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Day 43 - Stage 30 - Jinja to Kampala (87 km)

Feb 24th, Friday: Another day, another first. 

We experience mud. Lovely thick Saprolite* mud, aka sticky DRC-type mud, which clogs the wheels, chains and derailleurs, forcing all of the riders to stop in their tracks.  

It didn't matter if you were a Racing-Snake or part of Team-Sweep, you came to a halt and started cleaning the mud off your bike.



The muddy road conditions we had to contend with (Photo by Rupert Dixon)



Had an early Riders Briefing followed by breakfast, then left Kingfisher Lodge, cycling away from Jinja. We fought our way along the potholed tar road trying to miss the potholes while contending with the Kamakazi Borda Borda Riders, then turned off onto a dirt road.

At the back, us tail-enders got caught in some heavy rain, I put on a poncho but it helps nothing, wearing a poncho on a bike is now officially not recommended!

We hit a section of road construction,  which had recently been graded, with the assistance of the rain, it turns into a total mud bath, forcing the riders to come to a sudden stop. The mud builds up on the tires, resulting in the wheels locking up and as mentioned, every rider is forced to dismount, walk a portion uphill until out of the affected area, and clean the mud off their tires.

Judith and I are forced to stop and are quickly  assisted by some of the locals, who produce short lengths of sticks, which they use to get the mud off our tires to free the wheels. We repay the favor, by giving them some of our PVM Energy Bars (we have started using them  as bartering items). 

I assisted Erin in removing her Granny-Bicycle type mudguards, which are totally useless in this type of mud (she repays me later that evening with a well appreciated cold beer).


Morning Riders Briefing

Wynand the Lunch Truck Driver/Chef feeling very colorful at breakfast time

The Daily Briefing Board
The next Section before our next Rest Day

Riders having breakfast before heading off to Kampala
Cleaning the last bit of mud off our bikes

Drilling and blasting operations on a portion of the new road
Justin's bike, very muddy, with a broken rear derailleur hanger which forced him to abandon.


At our first Coke Stop, we were totally knackered,  some of us just sat on the road outside of the shop, and recharged our batteries with a sugar high.


Cycled on to the Lunch Truck at the 67km mark, had lunch watched by the local population (we are big spectator value) and then commenced ride on towards the Lake.

After another 13km after lunch, we reached Lake Victoria, where we are besieged by locals who offer to clean our bikes of all the accumulated mud, we take up their offer, and they rush our bikes down to the Lake edge and wash them. We take the opportunity for another Coke Stop, Judith has a Stoney Ginger Beer, and I opt for a refreshing cold beer!

Once we had enough people to fill up a boat, the now sparkling clean bikes are loaded (our boat takes seven riders and their bikes) and we boarded accordingly. We then enjoyed a leisurely boat trip into the metropolis of Kampala - a very clever way of getting into Kampala without experiencing the notorious Kampala traffic.

We disembarked at one of the many small harbours around Kampala and cycled a short distance to the Red Chili Lodge, I decided to spoil Judith and take a room (no camping, tomorrow 25th Feb is her birthday).



Coke Stop time  - Sitting down on the road getting our sugar fix

Spectator value at the lunch stop

Getting my bike washed by two of the locals
Loading the bikes on the boat

The ladies in the back of the boat enjoying the boat trip

Gurpaul showing us how it should be done.
Unpacking both riders and bikes on arrival in Kampala


Henry Gould the Founder of TDA, joins up with us (he will be accompanying us until Urusha) and  the TDA makes the first donation of 19 new bicycles to a local Ugandan NGO Company, CAP AIDS Uganda. I handed one over and suggested to the recipient that he names the bike Michael!


A tough but worthwhile day comes to an end, with dinner by TDA and a few social beers at the bar next to the pool.


Cheers,
Mike T


Welcome to Kampala

Our first official TDA bike handing over ceremony
  
Henry Gould explaining the purpose of the TDA bike sponsoring and handover operations


Michael handing over a bike to one of the fortunate recipients 

TDA Staff packing bikes on the Main Truck for their transport to Ssese Island tomorrow 



PS: There is a viral gastrointestinal infection doing its rounds among the riders, today 7 of the riders couldn't cycle and had to take the Main Truck to Kampala. What is interesting, is that they are all members of the original riders, none of the "Newbees" are sick, I think it's because after more than 40 days on the road, our immune systems are down.


