Most Inspirational Moment
Making it up to the summit at Tizi n Test (height 2100 m). It was a steep climb, and of course very hard on the weekend warrior muscles, being the 2nd day of the trip...However, the real challenge was on the last cycling day, where we had to go through dirt mountainous and steep slopes. A few of us found that walking was faster than cycling, and therefore chose the easy way. I am glad, for myself, I had opted for this rather than the Atlas Descent (which although very exciting would have been most likely above my level).
Thoughts on Group Leader
Alejandro was an excellent leader. He has that particular trait that makes his clients comfortable and confident about his knowledge and expertise. He made sure the front and rear cyclists were not separated by a long interval, through regrouping at no maximum of 22 km depending on the terrain. This reinforces the camaderie among the participants. His instructions for the cycling stretches were colorful, detailed and complete. There was only one short section where anyone was lost, and even then, it got righted within a short time. Such was the focus on safety.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for an exciting week. My group had participants from Canada (2), Norway (2), Norway/France (1), Dutch (1), Singapore (2), and Brits (7), of which 5 were females. Sleep early, as the ride is demanding...there is very little time to do anything else (except in the big towns such as Essaioura, and Marrakech).
