Well, the second stage of nine is complete and I am proud to say I have been riding recently at 3200m above sea level – the highest point on our tour - and there is definitely a difference in air quality! Pedalling up a beautiful hill is somewhat challenging - the hill is no steeper than usual, it’s not even a particularly long day but the air simply is lacking in oxygen. I try to take a deep breath in but there’s nothing there yet the air is fresh and crisp. The locals as they do yell out there encouragement to me as I go up the hill with their shouts of “you-you-you give me money” or by the little 4 year old kid who sees a foreigner and says “you-money!” I don’t think he even understands what he’s saying but the poverty in this country is definitely visible with almost everyone I pass asking me for money. Sometimes I try to explain that I am a very poor foreigner on a bicycle that would be in a car at this moment if I had money. But that is of course a lie because there is no better way to travel other than by bicycle. Everyone asks where I am going and I don’t think they really care and no one knows where Capetown is so I tell them the next place I am going to – Addis Ababa (which is a mouthful to say when you’re riding up a hill at altitude!).
We have conquered the hardest altitude gain in a single day and our longest climb for the tour – up the Blue Nile Gorge – a truly amazing place with a lovely long decent, and a bugger of a climb – they had a time trial option too which I didn’t take thinking it would be a big enough achievement just to reach the top of the mountain however the staff decided they were going to record my time without me knowing!!! So I had a lovely 20km climb of 1500m up this gorge – stopped twice to eat an energy bar and then find out that I’ve come 5th out of the 8 women who they recorded despite not realizing I was racing… will have to actually race the next opportunity we get…
Anyhow now that I have arrived in Addis there are some great things here. Firstly a DHL office where I received a package from home containing some special handlebar grips to help with my finger numbness, and my aerobars – so that I can have a few more hand positions. Thanks so much for sending them Mum & Dad!!! It is really greatly appreciated. It took a bit of effort getting them once we found the DHL office – the people there insisted it wasn’t there and it wasn’t until Craig actually went back to the cupboard where they keep the packages and was looking through there himself that he found the package… that’s Africa though!
Secondly I just found a place that sells ice cream!!! I haven’t had ice cream since Khartoum. It was great too… hazelnut flavoured mmmmmm…. Might be going back there tomorrow I think!!!
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
Ethiopia
There’s no other word to describe Ethiopia other than unique. It’s an amazing place and I really love it – it is everything Africa should be and the riding is suddenly challenging with unpaved rolling hills – big ones too. I spent 3 hours climbing up a hill the other day – thought I’d never reach the top!!!
There are rocks everywhere. And children everywhere. And the combination of children and rocks is not a happy one for the foreign cyclist. In one day I get hit twice – once on the shoulder, once on the leg – neither of them bruise though so I’m lucky. Mitch the Rockhopper also gets hit twice – once is a rebound off the road but the other one comes hard and fast right onto him – I don’t know where it hits and I keep pedaling so I’m out of the firing zone and he seems to still be going ok. That night whilst inspecting him I notice that his front wheel is turning stiffly – was wondering why I was pedaling so slow! The disc is pretty bent and I think its time for a replacement but I get Mark the bike doctor to take a look at him first before I perform his surgery – good thing I brought a spare disc! Otherwise Mitch is holding up to the challenges of Africa very well.
But the rock throwing children in Ethiopia is the price one pays to see the rest of the beautiful country. The hills are simply stunning. The culture is truly authentic. The way the people live in the villages is simple yet there is something so beautiful about it that I really can’t put it into words. I’m so frustrated my camera isn’t working!!! The children greet you as you pass “you-you-you – give me pen!” but I don’t have a pen for each Ethiopian child as there is simply so many of them. And the fruit juice here is incredible. They have these really awesome layered fruit juice – avocado, mango, papaya, guava – it’s the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted!!!
There are rocks everywhere. And children everywhere. And the combination of children and rocks is not a happy one for the foreign cyclist. In one day I get hit twice – once on the shoulder, once on the leg – neither of them bruise though so I’m lucky. Mitch the Rockhopper also gets hit twice – once is a rebound off the road but the other one comes hard and fast right onto him – I don’t know where it hits and I keep pedaling so I’m out of the firing zone and he seems to still be going ok. That night whilst inspecting him I notice that his front wheel is turning stiffly – was wondering why I was pedaling so slow! The disc is pretty bent and I think its time for a replacement but I get Mark the bike doctor to take a look at him first before I perform his surgery – good thing I brought a spare disc! Otherwise Mitch is holding up to the challenges of Africa very well.