*Saprolite
(sāp'rə-līt')    


Soft, thoroughly decomposed and porous rock, often rich in clay, formed by the in-place chemical weathering of igneous, metamorphic, or sedimentary rocks. Saprolite is especially common in humid and tropical climates. It is usually reddish brown or grayish white and contains those structures (such as cross-stratification) that were present in the original rock from which it formed.

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Day 38 - Stage26 - Lake Naivasha to Londiane (146 km)

Saturday: This was the longest day I have had on my bike so far on the Tour. The most climbing I have done since Cairo. And to say it was a tough day, would be an understatement.

The first 15 km were the same as the last 15 km from yesterday's  ride, I was not a happy camper, just don't like going backwards before being allowed to go forwards, and to cap it all  off, it started to rain. Once back on the main road we donned our jackets and proceeded to cycle to Londiane.

Cycled past Lake Elementaita, a soda lake (alkaline lake) in the Great Rift Valley and managed to see some zebras along the road. 

We had two Coke Stops before the Lunch Truck, it was tough going and Judith was pulling big amps. After lunch she decided to climb into the Truck - she was just going too slow - with another 71 km to go, would never have made it before the sunset cut off. 

Cycled through the town of Nakuru, which was quite hectic, as the traffic was all over the place, had my third Coke Stop in town. Outside of the town, came upon a major accident where a Police vehicle had crashed head-on into the side of a large truck, causing a major traffic jam and great spectator value.



Then the hills started, and I began getting slower as I attempted to finish the distance. Got to the town of Salagga and met up with Goupaul at coke stop number 4, we spent approximately 1 hour waiting for Brad the Sweep Rider to catch up with us, but he didn't materialize (he was busy looking for a perceived lost rider). While waiting, Goupaul spent his time trying to teach some of the local ladies to cycle. 

We left Salagga, and then the road became much steeper, at the one major hill which was 5km in length, I must have walked 2km out of the 5km. I was just so knackered - no power left in the legs. To make it worse, when pedaling up the hills, the school kids kept on running next to me, forcing me to keep up a fast pace. Then it started raining again and I became quite water-logged.

Brad finally caught up to me, and we soon stopped for my 5th coke stop, which was at the smallest shop I had ever stopped at. 



We finally hit the summit of the last hill of the day and promptly began our last descent into camp, but not before one of the locals shouted, "Bwana" (which is more a Zambian term for Mr. than the Kenyan one of "Muzungu" meaning White Man).  
I replied, "Yes" and he said, "Bwana, you are late!!". Never a truer word had been said in jest!


And so, I cycled down the big decent into the Kenyan Bush Camp, where on arrival, a relieved Judith greeted me with a cold beer. 


I had been out on the road for nearly 12 hours, definitely a long long day for me, but at least I had completed the 146 km.


Cheers, 
Mike T


Back in the Land of Tusker.

Back at the Main Road we donned our rain jackets.


Coke Stop No. 1 - Judith indicating what she wanted to drink.


Hotel Horns sounds quite interesting.


Traffic associated with the major vehicle pileup outside Nakuru.

Precious School for Precious Girls?

Coke Stop No. 4 - Spent nearly an hour there waiting for Brad.

Goupaul teaching one of the local ladies to cycle.

Lunch Truck in an isolated  position on today's ride. 


The smallest Coke Stop yet

Arriving at tonight's Bush Camp 



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Day 37- Stage 25 - Nairobi to Lake Naivasha (110 km)

Saturday: After 8 non-cycling days, it was great to get back on the bike again. I was hoping the legs had not forgotten their memory, and I was not disappointed, they hadn't. However my bum had completely lost its memory, and it was as sore as it was on Stage 1!! 


Packing up camp at Wildebeest Eco Lodge was a serious challenge, it had rained during the night and the tent was wet, but we persevered and packed it up into my Day Bag, another first for us.


