Arctic To Africa: Mission Complete
We’re Chris and Cooper! We’re on our final leg of bikepacking from the Arctic Ocean in Norway to Morocco. Last time we checked in we were at the base of the Pyrenees, about to make the big climb into Spain.
We had the mountains in our sights all day as we headed towards Spain, our final European country. We slowly but surely climbed through the mountains, which was jaw-dropping. After nearly a week along the French coast it was great to gain some altitude and wind our way through the mountains. We eventually descended into Spain, where the atmosphere immediately changed! Most countries so far have felt like a relatively gradual change, but not Spain. The landscape, the language, the culture. Everything changed all at once.
From there, we continued south through Barcelona, where we took a few well-earned days off to explore the city. En route to Barcelona, we rode some of the most epic coastal roads of the trip so far - miles and miles of world-class beaches. We took the opportunity, on several occasions, for a mid-ride swim in the Mediterranean.
We followed the coast towards Morocco and we were continually amazed. We were treated with some of the most hospitable people, endless beach camping, and rad riding! Spain was truly a treat.
Eventually, we reached Tarifa, the southernmost point of Mainland Europe and the meeting point of the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Off in the distance Africa awaits. I think this was the most surreal moment of the trip thus far. It was pretty hard to wrap our heads around the fact that we had cycled across Europe. All we had left was 700 kilometers to the finish line - Marrakech, Morocco.
Leaving Tarifa was one of the most chaotic experiences I’ve ever had in a city, let alone on a bike. Roundabouts are madness, cars passing 3 wide into oncoming traffic - absolute mayhem. Eventually, we sorta figured out how the “system” worked and generally, people were generous with giving us space.
The next morning we border the ferry that would take us across the Strait of Gibraltar and into Africa. We successfully made it through customs, which was a relief, and just like that… We were in Tangier, Morocco.
The people in Morocco were so kind. Riding through some of the villages along the coast, we had an endless stream of thumbs-ups and high-fives! People would stop their car to ask where we were going and give us snacks.
As we continued south, things settled down and we made steady progress towards Marrakech, stopping at every chance we got for fresh tea and delicious food. It was pretty special to be in these villages that you would only ever be in if you were traveling by bike.
The roads were fairly uneventful, however. There is so much less infrastructure than in Europe, so we were on the same road for the majority of the day. But, the novelty of the villages and how different everything feels made up for it.
After 7 days in Morocco, we descended into Marrakech where we ended at Koutoubia, one of the famous monuments. 7,500kms of riding. 92 days of traveling. What an adventure.
It was a trip of a lifetime. One of the hardest, but most rewarding things either of us has ever done.
We could not have done it without Breezer and the support of our other partners. Thanks for following along. Now it’s time for a shower and a haircut…
