The Treloar Herald : Mark

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Kasungu to Lilongwe (130km)

MALAWI

Day 78 - Mar 31 - Stage 54

Friday: We depart Kasungu with the greatest of intentions to cycle the full distance to Lilongwe, but a mean headwind disrupts Judith's plans, while both a mechanical (a slit tyre) and a physical (gout in my right knee again) intervenes for me - forcing us both to only cycle the 76km to lunch and then to take the truck to Mabuya Backpackers Camp in Lilongwe.

Carlsberg Beer on the move

As we approach Lilongwe in the morning, the traffic increases and becomes more aggressive, Judith is forced off the road at one stage by a big truck, while on another occasion I nearly get knocked over by another one!

The number of Police/Traffic Police roadblocks increases (at one stage I count three roadblocks within a 5km stretch of road). Stopping traffic in order to collect "payments" in lieu of being paid a monthly salary, seems to be prevalent in this part of Malawi.

We have a Coke Stop, Liz takes the opportunity to buy some french fries for us all, this just contributes to my ever developing Fish Bowl Syndrome - described yesterday - which seems to be getting worse!

Judith rides the last 20km to lunch with Leon the Sweep rider, the day's headwind forcing her to ride at a very slow pace. But we are not alone, a further 6 riders climb into the Lunch Truck with us.

After packing up at lunch, it's a free for all by the locals when we leave them the uneaten left over food, but it's a behavior I have come to expect from the Malawians. To be quite honest, I think it's just a true reflection of the attitude of their current politicians.

Arrive at Camp to find Mark Heim has rejoined the Tour, he left us after breaking his wrist on the last day of riding in the Sudan, it's good to see him back.

We say goodbye to Anthony Butler, Charles's Dad who leaves us to go back to work, it was great meeting up with him and we hope to see him either in Prince Albert or at his house in Cape St Francis in South Africa in the foreseeable future.

Cheers,
Mike T

Leaving Kasungu on the way to Lilongwe

Feeling major Fish Bowl Syndrome vibes at the Coke Stop

Fetching our Daily & Permanent Bags at Mabuya Backpackers' Lodge

Riders enjoying a cold beer after a tricky ride into Lilongwe

Nelson (on the left) talking to his friend Mark who rejoined us in Lilongwe after his fall in Sudan

Day 28 - Stage 24 - Rashid to Sudan Border (92 km)

Thursday: Our last stage ride in Sudan, and Judith and I both got the "Lunch Truck Bogeyman" off our shoulders, not an easy day, but a great day's riding (physiologically speaking of course).

Only cycled a short 1 km from camp on the dirt, before joining the main tar road to the Sudan/Ethiopian Border. However the tar road was very rough and potholed, but with our MTB tires and front suspension, our bikes could handle the constant road vibrations, and I was blessed with a smiling Judith for most of the day.

The ride went well, for the both of us, and even though the temperature was up in the high 40 degrees C again, we got to the lunch truck at 68 km, and continued on after lunch (although I could only eat the watermelon and no other solid food's) and finished the ride at the Sudan/Ethiopia Border.

However the day was not without incident for others, many of the riders had punctures (some had multiple punctures) or mechanical breakdowns. While a couple of riders fell ill during the ride. Mark (USA) fell off his bike and suffered a suspected wrist fracture. It can all be attributed to the bad road conditions, extreme heat of the last four days and general physiological condition.

We took it easy, had our first coke stop at 49Km, then a tea/coffee stop at 54Km, before stopping for lunch at 68Km. After lunch we had one last coke stop at 84Km, before completing the 92Km distance. At all of the stops we were accompanied by other riders, so it was quite festive out on the road today.

Once at camp, we had to separate our luggage into two bags each, one bag going by truck to Nairobi via Ethiopia, the other coming with us to Nairobi. Some riders have also left their bikes on the truck, but we decided to take ours with us to Nairobi, the risk of damage to our bikes just seems to be overly high.

Tomorrow (Friday), the riders and some of the TDA Management will be bused back to Khartoum (an eight hour bus ride) while the TDA vehicle's will cross into Ethiopia and make their way through Ethiopia, to Nairobi in Kenya.

