The Treloar Herald : Bush-Camp

Showing posts with label Bush-Camp. Show all posts

Namibia! Buitenpos to Witvlei (162 km)

Namibia

Day 101 - Apr 23 - Stage 71

Sunday: Discretion being the better part of valour, I decided not to cycle, the loose spokes of my rear wheel had not been tightened and aligned, and my body was still sore from yesterday's "Oopsie". So accompanied by Peter and Deborah, we took the Main Truck to Witvlei Camp.

Judith decided to cycle and left Eastgate Rest Camp with Solange, she planned to cycle to the lunch position, a 85km long ride at least.

We arrived at the Lunch Truck and had "lunch" at 9am in the morning, where Marie and Linda then joined us in the Main Truck "Dog Box"

Unfortunately it was a Sunday, so the Butchery (needed to buy some decent biltong) and Bottle Store (dry Bush Camp tonight) were not open in Gobabis Town. But we did manage to find a Coffee Shop (Wimpy) open.

Arrived in Witvlei and proceeded to the Camp Site which was in the Municipal grounds, without any facilities whatsoever (we wouldn't expect anything different either). Can't understand why we passed a totally equipped Bush Camp site 10 km from Witvlei, but true to TDA organisation, we had to camp at the Municipal grounds which didn't even have toilet or shower facilities!!

We were fortunate to find an open Bush Pub (Shebeen) where we were able to buy some beers to take back to Camp. So a good time was had by all those who didn't cycle on the day.

Between Leo the Bike Mechanic, who managed to work on my bike and tightened all my loose spokes, and Dr Helen who re-dressed my wounds, its G for Go, tomorrow I am back on the road and fit to cycle into Windhoek, where we will be having two rest days in a row.

Cheers,
Mike T

Breakfast at Buitepos before leaving for Witvlei

Buitepos to Witvlei

Today's Non-Riders arrive at Witvlei

Team Carbo-Load enjoying some quality time at Witvlei

Helping TDA Staff to set up Camp

Todays sunset at Witvlei

Kasane to The Elephant Camp! (171km)

Botswana

Day 93 - Apr 15 - Stage 64

Saturday: It was a relatively long cycle, our first on the flat & straight Botswana roads. The start of what is locally known as the "Elephant Highway".

After a very subdued breakfast, we left a very muddy Camp site and proceeded to backtrack until we reached the turn-off for Nata and Francistown.

Passed at least another 2km of parked trucks on the Botswana side trying to get into Zambia, spoke to three different truck drivers, all three said they had already been waiting two weeks to clear the Border! Still can't figure out why?... The new bridge should definitely speed things up.

After approx. 40km I cycled on ahead of Judith who was fighting the headwind. At the 58km mark I came across a large group of Riders who had crashed, while riding together in a sort of peloton. Some were quite shaken but fortunately there were no major injuries.

I joined up with Philip (who had earlier crashed into Kyle), and rode with him. When we arrived at lunch, which was at the 75km mark, it was quite crowded, which was a first for me.

Judith arrived with the Sweep Rider and after having lunch, helped pack up the lunch stop, and together with four other riders rode the Lunch Truck to camp. Their number would increase by a further 2 riders who were picked up at the Coke Stop. I continued on with Philip, and we had coke and ice-cream at the one and only coke Stop... at 106km into the day's ride.

We saw two Giraffe and two Elephants on the day's ride. The second Elephant was right close to Camp at the finish. Our camp was a Bush Camp in the middle of nowhere, totally dry, no beers or cold drinks available (beers will only available at tomorrow's Camp in Nata)

We had the Unofficial Presentations, Chef Errol received the Yellow Jersey which he really deserves, it's not an easy task keeping over 50 people fed and ensuring they are happy at the same time!

Due to the headwind, today's ride was not an easy one, so we were off to bed early.

Cheers,
Mike T

Riders having a subdued Breakfast before leaving Muddy Camp

Be on the lookout for Elephants!

Peloton regrouping after having a little wheel touching incident

Lunch time was an uncharacteristically busy affair

Peter and Deborah have managed to get fixing punctures down to a fine art

The sun begins to set in the Botswana Bushveld

Relaxing after a hard days cycling waiting for briefing and supper

Twilight approaches at Road Camp

Errol received the Yellow Jersey from Erin and Andje

Philip enjoying the evenings meal after a tough day on the bike

Day 46 - Stage 32 - Kabalungi School to Mburo (65 km)

Main Truck packed-up, in the rain, and ready to depart.

Monday: Woke up and it was raining, we decided to have breakfast first, then to pack up the tent, but it was the wrong decision, we packed up the tent in a much heavier rain. Sometimes you win, other times you lose badly; had to pack the drenched tent into my Daily Bag! :/

As a consequence, we were the last to leave Camp, and we cycled for most of the first half in the rain. Caught up to Liz when she stopped to sample some fried cassava.

Judith couldn't wait

Day 38 - Stage26 - Lake Naivasha to Londiane (146 km)

Saturday: This was the longest day I have had on my bike so far on the Tour. The most climbing I have done since Cairo. And to say it was a tough day, would be an understatement.

The first 15 km were the same as the last 15 km from yesterday's ride, I was not a happy camper, just don't like going backwards before being allowed to go forwards, and to cap it all off, it started to rain. Once back on the main road we donned our jackets and proceeded to cycle to Londiane.

Cycled past Lake Elementaita, a soda lake (alkaline lake) in the Great Rift Valley and managed to see some zebras along the road.

We had two Coke Stops before the Lunch Truck, it was tough going and Judith was pulling big amps. After lunch she decided to climb into the Truck - she was just going too slow - with another 71 km to go, would never have made it before the sunset cut off.

Cycled through the town of Nakuru, which was quite hectic, as the traffic was all over the place, had my third Coke Stop in town. Outside of the town, came upon a major accident where a Police vehicle had crashed head-on into the side of a large truck, causing a major traffic jam and great spectator value.

Then the hills started, and I began getting slower as I attempted to finish the distance. Got to the town of Salagga and met up with Goupaul at coke stop number 4, we spent approximately 1 hour waiting for Brad the Sweep Rider to catch up with us, but he didn't materialize (he was busy looking for a perceived lost rider). While waiting, Goupaul spent his time trying to teach some of the local ladies to cycle.

We left Salagga, and then the road became much steeper, at the one major hill which was 5km in length, I must have walked 2km out of the 5km. I was just so knackered - no power left in the legs. To make it worse, when pedaling up the hills, the school kids kept on running next to me, forcing me to keep up a fast pace. Then it started raining again and I became quite water-logged.

Brad finally caught up to me, and we soon stopped for my 5th coke stop, which was at the smallest shop I had ever stopped at.

We finally hit the summit of the last hill of the day and promptly began our last descent into camp, but not before one of the locals shouted, "Bwana" (which is more a Zambian term for Mr. than the Kenyan one of "Muzungu" meaning White Man). I replied, "Yes" and he said, "Bwana, you are late!!". Never a truer word had been said in jest!

And so, I cycled down the big decent into the Kenyan Bush Camp, where on arrival, a relieved Judith greeted me with a cold beer.

I had been out on the road for nearly 12 hours, definitely a long long day for me, but at least I had completed the 146 km.

Cheers,
Mike T