But the rock throwing children in Ethiopia is the price one pays to see the rest of the beautiful country. The hills are simply stunning. The culture is truly authentic. The way the people live in the villages is simple yet there is something so beautiful about it that I really can’t put it into words. I’m so frustrated my camera isn’t working!!! The children greet you as you pass “you-you-you – give me pen!” but I don’t have a pen for each Ethiopian child as there is simply so many of them. And the fruit juice here is incredible. They have these really awesome layered fruit juice – avocado, mango, papaya, guava – it’s the most delicious thing I’ve ever tasted!!!
Struggling ...
I pedal along the flat road in Sudan. I am feeling somewhat unenthusiastic. The road is paved and flat and I'm not feeling so well. There's a big headwind. Quentin and David ride past me and I jump on their wheel and manage to keep with them until lunch. My stomach doesn't feel good so I just eat bread and jam... no tuna today. I force some fluids into me and get back on my bike and keep riding with Quentin and David. When I see Werner at a coke stop (we like coke stops in the afternoons! cold sugar boost mmmmm...) I stop and get something to drink and let them go. We have a 120km to ride against the wind then another 20 after we make a turn... I leave the coke stop with Werner but then he's going too fast. I can't peddle fast with my bellyache! For the first time I miss life back home. I miss family, friends, the dog, my bed, the shower (I love showers - especially hot ones, but any will do - as long as there's a cubicle and running water!) I even miss work. The lunch truck passes and I consider hopping on. I stop for a pee and I also loose an energy bar I just ate. I sit under the only tree I have seen for miles in the shade for a while before I force myself to continue. I keep going and Mark and Alex pass me, see me struggling and offer me a wheel. I take it. They stop at the next coke stop and I keep going, and crawl into camp. I find out that someones watch had measured it had been 42 degrees out in the heat that day. I put up my tent, have a waterbottle shower and go to bed. I can't fit dinner inside my stomach.
The next day I wake up and feel ok. I eat some breakfast and jump on my bike. By lunchtime I'm feeling gross inside and force some energy drink inside me and bread and jam. I keep riding and it's a hot day. I feel thirsty and so I try and suck fluid into me through my camelbak but it's making my stomach feel sore and I can't drink anymore. The lunch truck passes and I give it the thumbs up but 10 minutes later my stomach ache intensifies and I regret the decision. By some coincidence Michel is also not feeling good and because he is behind me the sweep rider has caught up to him and the lunch truck comes back for him. I ride 114km before I give up and jump on the truck. It's my first time on the truck which means I've just lost my EFI. The last 35km is to the Ethiopian border and when I get there I see Frank - another rider who looks like he's on his deathbed with dehydration, he can hardly talk.
That night I remind myself about my life priorities - "number one have fun" and "look after yourself first". And I create a new one - its called "respect for body". So the next day I take a full day in the truck to allow myself to get better!
Thanks for all the emails, blogger comments, facebook messages and comments everyone – I always like to hear from you guys back home so keep them coming and I’m sorry I don’t get a chance to reply to each of you personally.
The next day I wake up and feel ok. I eat some breakfast and jump on my bike. By lunchtime I'm feeling gross inside and force some energy drink inside me and bread and jam. I keep riding and it's a hot day. I feel thirsty and so I try and suck fluid into me through my camelbak but it's making my stomach feel sore and I can't drink anymore. The lunch truck passes and I give it the thumbs up but 10 minutes later my stomach ache intensifies and I regret the decision. By some coincidence Michel is also not feeling good and because he is behind me the sweep rider has caught up to him and the lunch truck comes back for him. I ride 114km before I give up and jump on the truck. It's my first time on the truck which means I've just lost my EFI. The last 35km is to the Ethiopian border and when I get there I see Frank - another rider who looks like he's on his deathbed with dehydration, he can hardly talk.
That night I remind myself about my life priorities - "number one have fun" and "look after yourself first". And I create a new one - its called "respect for body". So the next day I take a full day in the truck to allow myself to get better!
Thanks for all the emails, blogger comments, facebook messages and comments everyone – I always like to hear from you guys back home so keep them coming and I’m sorry I don’t get a chance to reply to each of you personally.
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