Soccer Field to School at Biti Manayanga (128km)

Tanzania

Day 67 - March 20 - Stage 46

Monday: Our good luck on the Seven Day Section finally broke, and on day five of seven, the rains caught up to us and turned our simple lives upside down.

Sometimes you have to take a detour to keep dry and mud free
Today was a wet day!

I rode with Judith up to lunch truck, she then stopped and took the lunch truck to camp. I continued and after lunch rode with Liz to Camp.  We were caught in heavy rain twice while out on the road. Not even my rain jacket could keep me dry.  The rain just gets in everywhere, it drenches your clothes, shoes and your hydration pack.

Approximately three kilometers from the end, Liz had a puncture, she had no spare tube (my spare tube was too big for her tire) so we walked the last 3km into camp.

Meanwhile back at the Camp, Judith was busy putting up the tent when the heavens opened up without any warning, everything became wet, Judith, our tent and our daily bags were soaked!

Later it stopped raining long enough to get the tent dry, however none of our clothes would dry out, we would have to put wet cycling clothes on in the morning!

We had Briefing followed by supper, then it started raining hard again, so we had to pack up our bags with wet clothes in our tent. 

We went to sleep with the sound of pouring rain, knowing we were going to start cycling in wet clothes come the morning.

Cheers,
Mike T

Stunning Tanzanian sunrise

Still encountering bee hives hanging in the trees

Busy Lunch Truck stop

The Rivers are flowing strongly from the ongoing rain

Land Rover opening up Africa so that the others can follow

Briefing Board for tomorrow's ride

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Boroto Game Post to Soccer Field (113km)

Day 66 - March 19 - Stage 45

Ingenious home made bicycle we saw today

Sunday: It was classified as an easy day today, but to put it into perspective, we did another Argus, and we did it on a dirt road!  Things have just become so surreal!

Left Camp and continued on the dirt road, the instructions for today were relatively easy, turn right onto the dirt road, continue for 57km to Lunch Truck. Then continue to finish at the 113km mark. Camp at a Soccer Field on the right side of the road. You will go through numerous Villages where you will be able to find a coke stop. It doesn't get much easier than that.

To our credit, both Judith and I did the full distance, and managed two coke stops for the day, one before lunch and one after lunch, and we arrived at our destination relatively early in the afternoon. Fortunately we encountered no rain, even though it was overcast for most of the day.

Approximately 200m from the finish, we were greeted by a group of riders, who had decided Mamma Christine's Bar was a designated Bar Stop, so we joined in the festivities. It was soon evident that some riders had been there much earlier than others, and a good time was had by all.

Once at Camp, we couldn't pitch our tent at the suggested spot (on the Soccer Field) because there was a soccer match scheduled to begin at 5pm. We pitched our tent out of the designated area and decided we were not going to move it.

Had the Briefing Session and enjoyed supper while the soccer match was in progress. The Home side were one goal down, with the score 1-2, when they scored an equaliser. The Referee incredibly then disallowed it (those riders who were watching all agreed it was a legitimate goal). This caused a riot, chaos ensured, causing the match to be abandoned! 

I managed to organise a bucket of fresh water from the locals (for 1 000 Shillings) did some laundry (my riding kit) and had a welcomed bucket wash. Then off to the tent for another early evening :)

Cheers,
Mike T

Old bicycles waiting for better days at Game Post 1.

These bikes surely have a story or two to tell?

Fortunately the road had dried out since the last rain

Phillip posing with the Proprietor at the mornings designated Coke Shop

The ladies always seem to be quite popular with the locals

Roadworks encountered on the morning's ride

Now and again its quite beneficial to take a rest

Local Rider carrying his own spare bike

Debating the merits of having a Coke Stop

Andje taking a "selfie" with the local kids

Local Villagers at the afternoon's Coke Stop who would later arrive at the Camp to play soccer against the home side

Close up of of the home made bike showing the crank system

Riders frequenting Madam Christine's Bar

Phillip enjoying a cold beer after a hard day in the saddle

Kim and Kyle having some quality time at the bar

Madam Christine supervising the Bar activities

This evening's tented camp

Soccer players from the Away Team arrive to play the Local Team

Briefing Board for tomorrow's ride to Biti Manayanga

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Singida to Boroto Game Post No. 1 (133 km)

Day 65 - March 18 - Stage 44

Saturday: We got back onto the dirt roads today, most of the riders changed from their slicks to their dirt tires yesterday.  We have been on our dirt tires for ages, so it didn't apply to us. Looking forward to some technical riding today.

