.
The thing is, if I ask for a route between two cities, Komoot will always pick a reasonable route. If I amend this route to include way points, this forces Komoot to find a route no matter how sketchy it is.
I always interrogate such a forced route to look for gravel, steep grades, unnecessary climbing, etc. Usually this keeps me out of trouble. Komoot has nice tools for this.
In Morocco, I have run into trouble a few times. I think the database of Moroccan roads Komoot uses is badly in need of updating.
On my ride east along the Strait of Gibraltar, I wanted a route that would provide nice views of the water. I modified the default Komoot route.
Even though I interrogated the modified route, Komoot put me on a gravel road that steadily got steeper and sketchier. Then it became a dirt path.
When the path became nonexistent, I was following the blue line on the map. Fortunately, the ground was only partly covered by thorny plants and eroded hillside.
My bike and luggage together weighs 45kg (100lbs). The trenches caused by natural erosion compounded with the 5 to 10% grade made the going very slow. My arms and legs were shaking slightly, telling me I was booking (low blood sugar).
I was sitting on the ground waiting for my blood sugar to rise when my phone rang. It was Sharon! Though she had planned to take a bus to Tanger Med where we were to meet, instead She took a cab, a large cab, big enough to carry me and my bike.
For years, Sharon and I have set our phones up so that we continuously track each other’s position.
Sharon reported that I was not on any road, but I was near a village. This was true, I could see buildings further up the hill.
She asked if she could find me and pick me up. ‘Yes’ was the only answer I could handle at the moment.
Hours later I reasoned that I could have stopped at a restaurant in that village and re-established myself for the remaining 30km. There was enough daylight hours left in the day.
I also recall in the depth of this challenge, thinking about my SPOT device. It is a satcom device that will summon an emergency rescue anywhere in the world.
Chris Eisenbarth gave me this gift when I started my journey years ago. I always carry this. The battery is charged, and the insurance policy is paid up.
It would have been a bad idea to use it, because my life was not in danger. I was nowhere close to pushing the button, but I seem to think about this device only when I feel threatened.
Cyclo Nomad 