The first bit of gravel we hit didn't seem so bad, but about 50km further on it became looser with larger rocks. We slowed down to about 50km/hour and the bike was handling it fine. Further on the surface improved but you're never quite sure what lies ahead. In a blink of an eye there can be a series of deep potholes or loose rocks and riding demands 100% concentration. Because of the dry hot conditions the dust is unbelievable.