Ronda to Marrakesh

Joining the rally in Ronda, the evening naturally was spent meeting up with the rally organisation and competitors, many we knew well from previous events. Hearing stories of their “dash” to Ronda encouraged us to think we had made a good decision to join in Spain!

 Leaving our hotel in sunshine the following day we were enjoying the run down to the ferry when an ominous vibration dictated a speedy halt on the hard shoulder. The wheels were the first potential culprits, but all were firmly attached (unlike an occurrence on the Monte Carlo rally - with the less good looking Navigator – where the Morgan reverted to type by becoming a 3-wheeler!) The problem we soon realised was a tyre (yes a Colway which the aforementioned Syd Stelvio is on record as being one of the Driver’s better decisions – as  opposed to his choice of car) Total delamination of a brand new tyre after 2000 Kms. Midway through a rapid change the service crew (the two Bobs!), but the first priority was of a personal nature we won’t go into here. Anyway tyre changed we arrived in plenty of time for the ferry (though in truth the change could have taken a couple of hours and we would still have caught it!)

The delays both sides of the Mediterranean resulted in a far later arrival (and departure) than planned at the Time Control in Assilah. Result – driving in the dark after leaving the main road at Souk-el-Arba du Rharb (pity the poor navigator telling the Driver … right after Souk….etc above the noise of the wind and exhaust!) The town of Had-Kourt was regrettably memorable only for incidents of stone throwing by young boys (a hazard in Morocco, as the Driver still has scar from the 1998 Marathon to Marrakesh.)  The road after the town deteriorated and the following 50 Kms was probably the most hazardous of the Driver’s rally career. Apart from unlit cyclists cars, tractors and motorcycles (and, of course, pedestrians in large numbers) the road was not wide enough for two vehicles featuring a drop to rough gravel or worse on each side. The many lorries tended to have head lights which clearly showed that they were not going to share ‘their’ tarmac with anyone!!!

It has to be said that the Morgan was also protesting at the appalling surface, with the head lights failing during each change of gear. By the time the Col du Zeggota was reached the crew had taken the decision to avoid (or “cut” in posh rally speak) the speed stage through the mountains in darkness, and parked to consider a route on what we hoped would be more of a main road.

Having identified this, and just about to set off we were joined by David and Ali Ring who were on their first classic rally. They also felt that an alternative route was appropriate and “could they follow us?” “Of course” and so set off for the lights to fail permanently. So the situation was reversed until the Driver found that by some nifty footwork he could reconnect the feed to the dipswitch!

The deviation proved to be a good one, and the two crews arrived in Meknes to enjoy a traditional Moroccan meal. Over dinner we were to hear of other cars which suffered worse from stone throwing than the Morgan. Two at least had broken windscreens.

The following day (Day 5) featured no less than five  test stages in a circular route south west of Meknes (we had the luxury of being at the same hotel for two days, so much “dhobiing” was carried out) It was good to be back in the swing of rallying and lined up for the start of competitive stages again in this case following David and Ali Ring in their Datsun 240Z)

The day was about as perfect a rallying day as it was possible to have. Great weather and roads that twisted and turned for ever. The trials included a 51 Km stage over the mountains which required the maximumof concentration – few corners featured any type of barrier between the road and a 1000 m drop. Getting to the Time Controls on schedule proved a challenge – certainly no time for sightseeing or coffee, and it was to be the rule for the remainder of the rally.

Day 6 featured a latish start from the hotel in Meknes, allowing time for a photo of the Morgan in front of the hotel alongside the eventual winner,the Peugeot 205 of Alastair Cauldwell and Catriona Rings ( we were, of course, giving them a run for their money! – in reality nio less that 20 minutes slower on the day’s stages than the Peugeot, but managing a creditable third in class at the end of the day.)

The day’s competition started in the ski resort area of Mischliffen. No snow but cool in the open Morgan (the Navigator can be seen well insulated as usual, from the elements!

