23rd February 2011. Addis Ababa to Bush Camp. 106kms. Rolling hills.
After spending 2 nights with Rodney at the Hilton Hotel it was time to head back to the Guennet Hotel to meet up with the other cyclists and get ready for today’s ride. We had to do a convoy out of the city for our own protection but also there’s no way we could have navigated out of the mayhem of the capital’s traffic.
After a slow roll out of town with the intersections closed so 65 cyclists could make it out of the city without being hit by a mad truck/bus/donkey driver. After 15kms the racers headed off and I rode along at a nice leisurely pace until we reached the lunch stop at 62kms.The ride was pretty hard up until this point due to the hills and the never ending rolling hills. Even the flats appeared to being uphill.
By the time we reached lunch we had climbed from 2400metres to 2500metres.This doesn’t seem much at all, but if you try climbing a huge hill, then dropping down into a valley and do it about 15 times before lunch, one does get tired.We were accompanied by the usual group of kids doing the same shit all morning which does get to you after a while.
Lunch was at the top of another climb and in a beautiful location.Mountains and valleys surrounded everywhere I looked.It was well worth the climb to the lunch stop.I really do enjoy mountains as I found them so easy and I know so many people on this trip find them so hard.At times I wish I had my road bike, but if I did I know I would be trying to go harder and that’s not what I came here for, I came here to have a holiday, not a stupid race.
After lunch we had a couple of stops at some really nice coffee/restaurants and chilled out for ½ an hour at each place.It appears the kids are thinning out when we stop, this is a good sign. At one stop there was beer on tap and some of the riders took the opportunity to have a beer before screaming downhill the final 6kms into camp.
Now I love to speed on 2 wheels, and my downhill speed for this trip was broken today.I reached 80kph on my heavy metal mountain bike.The camp is set in a nice setting with mountains surrounding the camp.The land is getting much greener and there are more clouds appearing as we travel further south.
Tonight’s going to be an early night, for tomorrow is 130kms of more rolling hills. One of the girls on the trip missed the orange finish flag on the side of the road and the trucks in the camp and rode another 80ks for the day. Now 190kms on your first day after a rest day has to hurt, and your pride.
24th February 2011. 130kms Bush Camp to dust bowl campsite. Shattered.
Today started just like any other day, 6am morning call by Rodney Sanders @ Mr Hilton, pack the tent, get dressed, eat my breakfast and get on the road around 7am.
Today was not surprising, full of mountains to climb with a top altitude of 2240metres above sea level.I was suffering right from the start of the day.My legs felt like bricks and just didn’t want to come out and play. I struggled to the first coffee stop at 30kms, but was rewarded with a nice coffee and a beautiful cookie the size of hand, full of chocolate. It didn’t make me feel any better and soon I was back on the road suffering like a dog.
The scenery did give some reprieve to my pain,with spectacular mountains to climb and some beautiful people on the side of the road giving encouragement.I stopped at one point to take a rest with good friend young Andre (Pretoria) and was immediately surrounded by 50 kids watching me lay down and not die in the process.It’s amazing how 1 day you can feel good and the next you feel shit.
After a 15minute break and being starred at where I couldn’t stand it no more it was back on the bike to travel the final 30kms to lunch.The lunch break was at the 65km mark and boy was I glad to see it.I waited around the lunch stop for a good ½ hour to try and get as much food into me and rally some effort to get back on the bike.I honestly don’t know why I just didn’t jump on the truck and take the easy option for the rest of the day.Some would say I’m just a stubborn old man, others would say that’s ‘Terry’.
During the morning ride I lost it, I had a kid throw a rock and hit me on the leg, which was witnessed by the group of old people with the young child.They were laughing,so I thought I’ll give you something to laugh about. So, I did a ‘U’ turn rode across the road and picked up a hand full of gravel and threw it at the whole lot of the grubs.You should have seen them try and run through the small opening in the fence to take cover, at the same time.Yeh, I know it’s wrong, but there’s so much shit and stone throwing you can take before you retaliate.Would I do it again, absolutely.
So after lunch with a couple of more coffee breaks I rolled into the town with Andre around 2pm.I did make good time even though I wasn’t feeling that good.We found a little café and again had a nice Pepsi and then some of the other riders coming into town saw us and joined us for an afternoon drink.
We got into camp around 3.30pm to what I would call a dust bowl. Now this is not a dig at TDA for their decision to camp there, because sometimes in this part of the country there’s nothing better or safer at that point in time.The place was good enough for me to set up my tent and die for an hour before dinner.
I forced down my food knowing that I had a long day with more hills to climb and food was a must.The overall climbing for the day was 1750metres.By the time we leave Ethiopia next week we would have climbed over 27,000metres, now you have to be impressed with that, even my obnoxious mates would have to agree with me on that one.Even the thonged bandits.
I went to bed at 7pm absolutely shattered, no energy, nothing left in the tank. You have no idea how exhausted I was today. My legs were burning on every rise, but I did have some energy on the flats. A couple of panadol and see how I feel tomorrow.
25th February 2011. 120kms. Dust bowl to Bush Camp. Rodney cracks on final mountain.
Well what a night’s sleep. I woke up at 5.40am and felt reasonable.Did the same again and was on the bike with Rodney and Peter Lamond at 7am.The first part of the day was rolling hills for 12kms than a 20km climb to 2240metres.The climb was pretty good, not a steep gradient, went on forever.
