On 29 December, Wiebke and her bike, her faithful companion, took the ferry across to Morocco. Germany, France, Spain and Portugal lie behind her.
The first months of the cycle tour to South Africa
At the beginning of October 2023, Wiebke Lühmann set off on her bike to cycle to the Cape of Good Hope. She was accompanied by Hannah Rapp for the first few weeks. Then the cycling adventurer Wiebke continued on her own towards Morocco. The journey is expected to take around 14 months in total, Wiebke wants to be back with her family by Christmas 2024, we reported.
At the end of December, Wiebke posted on Instagram about her conflicted feelings just before Christmas. "Will I feel lonely?". But she made Christmas Eve nice for herself. She had pasta and tea. And the next day, Morocco appeared on the horizon for the first time.
New drive, more luggage
Before she left the European continent, she had her bike checked and the drivetrain replaced. She also increased her luggage for two reasons. Firstly, to be able to carry more snacks and water and secondly, to have more spare parts with her. She added to her previous luggage:
- Optimus Svea cooker & pot
- Replacement jacket
- 200 ml sealing milk
- Spare cassette
- Spare chain
- derailleur hanger
Wiebke has also swapped her short, tight-fitting cycling jerseys for longer and looser-fitting cycling clothing.
Wiebke Lühmann reaches Morocco
A ferry took Wiebke from Tarifa in Spain to Tangier (Morocco) on 29 December 2023. She spent New Year's Eve with other travellers in a small Moroccan mountain village. After her first few days in Morocco, she shares her first impressions of the country, which was previously completely unknown to her, via Instagram: The food, landscapes and people are incredible - "so far I can say that people, food & landscapes are incredible".
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Despite the positive first impressions, the first week in Morocco was more like a rollercoaster ride. The beautiful New Year's Eve was followed a little later by an almost sleepless night - the reason was food poisoning. This, in turn, was followed by the highlight of travelling through Ifrane National Park. Our time in the national park must have been breathtaking. There were perfect gravel paths, wild monkeys, almost untouched nature - in short: our eyes were filled with all kinds of impressive views.
Robbie - Wiebke's big bikepacking brother
On the ferry from to Morocco, Wiebke met Robbie Pickering, another cycle traveller who has been cycling for almost three years. On the ferry, neither of them would have thought it possible that they would become friends and travel together. But first impressions can be deceptive. And so they continued their journey together. Wiebke heard all kinds of stories and reports from Robbie about the various African countries he had already travelled to. "It's like he's my big bikepacking brother". And that was especially good during the first few days in the new and unknown country. The companion made arriving and travelling easier.
Wiebke and Robbie travelled together for just over two weeks until a breakdown shortly before Marrakech forced Robbie into a taxi. So they parted ways for the time being. They had a farewell dinner in Marrakech. Now new experiences and adventures await bikepacker Wiebke Lühmann - some nice and some not so nice, more on this further down in the article.
The circuit does not do what it should
One companion always stays by Wiebke's side, and that is her bike, a Wilier Triestina Adlar, customised for her. Her Supergravelbike is equipped with a 1 x 12-speed Shimano Deore XT groupset. With a 32 chainring and a 10-52 sprocket set, the bike is equipped for the journey with heavy luggage and the countless metres in altitude that it has to overcome on the way from Freiburg im Breisgau to the Cape of Good Hope.
On such a long journey, you can hardly avoid a defect. But there were no problems until we reached Morocco. However, a problem started when we arrived in Morocco: The chain kept jumping from sprocket to sprocket and the gears weren't doing what they should. Wiebke readjusted the gears several times. This only brought brief success each time. Even after a visit to a bike workshop, the problem was not solved, and a second workshop produced the same result. Now her hopes are pinned on Marrakesh, where the derailleur cable and casing are to be replaced. We are keeping our fingers crossed that this will solve the problem.
A sleepless night
Was it really food poisoning? Wiebke can't say for sure. It could have been the food, a hotel that wasn't very clean, stress, exertion - or it could have been a mixture of everything. The fact is, repeated vomiting deprived her of sleep one night. The next day was better, but her stomach is still sensitive. She says she will probably get used to it.
New country, new language, new experiences
With Morocco, Wiebke has reached the first country on the African continent. There are many more before she reaches South Africa. It's not just the landscape that is new. We were able to ask her a few questions.
BIKE: What is different compared to your previous trip?
Wiebke: A lot. Three things that immediately come to mind: the language barrieras many people here only speak Arabic - that's a new challenge. Then the childrenwho are much more active and often look at me in amazement, come running to me, laugh and smile at me and sometimes ask for money. The cautionwhich I am gradually developing in front of men so that I can avoid unpleasant situations.
Travelling alone as a woman
After Wiebke and Robbie parted ways, Wiebke had her first experience of what it can be like not to be taken seriously as a woman travelling alone. Previously, she had only made assumptions.
Wiebke is an optimist. Cheerful, open, friendly, helpful. She always assumes that she expects good things, that people are friendly and helpful. This is also usually the case in Morocco. However, there have also been situations in which her basic trust has been shaken. For example, when she is not taken seriously as a white, unmarried woman, or when she is misunderstood because of the language barrier and people are annoyed as a result, which they probably are very quickly. Wiebke has to get used to such painful experiences and she wants to learn how to better avoid such situations.
My freedom is very important to me and I grew up as an equal part of society. Now my freedoms are shifting here and because I haven't been here that long, I can't yet define this change very well. - Wiebke Lühmann
A cycle tour is like a marathon
All the new impressions, experiences, highs and lows can be overwhelming. It took a few days for her to feel more or less at home and she is still getting used to it. That's why she says to herself:
Be patient. Adaptation takes time. And a cycle tour is like a marathon and is anything but a sprint. - Wiebke Lühmann
After many new experiences, after about two weeks travelling together with Robbie, after food poisoning, after a week without a hot shower, after cycling 500 kilometres under the African sun without knowing where she would spend the next night, after spontaneous football matches with children and much more, Wiebke Lühmann has reached Marrakesh.
Anticipation - what comes next
Fabienne Engel is on her way to Marrakech. Fabienne is a photographer and videographer - and a good friend of Wiebke. They have already successfully completed a video project together. The film "On her own" shows Wiebke's journey to the North Cape. A film will also be made of the trip to the Cape of Good Hope, and the film should also inspire many other people to be brave and set off. The destination doesn't have to be the other side of the planet, it can also be the first bikepacking tour of your life. The film should also show that cycling is more than just a sport - it's a way of life.
The goal is to inspire many others, showing the beauty of the world and promoting cycling as not only a sport but also a way of life. - Wiebke Lühmann
In the coming weeks, the two friends will be travelling together from Marrakech via the Atlas Mountains back to the Atlantic coast. In Agadir, it's time to say goodbye, because Fabienne is flying back home, while Wiebke is cycling further and further south.
Sandra Schuberth
Editor