After an early breakfast, we left Nairobi and headed west, having to contend with the early morning Nairobi traffic, which in comparison to the traffic we were to contend with later in the day (as we rode down the escarpment into the Rift Valley) was relatively quite tame. 

Most of the days ride was on tar, with one section on dirt, and it included a portion where road works were in progress. Always good to see how the Chinese are busy tarring Africa. 

It was on this section that Liz had a problem with one of the cranks on her  bike, fortunately she managed to find a local bike shop, just off the road, and the bike mechanic could make some temporary repairs for her, for a few "bob" (one "bob" equalls one Kenyan Shilling)


Reached the Pass down into the Rift Valley at around about the 50Km, and we were greeted by a stunning vista of the East African Rift Valley, with the crater of Mount Longonot clearly visible in the far distance. 


We stopped at a number of the view points positioned down the Pass and I even managed to beat Judith at her own game,  and did some retail therapy of my own, buying an arm bracelet and a Masai blanket for myself.

Unfortunately this very fast and  scenic decent  was marred by heavy traffic, consisting mainly of heavy trucks and military trucks (on some or other maneuvers). Who seemed determined  to try and run us (slower riders) off the road, as if it was a form of some national sport or other recreational pursuit. 

Fortunately no riders were injured during the decent, but there were some very close and hair-raising encounters between riders, trucks and the steep drop-off into the valley on the verge of the road. The Kenyan truck drivers have much to learn from their Egyptian and Sudanese compatriots when it comes to road manners.

Lunch was at the 57 km mark and it just happened to coincide with the 3'000 km done  mark. So ably led by Liz and Rob, we did the necessary sign writing and took a group photo of the memorable occasion.


Group photo of the Jubilant slower riders at the 3 000 km done mark.




Arriving at the first view point.
Andje, Michael, Judith and Liz posing with the East African Rift Valley in the background
Looking down into the Rift Valley showing the Pass Road on the right

The Girls busy having fun & waiting for Liz to complete her bike repairs
Liz ready to ride once again
Liz explaining to Tallis that she had made a plan and her bike had been repaired locally

We cycled past Mount Longonot, a Strato-volcano, which last erupted in the 1860's. An indication of the past volcanic activity associated with the formation of the Rift Valley.

Our designated Coke Stop was in the Town of Longonot, which was an absolute necessity as Judith and I were running low on water at this stage. While resting and talking to the locals we were caught up by the Sweep Rider, finally things were back to normal.


Achieved my second tattoo of the Tour, when at the 20 km to go mark, Judith stopped abruptly for Liz who had dropped her bike multi-tool onto the road. Unfortunately traveling at approximately 35 km/hr behind them,  I was unable to stop and crashed into Judith's bike, I then proceeded to tumble head over heels down the embankment. 

I was fortunate and managed to sustain no major injuries, and other than soft tissue bruising to my left elbow (the one I fell on previously in Sudan) and a bit of minor blood letting... all was well that ended well. No bikes were injured in the making of this memorable moment, -which according to both Liz & Judith was most spectacular!


We arrived at the Crayfish Camp near Lake Naivasha, and elected to camp (as we needed to dry out the tent). Pitched the tent, had a shower and I saw Dr. Helen for a checkup, who confirmed that nothing had been broken during my escapades in obtaining my Kenyan tattoo.

Riders Briefing was followed by dinner which was a braai, with good wors and T-bone steak, accompanied by potato and tomato/green salad. Thereafter I spent some quality time with some of the other riders in the Camp Pub.

Cheers,
Mike T


Andje at the Third Veiw Point


Mount Longonot a Stratovolcano which last erupted in the 1860's


Today's Coke Stop in the Town of Longonot

Liz, Judith and Andje at today's Coke Stop


Negotiating the morning's Road Works

China busy taring Africa's roads


Wynand back to his usual happy disposition at the Lunch Truck;
accompanied by Leon today's 2nd half Sweep Rider 

Today's Lunch Stop

On tomorrow's ride we can expect more climbing...

 

The next Section ahead of us - Nairobi to Jinja - Uganda!

Laughter Pub. AKA time to chill.


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