The lunch stop was at 70kms.We stopped a couple of times to take photos and once again I got some nice photos of the locals and of the surrounding valleys below.Once we reached the summit at 32kms it was a mad dash down the other side to the 50km mark.I reached 78kph and the metal beast, and at the base of the descent we had to enter a town. Now this is where all the problems can happen, more people wanting to touch you, grab at your handle bars, whip you, throw more stones, get the picture.
As I looked down into the town it was a mess of people, I just cruised through until 1 idiot decided to get his donkeys to cross the road. Now my rubbish bike doesn’t have disc brakes like all the flash ones have, it’s the old style. I jammed on the brakes as hard as I could, I couldn’t go left unless I wanted to have a head on with a bus driver, so I went straight through 2 of them and nearly took one of the donkeys head. I don’t know who was more terrified the donkey or the dumb white bloke on the bike.Next time I’ll slow down or will be going home early than I should.
After lunch we had to get to the 92km mark for the next coffee stop. Once again some little bitch hit me with a rock on the hand and I didn’t do a thing other than to tell her what I thought she really was, and because there were about 20 blokes around her. The numbers were stacked up against me this time.
The hills kept getting worse and when about 5kms away from the town of SODO we had this brutal climb. It was straight up and steep.I led the way with Peter close by and Rodney taking up the rear.The kids were being their best arsehole behaviour on the hill, I mean hundreds of them calling out and running beside us.
Now when you’re tired and sweating profusely I don’t need to have a kid ask me for money or a pen, because it unsettles me.The guys behind weren’t so fortunate as myself.I was about 100 metres in front of Rodney who is usually a placid gentleman scream out, I mean scream out, “F..k, OFF. I turned around and could see at 15 kids running beside him.I turned around with Peter and headed back down the hill, the gutless little pricks decided to do a runner.
We dragged ourselves further up the hill into town and found a nice café for a cold drink.Some of the guys had café for a cold drink.Some of the guys had 4 cokes, coffee and water.I had just a coke and water.I had drunk 3 bottles of water in the 22km stretch due to the mountain we had to climb and the intense heat of the midday sun.
After a fantastic break it was downhill to the camp.A bit of loose gravel and the usual idiot wanting to kick you off your bike and throw a stick in your wheels and I was home safe and sound to put up tent Hilton and rest around the camp with 100 locals watching me.Now that’s living, good night.
26th February 2011. 110kms. Bush Camp to Abar Minch.
It was so hot last night in the tent compared to other nights we’ve had in the high Ethiopian mountains, and sleeping was really difficult.We got up and did the usual stuff to get ready for the ride at 7am.I left with Rodney and we rode along nice easy to the lunch stop at 60kms.
I took it pretty easy today and the climbing overall was 600metres. At the 20km mark we hit the gravel road.For the next 40kms we were belted by the rocky ground, and little shits still throwing stones at us,soft gravel and being dumped on by a ton of dirt every time a truck or bus passed us bye.I felt so dirty by the dust and couldn’t wait for a shower when we get to camp in the afternoon.
After lunch it was back on the bike to dodge the rocks and sticks and head to our final destination at Abar Minch on a lake heading towards the Kenyan border.I don’t know the name of the lake but it’s about 540km south of Addis Ababa.
We stopped after an hour for a nice coke on the shore of the lake and took in the amazing view.We had travelled through many villages today and some were obvious dirt poor.The kids would come out and yell at us but many were wearing no clothing.The sides of the roads were swamped with kids but not to the degree we have been experiencing.It’s obvious we’re getting into the rough section of Ethiopia and the villages are further apart and consist of huts and nothing more.The villages are into growing bananas by the bucket loads and not much else.
About 15kms from town Peter Lomand blew his tyre to pieces.Because Peter is an EFI candidate who was prepared to walk the final 15kms to town rather than to take the truck.We fixed the tyre and road into a town which is small, nothing much to offer.At least I know I can get a shave for 10Birr which is about 70Aussie cents.The hill to the hotel where we’re camping is up a 6km hill.By the time I got to the camp I was pretty tired and happy to call it a day.Luke got into camp before me but still there was no room left so tonight I’m sleeping in the tent.I don’t mind the tent but I do need power to recharge all my gadgets.
The boys are going down town tonight to try out some local food and of course I’m going too.Since tomorrow is a rest day I’m sure there’ll by plenty of beers sunk by the boys. I’m not sure how I’ll go with connections over the next 7 days until I reach Kenya.Matt will continue doing brief updates while I’m on the road.
Until next time, from some dirty, dusty, gravel pit in southern Ethiopia, good night.
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| the scull of an ancient finding in Ethiopia Museum. |
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| Rodney and I visited St Trinity Cathedral and received a blessing from the Priest. I think he thought we needed it. |
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| one of the games played by the locals. this board game can be found in other places throughout Africa |
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| the photo was taken of a young lady who's image is in the National Museum of Ethiopia |
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| the lady is selling blocks of salt in the Merkato Market, Addis Ababa. |
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| that's my feet while laying around the Hilton swimming pool, while checking out the talent |
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| standing on the side of the road waiting for the boys to arrive before we continue on with more mountains to climb |
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| Andre and Luke packing up their gear and getting ready for the long ride ahead |
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| We stopped going down the mountain for a pee break and came across this lady who wanted her photo taken. |
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| The view behind me is looking down into the valley after climbing a 20km mountain. |
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| The amount of burnt out wrecks we come across on these roads is amazing. |
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