The roads were rougher, the scenery even better than the Day 5, Completing the time trials we set off for our overnight stop At the Kasbah Hotel in Midelt. Just when we were relaxing on the outskirts of the town we were bought to a stop by violent signals from the local police. It appeared that there was a diversion – or was it yet another stage Philip had dreamed up?

Terrible news awaited up at the hotel. One of the competitors Warren Chmura had died on the final stage after leaving the road. A very subdued atmosphere prevailed and at the evening meeting the organisers announced that the following day’s stages would be cancelled.

Thus it was a relaxed but  sombre start on Day 7 for our next stop in Ouarzazate. The route was to take us over the minor roads bypassing Ar-Rachidia, following the course of the river 

En route  to the Todra Gorge itself we passed scenes of a goatherd watering his flock, unchanged since biblical times.We followed the eventual class winner our good friends Rudi and Helga Friedrichs in their well campaigned Alvis Speed 20, into the lunch stop – the first scheduled rally lunch of the trip (and the last!)

The line of cars made a memorable scene.

Arriving at the Berber Palace Hotel, familiar from previous Moroccan adventures, but none the less on of Morocco/’s best, we were greeted warmly by actor Ian McNeice who plays the part of the café /restaurant proprietor in the Doc Martin .This final episode of the series had recently been shown, but Ian believed that it was likely to be repeated in the light of the excellent viewing figures.

There was some minor work to carry out on the Morgan (change the problematic starter motor, sort a dodgy connection to the ignition apart from the usual greasing of the front pillar suspension) but we were not the only car to need some fettling

The Morgan team spent some of the rest of the evening reviewing the following day’s route. With a total of six tests, four of which were - up the mountain – wait for everyone to arrive at the top - then down the mountain Team Morgan decided to miss the second pair of tests and be sure of arriving at Marrakesh at least at dusk, if not in daylight. In particular we wanted to do the famous Tizi-N-Test road over the High Atlas in daylight.

Day 8 started with the test Abezal 1 and 2 The test started with the usual friendly(?) banter with the ‘out’ control marshalls, Paul (rally doctor) an d Andy (support)

The cheery send off encouraged us to push hard for the finish. The scribe is indebted to the official photographer, Gerard Brown for permission to use the shot of the Morgan on the way up. 

Coffee was provided by the marshalling team at the top whist we lined up for the test down.

There followed a tedious section through urban roads to reach the turn to Marrakesh. Tizi-N-Test proved to be the most spectacular road of the Driver’s rally career (excepting perhaps Mongolia). We stopped briefly on or way to the 2100 m summit meeting Arthur and Charlotte Manners in their 1927 Oldsmobile. 

The road just carried on getting narrower and narrower – reminiscent of Bolivia’s famous “road of death”. The scribe is once again indebted to Gerard Brown for the photo of the road as it hugs the mountain

The Hotel Mirage was reached as night was falling, and, being here for two nights, another clothes washing session held. The results posted after dinner showed that the Morgan had managed to overtake the MG Magnette of Jose and Maria to reach second in class. As we were to realise later the MG was suffering from a broad variety of ailments!

The final day of the rally, Day 9 Could we hold this exalted (for the Morgan) position?

Of the three tests one was cancelled The first was in the Ouirgane and at the start we were once again following the Datsun of David and Ali. 

We passed Rudi and Helga on the final stage – gearbox cover off and tweaking the selectors to enable the Alvis to move forward as well as backwards!

However they indicated no help was required (there was certainly no lack of oil around!) so we pressed on to the finish of the last stage of the rally. Soon after we stopped in some shade to check the car over before the final dash (yes again!) to the Main Time control at the hotel.

Another Colway tyre was disintegrating! So a quick change to our last spare and back to the hotel within our time. In the car park we found Jose and Maria also had tyre problems.Jose kindly offered the driver a lift to find replacement tyres and a repair to a puncture and the cacophony of noise in the MG seemed to indicate not just tyre, but brake, engine and suspension problems as well!! Jose was unworried by these, and whilst Jose was unlucky in his quest, the Morgan had a puncture mended, and a new (well different! but none the less rally) tyre for the princely sum of 220 dirhams (about £16)