Battle of the Bikes

Two of our cycling experts go head-to-head (or should that be helmet-to-helmet) in a battle of on-road versus off-road. Marcus Nicholson champions off-roading following his recent challenge in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, while Charlotte Taylor enthuses about being on the road in Jordan.

Charlotte Taylor on Petra & Wadi Rum By Bike	Marcus Nicholson on Atlas Descent - Mountain Biking
*1. What made you choose a road cycling holiday over a road trip?*	*1. What made you opt for an off-road cycling holiday over an off-road trip?*
The beauty of our on-road trips is their remoteness. Road cycling doesn’t have to mean battling with traffic on busy roads. Our cycling trip in Jordan takes you on a journey through isolated villages and on long desert roads allowing you to encounter the country in a way that would never be possible by bus. I chose this trip because I wanted to see all the incredible cultural and historical sites that Jordan has to offer, but I also wanted to engage with the country at a more intimate level, getting closer to the communities and the environment I was visiting.	I love all types of cycling and probably do more road cycling in the UK than off-road. However when I am going on a holiday I prefer the off road options as I believe it gives so much more opportunity to get a close up experience of the country you visit. It is not common you will be off-road for the full itinerary so you still get to cycle through the villages and see the local people living their life but then you also can then take the next right turn down a dirt track and cross over the mountain rather than follow the road around the mountain.
*2. What was the “wow” factor moment?*	*2. What was the “wow” factor moment?*
The penultimate day of riding from Petra through the deserts of Wadi Araba was simply phenomenal. It was one of the best roads I have ever cycled! It was the toughest day of cycling on the trip with a few steep ascents and descents but the rewards were more than worth it. Desert scenery stretched as far as the eye could see with sandstone mountains rising from the ground making for dramatic vistas as we pedalled towards the Red Sea.	There were so many “WOW” times it is hard to count them all. Certainly the ride from Imouzzer to the coast on the last day was filled with corner after corner of stunning vistas. This ride starts at about 1000m and winds along the hillside tracks until we hit the road for the final fast descent to the Atlantic. The optional single track sections were my favourite cycling but I was concentrating too hard to give a WOW!
*3. What were the other highlights of the trip?*	*3. What were the other highlights of the trip?*
Petra has to be up there. Walking along the track towards the Siq by candlelight with the surrounding mountains silhouetted against the starry night sky was magical. As we came to the narrowest part of the Siq we caught our first glimpse of the Treasury, glowing in a faint hue of orange in the flickering candlelight. We then spent the next two days exploring the vast site of Petra walking around the ancient city via lesser visited trails and enjoying a fabulous sunset in the shadow of the Monastery.	I loved the cycling through the palmeries surrounded by red rock canyons; the colours were fantastic. We would descend one side of the valley, then cycle parallel to the dry riverbed, meandering through the lush vegetation until we get to a bridge or ford enabling us to cross the river and continue to cycle through the many palm tress until we start the climb out of the valley.
*4. How much interaction did you have with local people?*	*4. How much interaction did you have with local people?*
Throughout the trip we passed through small villages and Bedouin communities where we engaged with the local people. The night we spent in Wadi Rum really gave us time to interact with the family that run the camp. Set deep in the desert, we had an evening filled with traditional music, mint tea, a fantastic meal cooked underground and the chance to sleep in traditional goat hair tents or under the stars. It gave us the chance to do a bit of a cultural exchange, finding out about their way of life while introducing them to a game of charades!	We cycled through many small villages, some of which are so tiny you barely notice them. The local people, although shy, can be seen and always waved back at us as we pedalled past. Typically the children are far more receptive and even raced alongside us, despite being on two feet not two wheels!
*5. What was the accommodation like?*	*5. What was the accommodation like?*
All accommodation on this trip is three-star hotels with good facilities and en suite bathrooms. You spend one night in the desert camp where you can sleep in the traditional tents or you can have a night under the stars.	All the accommodation was in mid-range hotels. They were all very comfortable, decent sized rooms with en suite facilities. Most of the hotels had a bar, a restaurant and a swimming pool.
