February 11, 2025
To Arusha
Oops
The day started off well enough - blue skies, sunshine, cooler temps, and another joyful send-off from our Masai hosts. The route started out on gravel, a bit gnarly at first but improving as it wound around Mount Meru before turning to tarmac for the final twenty five miles to Arusha. By all accounts it was a great ride - but not for me.
I’ve done a fair amount of cycling on non-paved roads – my trips through Morocco and along a Nevada section of the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route were mostly off-road and I regularly cycle the gravel roads of the nearby Umstead State Park. But I’m no expert and am pretty cautious, eschewing single-track routes whenever possible and walking when necessary. Today’s start was a bit rough, a rock-strewn track that required caution and rapt attention. At one point, my rear pedal hit a rock, causing my bike veer off-line and reminding me to re-position my feet horizontally. Still following in line with the other riders, I picked up a little speed as we started down a short slope, in retrospect it was a little too fast for the conditions. Once again, my rear foot hit a rock and threw my bike off track. This time, however, I was unable to recover and as I swerved to get back on track my wheels lost traction and I went down hard on my right side - first my trunk and then my head.
I was immediately surrounded by concerned members of the group who helped me to my feet. My biggest concern was my head, but I also felt a lot of pain along my right side. The lead guide Jimmy asked a few questions and after gently poking my aching side escorted me to the support van. I was walking fine and nothing seemed to be broken but I was in a bit of a daze. We soon took off, Wes driving and me endeavoring to take some photos of the amazing terrain and the riders ahead. It was a bumpy ride at first but the road smoothed out as we headed for the hospital in Arusha.
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Our trip to the hospital took us into the teeth of noon-time traffic in central Arusha, with sidewalks and streets teeming with pedestrians and weaving motos, scenes reminiscent of southeast Asian. We pulled up to the emergency entrance of the Arusha Lutheran Medical Center and it was then I realized I’d lost my wallet! It wasn’t in my handlebar bag (it’s usual resting place) nor in any of the various sections of my backpack. I scoured the van, searching around and under my seat in a bit of a panic. Considering that I may have left it at the Masai lodge, I began to look for my backup wallet with the spare credit cards. Wes pulled out my main duffle bag, but it also was a futile search! I stood dazed and exhausted in the mid-day sun, hurting and wanting to cry. Wes assured me that the touring company could front me the money for the medical costs and they would call the Masai lodge to see if I’d left my wallet in the room. As my panic subsided, I suddenly remembered where I had stashed my spare wallet. With plastic in hand, we proceeded to the hospital emergency entrance.
I was very fortunate to have Wes help me navigate the Tanzanian medical system. It was necessary to pay before I could see a doctor and thankfully my credit card was accepted as payment. The emergency room was not overly busy and after a brief wait, my vitals were taken and I was talking with the young Dr. David, who was finishing up his first week at the hospital. He examined me for signs of concussion (none found) and ordered various treatments/tests including wound cleaning, a chest X-ray and an abdominal sonogram. Before the tests, however, it was necessary to return to the admission room and pay for everything in advance – I convinced him to bundle his orders so I could minimize my trips to the cashier. Including the doctor visit, it came to 210,000 Tanzanian shillings, roughly $80.
The minor scrapes were quickly cleaned and the sonogram results came back negative. However, the X-ray showed a non-displaced fracture of the 8th rib on my right side. Treatment included an injection for pain and recommendations for extended rest – no more cycling. I was strongly advised against continuing the tour as a passenger in the support van and to let the level of pain dictate my level of activity.
Over the course of the visit, I spent a lot of time with Dr. David as we discussed my injury and waited for the test results. He'd recently completed his medical training and had spent two years in a volunteer clinic while working in the emergency room at night. He had just started a full-time position at the hospital to help support his farm – he was a good doctor but seemed to be Masai farmer at heart. He proudly showed me pictures of his newborn calves, which I had learned were prized possessions for an unmarried Masai.
We also spoke of cuts to USAID funding and the ongoing/impending consequences - the recent lay-offs at hospital personal and the fear of resurging HIV/AIDS due to cessation of anti-retroviral drugs. The US President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is a program established by President George W. Bush in 2003 to address the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. The program provides funding for HIV/AIDS treatment, prevention, and research and is estimated to have saved upwards of 25 million lives, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa. Funding for PEPFAR has been frozen by the current US administration and it is uncertain if, or to what level, the program will be restarted. In the absence of anti-retroviral drugs, the virus is likely to rebound in HIV-infected people and also to spread to those currently not infected. A newfound fear of HIV was a repeatedly voiced by those I spoke with during my time in Tanzania.
Wes returned me to our hotel on the west side of Arusha where I joined met the rest of the group during dinner. Afterwards, I retreated to my room for a restless and anxious night, not quite sure what was coming next.
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2 weeks ago
Today's ride: 3 miles (5 km)
Total: 28 miles (45 km)
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