Other than the dirt roads, there is also the added irritation of Tsetse Fly to look forward to as we make our way south through Tanzania. These little buggers can give you a mean bite, even biting straight through your cycle clothing !

Judith accompanied by a few of the other riders, rode the Lunch Truck in the morning from Camp to the  lunch position as they were keen to make the dirt which began after lunch. Being there so early, she helped Wynand make the day's salads, then her and Marie cycled the 53km from the lunch position to Camp.

Judith and Marie met up with a solo Chinese cyclist who was travelling from Kilimanjaro down to Cape Town.  He was travelling from hotel to hotel, and was quite interested to hear about their TDA experience.

I rode with Liz for most of the day, and we stopped before lunch for a coke stop, and decided to purchase some avocados. Coke and Avocado a la Natural make a great pairing! If nothing else, it does supply great spectator value when two Muzungus sit on the side of the road eating avo's.

We passed through a big honey producing area, the beehives are situated in hollowed out logs, which are suspended horizontally in the big trees (mostly Sausage Trees).

We didn't have much climbing today, which was greatly appreciated after the last two days of riding.

We rode to lunch on tar, then after lunch, the last 43km was back onto the dirt road, a good ride with no mud.  Rode with Liz, Gurpaul & Dr Helen who was the Sweep Rider. Of course we stopped at the scheduled coke stop.

Just before the finish, I stopped just 500m from the end of the day's ride, to have a cold beer at a very rural bar, then walked to the finish feeling a little better after a long day's riding (remember, no drinking and driving!)

Camp was at the Boroto Game Post No.1 Gate, where we were inundated by young children. Bridgette taught some of the kids how to throw a Frisbee, then donated it to them.

Briefing, supper, then early to bed. 


Cheers,
Mike T

Marie and Judith met up with a solo Chinese rider who was cycling from Kilimanjaro to Cape Town

Early morning coffee before breakfast

Organizing my days riding partners - With Liz and Kim

Racing Snake Rupert passes me at speed

Peter and Catherine from New Zealand  (Father and Daughter Team)

Main Truck passes Liz on its way to the next Camp

Tanzanian granite rock formations

Liz fixing her puncture

Liz hunting for some ripe avocados for us to eat at the Coke Stop

Horizontal bee hives in a large Sausage Tree

Local Honey Seller on the side of the road

A near deserted Lunch Truck

'Team Sweep' at the afternoons Coke Stop

Not a happy chameleon in the road

Rural Bar close to the finish

Having a well deserved beer at the end of the day's ride

Bridgette handing over the Frisbee to the kids.

Briefing board for tomorrow's ride

Riders at supper before an early nights sleep

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Babati to Singida (156km with 1 600m ascent)

Day 64 - March 17 - Stage 43

Friday: Babati to Singida (156km with 1 600m ascent)

It was not going to be an easy day after yesterday's 172km ride, and it started with a steep 11km uphill climb, which then gave way to an exhilarating fast downhill section, which made the tough climb definitely worth the effort.

Halfway up the climb we came upon a truck which had lost control on its steep descent, and had left the road and landed in a ravine. The onlookers told me that the driver had been very fortunate and had survived the crash without any major injuries, it was definately a miracle, as far as I was concerned!

The morning's ride was a very hilly ride, as we made our way towards and then around Mount Hantam (Tanzania's 4th highest mountain).

Judith struggled up the last hill before lunch, and we only got to lunch truck at the 80km distance after 6 hours, we decided to take the lunch truck to Camp, which turned out to be a good call, as it then poured with rain.

Back onto the dirt roads again tomorrow!

Cheers,
Mike T

Having breakfast at Babati Camp

Truck lost control on the downhill and ended up off the road

Watch out for Blind People and the Elderly!

Liz with Mount Hantam in the Background 

Fetching Judith's bike out of the rain at the Lunch Truck

Our ride Babati to Singida (1 630 m of climbing)

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