Position: 00:17.514N 37:33.435E (Hmmm...00:00.000 is getting real close
now!)
I am situated about 5km south of Isiolo, at a little hotel and private
campground.
Cycled 87km today.
Well today saw some more challenging roads, until 10km from the end as we
entered Isiolo, the road surface changed from the now well known sandy,
rocky, and corrugated, to TAR as I entered Isiolo. What a pleasure....!
The day started early at around 04h30, as I woke to do all my packing up
early so I could get to the waterhole (I mentioned last night) by 05h30. It
was a beautiful full moon morning and just wonderful sitting hidden at the
waterhole....I really love the tranquility combined with the air of
expectancy of animals arriving. I was treated to a hyenna, and a few impala.
Although there was lots of evidence of Elephant and giraffe, there were not
to be for my viewing.
Interestingly, not one of the other members of the group even knew about the
waterhole, let alone walked to it...I guess we are all different....and I am
actually thankful they didn't so I had these special times to myself!
I headed off without breakfast, and had an amazing ride, moving through the
early starters, but also stopping for photos. Somehow I seem to manage the
corrugations better than most....its a bloody mental thing! About 8km
before lunch stop I come across the lunch truck stuck in the middle of the
road.... half its exhaust and back silencer have come off and wrapped itself
around the back axle! I stop and help Thor (from Africa Routes, a Durban
company) break the exhaust pipe so we can free it from under the truck, so
at least the truck can continue...to lunch...I was hungry after no
breakfast! Earned myself extra rations!
The scenery was quite spectacular.....with three huge major rock spectacles
standing out against the otherwise mostly flat bushveld countryside. The
bush was very green, and birdlife quite good.
Had a great interaction with a Samburu herdman...they are a breakout tribe
from the Maasai tribe, and have been the main 'native people' I have seen
for the last 3 days. Very exotic people....more in the newsletter.
Then just before lunch a ridiculous thing happened.... There is a french
canadian called Marc....he is born on the same day, same year as me, and was
a canadian national cyclist, but like me isn't officially racing. He is
really fast on the tarmac, but I feel I have the edge on him on the
offroad....and we aren't racing I said! Aries are competitive hey! On the
real bad day to Marsabit he acknowledged that I had beat him, and that was
something! So today after I had spent a whole lot of time helpin with the
truck, he sped past without saying hi and cut infront, but then slowed
down....I couldn't resist, sped up got next to him, and said.....'mate if
you pass me, you must keep going fast, don't slow down!' To this he pulled a
racing trick and proceeded to cut right in front of me forcing me to take
evasive action, on a very poor and unstable road. I couldn't believe
it....two almost 50 year olds, behaving like frustrated racers in the middle
of the north kenyan meltdown madness section! Arians hey!
I eventually took back my 'supremacy', and at the lunch stop after me
confronting him, he apologised and we then joked about it!
I then went on one of my trade mark offroad detours and paid the price
dearly...the afternoon was just a serious of punctures....very, very
frustrating!
Once again it was very, very hot from 11am, and liquid consumption was
critical.
Anyway got to Isiolo in one piece, and enjoyed a few well earned REAL REAL
cold Tuskers. Then a slow and 'over the limit' 7km cycle to the campsite.
Now there is a bit of a dispute about where the equator is..... as you see
from my position above, my GPS says there are only 17 nautical miles to go
(about 30km), so tomorrow should see the crossing, but I am told that the
official / tourist crossing of the equator will only be the next
day.....hmmmm!
I'll keep you informed!
Bye for now
|
