August 5, 2015
Week 19: to Karbanet: up the hill
"Is this truck ok with the flat tire?" "They'll pump it up, I think" Patrick answers Rachel. "There's always a drama" says Peter, who's documenting the "Champions walk for Peace".
Today is short in kilometers, only 42 from Marigat to Karbanet, but long in elevation gains, 1200meters. We've arranged a ride to avoid the backtracking of 18kms to Marigat on a dusty rocky broken asphalt road. Our gear and bikes are loaded in the truck with a flat tire. Then shifted to another truck and we are on our way back to Marigat. We are dropped off on the edge of town and go to the shop we had previously bought water.
"Hello Patrick" says a Kenyan. "How do you know my name?" says Patrick. "It's on your bike." We have ridden 4 months with the Idaho License plate with our names attached to the back. These were a gift from Patrick's colleagues and this was the first time being acknowledged by ame. Rachel is reminded of how Kenyans are so observant. In 1994, when walking down a street being shown a handful of bracelets, her eye would catch one, and that would be the one pulled out to try to sell to her.
There was a bit of a drama last night too. We wake up to the sound of a hippo, Patrick looks out the tent and it's less than 5 meters away grazing on the grass! Then flashlights and commotion to chase the hippo away.
The first 15 kms are a gentle incline and then the steepness increases with a final insult of losing 150 meters and climbing back up to the town. There were a few shops along the way to get water and cokes. We were carrying bananas, the small tasty ones. The scenery awesome.
| Heart | 0 | Comment | 0 | Link |
| Heart | 1 | Comment | 0 | Link |
Today's ride: 42 km (26 miles)
Total: 5,218 km (3,240 miles)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 3 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 0 |