Shaken Not Stirred

Today was meant to be an easy day! 149km to the Ethiopian border. He road had turned 300m before camp so we were heading South East. The white board yesterday said: ' - Hilly - lots of potholes and sections of bad road' I took that to mean potholes, as in areas where the road has a hope but can be easily avoided. And short regions of poor seal. The day started well. The wind was East North East, so slight cross but mainly behind. The Tarmac was good. I rode best in the morning, so was driving The Party Bus. We cruised at 25-30km/h for the first 25k...then the road changed and the crosswind returned. The road surface wasn't good enough to allow us to cycle 'in formation' and shelter behind each other from the wind so it was a bit of a free form arrangement. The scenery was interesting. The houses have become round mud huts with thatched roofs. Donkeys pull carts with the straw laid across is big piles. Kids coming runningtk the road waving and 'Hello' 'How are you?' 'Whst is your name?'. I'm not quite sure how they expect us to reply in a fleeting instant but nonetheless, it's nice greetings and not stones! There was a Coke Stop marked in the directions at 42km, so we missioned on to that. Arriving at about 8.10-1h45 after we left. We had to stop once for some cattle crossing the road, large horned brown and white with a hump on their back (maybe Brahman related??). Cattle here don't live in paddocks. They seem to have a nomadic existence, walked along by the shepherds and eating along the way. The coke stop was in a small town. Two rows of buildings either side of the road. We have become quite proficient and spotting the clay huts with chest fridges (ie those serving cold drinks... Mo, Maurice and Steph are better st sourcing the chai(tea) servers. I carried on myself Past the coke stop as I was in need a the bathroom. There didnt appear to be any such service in town so I carried on to the nearest bush-1km down the road, and thorny! I thought the others would catch me up, their average speed is a bit quicker than mine. I continued on my way. Battling the wind. At about 50km the road made a turn to the right and the top layer of the tarseal mysteriously disappeared...and it stayed that way to the lunch stop...at 80km! Initially I tried to ride it like I would the road but it was so rough it felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. It was relentless, the whole road was a carpet of rough stones, held in place. It felt like being attached to a pneumatic drill, and the noise of my bike rattling just served as a permanent reminder of the wasted energy expended. You did want to ride through Africa, I reminded myself. This is Sudan. This is Africa. Apparently some regions are too poor to finish building their roads. I decided to try riding along the side of the road, off the tarseal. It was marginally Smoother. Plus I could pretend I was mountain biking, which then made it a lot more fun and less of a battle. Just the mental switch in riding purpose. Sometimes the section by the road was better, sometimes it wasnt. I was having to concentrate. I thought I was becoming quite good st 'riding the line'. By that I mean the smooth area which once had a yellow line painted on it. This smooth area would make fleeting appearances and provide a comfortable (it's all relative) patch for about 10m. I had set Myself the goal of 70km before I stopped. By 70km I was feeling ok and so continued on. Albeit at between 15-18/h. I kept telling myself, of the other girls can do it, so can I. I like cycling near the front of the group as I feel I have a buffer of people coming behind me, which buys me More time. If I was at the back I would be concerned that I was running out of time to complete the ride. Psychological games! 5km before lunch the road turned right, the Tarmac smoothed off, just leaving pot holes. I managed a respectable 30km/h wind assisted, weaving in and out of the potholes. Everyone was still at lunch. The steam train had come off the rails on the rough stuff and had a three man pile up. Marty was sore. It they were all functional. I was not so secretly Hoping that I hadn't been the only one to find the morning challenging...so it was a relief when most people concurred. After lunch the conditions improved slightly. There were pot holes rather than a ubiquitous lack of top coat. There was a rather hair raising dog at 91km, which must have been a guard dog. I had continued on from lunch at my own pace, so was by myself. I just heard barking and saw this tan coloured pit bull at my right heel. Fortunately there was no traffic and it was a smoother section of road. I managed to put cycle it, but it was close. It was still at my ankle at 35km/h. I had a split second where I considered unclippig and booting it, but thought that in the time it would take me to do that it would have grabbed my ankle. I had thoughts of ripped calf muscles and rabies running through my head and driving me quicker...turns out the 5 people ahead of me, and the 10 people behind had a similar experience! A slow afternoon dodging pot holes and riding rhhe on existent line. David passed me as I was replacing my chain, having taken a tumble. A lapse in concentration sent me off the road in to some sand. Not quite see how it happened but I have an egg sized lump over my right knee cap and a slight bruise. It's a bit sore when I flex it. Nothing Neurofen won't fix...I hope! We had an Emergrncy Medicine talk from Harriet last night. I congratulated myself on following her

advice after my tumble! Instead of getting up and getting straight back on, I made myself sit for a minute. Watching this big coach rumble off into the distance. Then I cleaned my grazes with my water bottle. Then David's Fluro top appeared over the hill so I quickly got up and started replacing my chain, some sodnt look like I had fallen! In fact he was none the wiser until I got back on the bike a struggled with bending my knee! He kept me company for a bit then continued on ahead. Both of us were cycling for the coke stop at 117! More of the same. Poor. Bumpy. Rough. Potholes tar. The blessings with the ride after lunch was that the wind had dropped, and the traffic was so sparse you could wave all over the road as required. In fact, that's what all the traffic did anyway! The temperature had climbed without the breeze. Hitting about 42C. There was a settlement at 116.4k. Not quite 117 but I want prepared to risk missing the cold drinks so pulled over. David

appeared from a shack waving, I was relieved I wouldn't have to st as a single female to enjoy my drink. I haven't had any unwanted attention, but it is easier in a group and with male presence. Jose was there too. I bought a fizzy Apple soft drink (renamed Sudanese Cider) which has been getting rave reviews from the Party Bus. It was pretty good, wish I had discovered it on the first day, rather rehab the last! Although it has only been the last here's or four days that I have felt the need for the cold soft drinks. And today was the first day I drank that whole thing. Usually I have been able to save half to have as a treat at camp. Today was also the first day I took some of the electrolyte drink in my bottle after lunch.

Back on the bike and only 32km to go. The road was great - for 17km. Poor Alistair had 25s on his bike, and was really suffering. My 28s aren't comfortable but are fine. Jenna, Alistair and I rolled into camp, 1km away from the Ethiopian border at about 2.30 - 8 hours after leaving. Not bad including lunch and Coke stops! Some of the others had been here for atleast an hour before us. I feel the key for me is to ride steady so my muscles aren't so tired I feel I can't do the next day. Today we are camping in what feels like an Acacia orchard. There are thorns everywhere. My poor tent. I brought a sponge with me, so hijacked one of the clothes buckets and took it behind some Bushes, along with two of my water bottles and gave myself a refreshing sponge down. He water left in the bucket after so had been standing init sponging wasn't appealing but surely that means I'm cleaner! We cross the border to Ethiopia tomorrow. 100km cycle to our next camp, with what is apparently our first day with a 'real' climb. Although, once again, nothing compared to what is to Come. I have enjoyed Sudan, and think I will appreciate its culture and the friendly and trustworthy nature of the locals even more when we are in Ethiopia. We have spent a lot of time on the bike, which I what we are here for, although it does feel to be at the detriment of 'truly seeing the country'. It feels like we haven't even scratched the surface, perhaps not even generated a ripple in the country that is Sudan. I suppose that is the nature of this trip. To truly understand and appreciate a country we would need to slow down; and take more time to actually understand the country and the culture, rather than pass through it. So long Sudan. P.s. Today I saw a goat herder, herding his goats while riding a camel. P.p.s the day before yesterday I saw a blindfolded camel, harnessed under a shack, walking in circles to power a water pump.