It was a long day on the bike, but I covered 60 miles which isn't too shabby after a week off my bike. I was super thankful for the 10 mile gentle, long descent near the end. However, I still barely squeaked in before dark.
Let's get the notable milestone out of the way first. I'm slow, but steady. It's not a race for me and I'm just enjoying the journey.
Today I hit 3,000 miles pedaled (4,800 kilometers)
This a typical scene. Locals getting rides in the back of pickups/trucks/trailers. Frequently, they are packed like sardines and the vehicles are likely overloaded.
It's difficult to stop for a break as I am quite the attraction, especially with the children. There were quite a few police checkpoints today so I took an opportunity to stop by one and they even had a bench for me to sit on while I ate lunch. Of course they were curious about my trip as well. It was fun watching their procedure. They basically had an orange gone to stop the traffic. The guy just frequently seriously scanned the vehicle and it's occupants before using his foot to kick the cone aside to let the vehicle pass. Usually, no questions were asked which I found amusing. It was all by a visual judgment. Large trucks got a bit more scrutiny. Frequently one of the guys will have an AK-47 type rifle, but I noticed the officers had no vehicles. If someone wanted to run the roadblock, they couldn't be chased. I suppose the rifle would be a deterrent though. I asked permission to take a picture. They hesitated a moment, but I learned that the problem was they are not allowed to have their photos taken while in uniform. Consequently, I settled for the below guys photo when he went by.
Local transport of sugarcane. Note the chickens hanging off the handlebars.
Got an amazing welcome from a group of people at camp. They all clapped and cheered when I pulled up and invited me for drinks. It was fun. I ended up taking a dorm room that was rather basic as I didn't want to mess with setting up my tent so late in the day. I am just outside the actual city of Lilongwe. This guy does give cyclists a deal if you camp. Pay for one night, get the second night free. No such offer for the dorm even though I was the only one there. I never did meet the actual owner which was a bummer cause I've heard he's a great guy.
DICKSON OVENSERIGood Day SEARAH KIM JOHNSON,
It's Dickson here. We met at BAREFOOT LOGDES AND SAFARIS.
It's was really good to meet you there and we had such a little convers. Please kindly whatsapp +265998470284 Reply to this comment 2 years ago
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