160km of Strength
Our furthest cycle day to date. 160km.
After the saga of last night, David had decided we should be ready to leave the home stay by 5.20. He walked into the kitchen 15minutes later, at 5,35! True to form. I had been trying to order a taxi on Uber but for some reason it kept telling me that I was unable to, and needed to enter valid payment details, despite selecting cash payment. Once again our amazing host came to the rescue and ordered one from her phone. It was a long wait, well only 15mins, but Pamela was giving us a running commentary on his location, and at one point told us he was now very far away, in West Nairobi! Looked like we weren't making the 6am rider meeting. My heart rate was high before we even left, as were my stress levels. I was actually looking forward to being on the bike and only having to cycle!
We made it to the camp, and pulled in right beside the queue for the breakfast table. Talk about looking pretentious. Getting dropped off late, by taxi, next to weary campers. Weary campers some of them were. Jenna had a particularly bad two days. Last night she had puddles of water in her tent, and was only dry because she had been on her thermarest. She was talking about going on the lunch truck, and seemed very run down.
On the bikes and out of town. The roads were rush hour busy, and didn't disappoint. Nose to tail traffic going in the other direction, so a bus pulls across the centre line and starts driving straight towards us. Not indicating to turn right, in fact there's no road off to the right anyway. Just trying to jump the line of traffic. What bus driver in their right mind thinks that is logical? A motorbike can weave, I understand that, but a bus! It was stopping for no one and forced all of us off the road, AListair's chain came off at the front too. It was 30km of urban sprawl to reach the outskirts of Nairobi. At one point we were going round a roundabout and my chain fell off, luckily there was no oncoming traffic, but timing not great!
Once we were out of town the road became potholed, but the riding was nice.
We passed alot of schools, I assume boarding schools as they were in the middle of nowhere. The countryside resembled the Peak District, especially being overcast. It was almost like moorland, but undulating. I was really enjoying the undulations, and weaving through the pot holes and corrugations. Previosuly it would have been tiring and hard work, but our riding has all adapted to the various terrains. After 10km it becomes quite hard on the hands, although it was at this point that the road levelled off again and we road in formation.
Given that it was a long 160km day, we were keen to get the k's in and breezed along pretty quickly. Poor Jenna was really struggling, and had a mini meltdown at one point. She is more determined than me. If I had had a couple of days of sleeping in the wet, and felt that drained, I certainly wouldn't be cycling with people, and may even have just been on the truck! But she trooped on.
Another culinary highlight at lunch. The return of cheese! Cheese has been very difficult to procure apparently, so has been reserved for vegetarians. No more! We feasted on cheese and ham sandwiches, and remarked at how long it had been! And different types of bread - Dark Rye bread, and Oat and Seeded :)
Back on the bike, Jenna decided to ride after lunch too. More because she thought we would get into camp before then lunch truck, and therefore she would be able to dry her stuff out, than because she wanted to ride. She feel off her bike within 10m of leaving lunch.
I thought that was it, I thought she would stay and ride the truck. But she laughed and gt back on. Later on she said, 'I almost started crying and turned round, and then I realised sometimes you just have to laugh'. Good on her.
The scenery began to change after lunch. Hills/mountains on the horizon. Acacia bushes, and savannah like trees, red dirt.
For the first time in weeks we had a consistent and strong tail wind. It was great, and blew us right the way to camp...which came a little early, at 158km, none of us were jumping to do another 2 to make it 160 though.
Best thing about campsites is showers! This shower it felt like I was in Jumanji, or Jurrasic Park. I pulled the shower curtain closed and there was a lizard sitting there looking at me. They are cute, I can handle them. Turned on the water and was halfway through my cold wash down when I heard a loud buzzing sounds and then a flick. I wasn't sure what it was, but it was big. Couldn't see it, so played ignorance, until I spied a giant cockroach beetle thing perched on the rail above my clothes. Ugh. I finished as quickly as I could, and carefully removed my clothes from beside where it was perched....and then, sitting in my tent, there was a procession of giant ants walking past my door. Easily 1.5cm long. I have a feeling it's only going to get worse as we go south! :(