*6. Who would you recommend this trip to?*	*6. Who would you recommend this trip to?*
I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to see all the cultural and historical sites Jordan has to offer while enjoying the extra dimension of cycling to compliment the trip and really feel like you are engaging with the country. It is a good choice for first-timers as the distances are not too far and are well balanced with the cultural activities. There are a couple of long and relatively steep descents and a few ascents so I would advise that you are comfortable with tackling these before booking, but the leaders are very helpful and we had several first-timers on our departure that coped with all the riding.	This trip is a must for anyone who enjoys cycling, whether it be off-road or not. The scenery is superb, the cycling is challenging but it is only the optional routes that truly test your nerves. I would say that you must be comfortable with rough, unsealed roads before embarking on this particular two-wheeled adventure.
*7. Do you feel you were able to get closer to local life and culture by following roads rather than off-road trails?*	*7. This trip is graded ‘Challenging’ – how tough do you have to be?*
One of the main reasons you visit Jordan is to experience the culture and the historical sites. It is only a small country yet it is home to the ancient city of Jerash, Petra, Mt Nebo and the environmental wonders that are the Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea and the Red Sea Corals. While the cycling was not door to door, we were able to cycle up Mt Nebo, down to the Dead Sea and into the Wadi Rum allowing us to get as close as we needed to these incredible places.	I think the key thing is to be confident cycling on rough roads/tracks. Some of the routes are on tarmac but the majority are off road. Despite the name being Atlas Descent, be prepared for a couple of significant climbs, with the longest being 11km climb on tarmac. I would always say the fitter you are the more you will enjoy yourself. For most of the hard climbs it is possible to jump in the support vehicle and then jump back on the bike for the downhill sections.
8. *Did you encounter much traffic on the roads?*	*8. What were the benefits of being off-road in Morocco?*
No, not really. The roads are very quiet and while it is important to be vigilant and aware of traffic on many of the days, we encountered very few cars. You are well away from the main thoroughfares that the majority of vehicles use to get around.	Morocco is made for mountain biking with so many small villages that are connected largely by traffic-free dirt tracks so we are truly spoilt for choice. The scenery is absolutely amazing and varied enough to keep each day different from the last. The Moroccan government are planning to seal many of the roads, so my advice is to get to Morocco on an off-road trip before all that is left are tarmc roads.
9. *What was your leader like? How much support did you get during your time in Jordan?*	*9. What was your leader like? How much support did you get during your time in Morocco?*
The cycling leader and the support team are brilliant. The leader himself rides for a Jordanian cycling team so he knows the roads like the back of his hand and is a very experienced cyclist. He moves within the group helping those that are less confident on the descents and pushes those that want an extra challenge. The bus is always on hand if you have had enough and want to give your legs a rest and there is a support vehicle that zips around fixing any mechanical problems and greeting you with spreads of dates, apricots, nuts, bananas and biscuits for a welcome snack.	This is one of the original cycling trips run by Exodus and we still have a UK leader and local support staff. Liz has been running it for seven years and knows the lay of land like a local. She is always looking to tweak the routes if a preferred track is suitable so even if you did ‘Atlas Descent’ a few years ago you may find it has changed since then. There are two 4x4 support vehicles, one in front of the group, the other behind. These carry spares and supplies and act as insurance in case anyone gets a bit weary. The drivers are also extremely capable of creating the fantastic lunches!
*10. What was the quality of the roads like?*	*10. Is there anything you feel you missed?*
Pretty good. All of the cycling is done on fully tarmacked sections. There are pot-holes in places and in some sections the quality of the roads are not as good. Due to some of the roads running through the desert there can be loose gravel or stones on the roads that you need to watch out for, particularly on the descents. On the whole though, the roads are in good condition.	No i do not feel i missed out on much. I know Morocco has a whole lot more to offer; I certainly would like to visit Marrakech and Essoiera in the future but I feel this trip has given me a great insight into rural Morocco. Having said that it would not be too difficult to add on some extra time on the coast for a spot of surfing.
*11.* *Is there anything you feel you missed?*	*11. Anything else you’d like to add?*
Only more cycling! For a budding cyclist this trip left you wanting more adventures on two wheels. However, for a week-long trip you could not fit in any more as this trip perfectly balances culture with cycling to get the most out a one-week visit to Jordan.	It is suggested in the trip notes to take a pump with you and this really is good advice. The first day in particular you are susceptible to punctures; the more pumps that are within the group, the better.