Begin Again. Day 89. Walnut Camp to Imilchil in the High Atlas скачать в хорошем качестве

Begin Again. Day 89. Walnut Camp to Imilchil in the High Atlas

October 20, 2025 — Begin Again, Day 89, Imilchil, Morocco When I reached Walnut Camp, I wasn’t sure about it. The space felt open, exposed. No houses nearby, but still — visible. And night was closing in. Earlier that evening, a local had discouraged me from camping elsewhere, so I didn’t have many options left. I needed to get the tent up before it was too dark to find another campsite. But once I settled in, the unease shifted. Peace arrived slowly, layer by layer, as I realized I was, in every way that mattered, alone in this space. With one exception. Just before nightfall, a woman passed by with her sheep. I waved. She didn’t respond — but she didn’t seem bothered either. She drifted past, and the world went quiet again. By morning, it was time to go. Early — to escape the heat, and to make miles before it rose. The Atlas Mountains wasted no time. This was a day when the landscape truly put on a show. One climb in particular stood out — switchbacks, long steady grades, and then a high point marked by a tower of bedrock and concrete. I climbed it carefully, raised the camera above my head, and tried to balance as the scene unfolded below me. Epic. Palatial. A reward worthy of the journey so far. From there, I initiated the final descent — a long glide into Imilchil… past a turquoise lake, clear as glass in the mountain light, and then onward into town. That evening, in a simple hotel, I found myself among other bikepackers. We shared meals, drank tea, and traded stories well past my bedtime. The fellowship filled my heart, and I slept well — in the high mountain air, at nearly seven thousand feet.