Still we waited . The KTM rider hadn ’ t turned up nor could any of the French riders find him . Vincent was entertaining a crowd of giggling boys , teaching them to sing : “ Alouette , gentille alouette , Alouette , je te plumerai …” followed by a spirited rendition of “ I like to move it move it !”, much to their delight . Then he filled his mouth with water and chased them screaming around the dusty village square .
A silent group of adults gathered on one side and watched , smiling . They did not approach us . Later some of the Frenchmen set off again to look for the lost rider and , this time , they found him . He had taken a wrong fork a while back and then broken down . ( They managed to cram his bike into the back of a passing van and repaired it the next morning .) Finally off again , we left the 4X4s behind and all rode fast across a vast high plateaux , forty to fifty miles an hour along a rocky , undulating track , snowcapped mountains in the distance , until we reached the main road again . That evening during our meal , Vincent asked us whether we would like to ride with them for another day . They were heading north , following a similar piste higher into the mountains up to four thousand metres . One of the other Frenchmen , usually silent and reserved , said to us in faltering English , “ It has been a pleasure to have you with us .” A very special moment . Sadly , when we woke the next morning it was raining hard and Bruno decided it would be too dangerous to head into the mountains because the rivers would be high . It was not to be . That is my one real regret of the trip – that we missed out on spending one more day in the remote
High Atlas mountains with this very special bunch of Frenchmen , that we hadn ’ t had a chance to ride one of their outfits . They had given us lasting memories - and what a privilege it had been getting to know and riding with them . So we parted company in the rain : they making their way to Marrakech and then home ; we heading south to attempt one of the very long pistes near the Algerian / Mauritanian borders before making our way home .
Au revoir !