Zaragoza Shake Down
The L200 has a done quite few trips in its 130 000 life as an overland vehicle. From minus 22 in the arctic to over 40 degrees in Portugal it has always performed without complaint. Some dodgy fuel in Andorra a few years back was a bit of a panic but that was not the fault of the trusty L200.
Ali has done more on motorcycles and less in his L200 which is still more or less unmodified. Only his sleeping cabin has been added and a few electrical wires to power the fridge. The biggest difference is no air-con and that could be an interesting omission from the specification sheet.
We decided to use a week on the trails in Aragon to test the trucks on rough stony tracks, 40 degree heat and plenty of dust. For me it would be like the Portugal trip but for Ali it would be a teat of his own ability to cope with the heat and keep us safely on the right trails using the GPS.
The trip was in doubt right up to the day of departure due to the fire ban that was imposed on the forests and trails in Aragon. Extreme temperatures, winds and lack of rain had turned the fire risk map to red. We watched as the red became orange which meant we could use the trails but could not wild camp as planned.
450 miles covered on some very gnarly, stony tracks is only a quarter of what we will be covering on the TMT but it was enough of test. The only thing Morocco will bring that Zaragoza didn’t will be more of the same and perhaps a little more of a challenge to find fuel, water and food supplies.
The first day lesson was that we left camp too late. Firstly to avoid the Zaragoza rush hour and secondly becuase the start of the trail took us through the back suburbs of the city behind endless bin lorries and streets now closed or rerouted for pedestrians. By the time we hit the hills outside the city the sun was in the sky and we were into 30+ degrees. By 4pm we had covered 80 miles of bone jarring rock strewn trails and the heat had been consistently in the 40’s. The lesson for the rest of the trip and Morocco was clear – leave early and stop early. Without air-con Ali will need to pace himself for a far more gruelling day at the wheel than me in my truck.
The two way radios worked well (CB is not permitted in Morocco) and it was possible to just double check the route when the trail disappeared or was blocked. Its not impossible to get out of the vehicle and talk but after a little messing with the charging setup we were pleased with them. Adding a charging station to the to-do list has been done.
As on previous trips together much of our morning and evening routines run parallel to each other. We prepare and eat our own food, habit the same space and share beer and coffee but both enjoy the downtime and personal space. This is our second trip together and we had spoken about spending 6 weeks in close proximity. For me I dont think its a problem – Morocco will be like this but just more of the same.