Wynand the Lunch Truck Commander, did remind me that he will be cracking his first cold beer tomorrow evening in Ethiopia, while us other peasants have to wait another two sleepies before we get our beer privileges back, thanks Wynand!!

We will be staying at the same venue in Khartoum, as we did on our first arrival there (but we will be camping not hotel-ing). Will box our bikes, before flying to Nairobi on a Kenyan Airways flight, in the early hours of Sunday, 12th of February.

After riders briefing, we had an unofficial Section Presentation, presented by Paul Farrow, where both Judith and Liz from "Team RSA" received awards.

Judith was presented with the "Pacifier Award" (a floating trophy) for kicking her bike and using unsavory language after she had taken a tumble. While Liz was presented with the "Yellow Jersey Award" for being the most persistent rider over the last 6 day section.

It was Mark's (UK) birthday today, so we got chocolate cake with sauce after supper. Mark was also the Desert Sands Section Winner (narrowly beating Muzz by 7 minutes) so all in all, he had a great day today.

Although a bit of an anti-climax today, we are at the Ethiopian Border, but will not cross into Ethiopia, but go back to Khartoum.

More news & stories soon!

Cheers,

Mike T

British Engineering

Peter and Deborah back on tar

Basic roadside fracture mechanics (note mirror zone and hackle zone)

Muzz cycling in local attire assisting Andje with her puncture

Liz organizing water at our first Coke Stop

The ladies having some quality time

Trixie and Max - today's Sweep Rider

Austin needing some love and attention

Tea & Coffee being made

Coffee Waiter extraordinaire

Muzz explaining things to the locals

Today's lunch stop

Lunch Truck notice board

Arriving at the coke stop between lunch and finish

Lister Pump is both pumping water and running an electrical generator

Niklas keeping clean (I promised his Mother I would make sure he washed as often as possible)

Philip has developed his own form of yoga since cycling through Sudan

Liz repacking her holiday bag oblivious to those around her

Tomorrow's bus ride briefing board

Judith receiving the " Pacifier Award"

Liz receiving the "Yellow Jersey" for being the Sections most persistent / consistent rider

Day 20 - Stage 17 - Desert Sunrises, Sand Storms, & Roadkill.

Sunrise silhouette - A picture worth a thousand words !

Desert Camp to [another] Desert Camp (147 km)

Wednesday: Third day of 140km plus of riding...completed. With third night of desert camping to come...

Judith was very keen today and she was the first to leave after breakfast. We had a good ride, considering it was the third day in a row that we were cycling in excess of 140km.

Highlight of the day was when Mark (USA) found his own piece of petrified wood alongside the road (after attending a short course on how to recognize your own petrified wood specimen, by yours truly). Well done Mark. Unfortunately he had to leave it behind!

A portion of the ride was done with a favorable tail wind, however the majority of the day was spent cycling with a strong crosswind and an unfavorable desert dust/sand storm. (!!)

When we reached the Lunch Truck they were in the grips of a major sand storm, which made having lunch without sand in your food an impossibility. However it did give a new meaning to the word "sandwich"! :P

Cycled past a recently killed camel which had been involved in a head on collision with a motor vehicle, hopefully the occupants were not seriously injured. But stray animals and a lack of fencing are a major driving hazard especially at night.

We battled the last 15km against a terrible sand-bearing crosswind, made worse every time a speeding bus passed us, tossing us about in it's slipstream.

Stopped about 500m from the finish to have tea, kindly sponsored by Tom, and spent some quality time just relaxing. It was quite naughty of us, since it caused some of the TDA Management Team to come and look for us as they thought we had got lost! (Next time, finish the ride first, before enjoying the comforts of the local village).

Looking forward to our arrival in Khartoum tomorrow, and another well earned Rest Day on Friday. We will be riding to lunch, then regrouping, before riding in a convoy (escorted by the local Police) into the City Center.

Team orders are, that the slower riders ride at the front of the convoy, so tomorrow the Treloar's will be leading the Tour Group into Khartoum! Should be fun.

Cheers,
Mike T