The Treloar Herald

Luangwa Bridge to Jehovah School Camp (124km with 1 720m of climbing)

ZAMBIA

Day 83 - Luangwa Bridge to School

Started the day by climbing out from the River Camp all the way up to the Village on the top of the hill, not an ideal way to start the day, but definitely an indication of things to come.

I rode the whole way today. Judith rode to lunch on the truck (with many other riders) since most of the climbing was to be done prior to lunch, she then cycled to Camp - a very prudent decision.

It was a very hilly route, long uphills with relatively short down hills, not leaving you with much time to recover before you started climbing again. I rode with Phillip, who pulled me through, I just couldn't get on the truck while he was still around watching!!

We were met by a Welcoming Committee at the finish, and I was given a cold beer by Murray as we approached Camp, such a great serendipity moment!

I was very tired, Judith had put the tent up, so I crashed and slept for a while, before supper (missed Riders Briefing) but I was exhausted.

It was a very pleasant camping ground, the first time we had camped at a Zambian school. We were not inundated by curious children or adults. School children gave us a look, some waved and then continued with their afternoon sports practices...

Cheers,
Mike T

Steve loading bikes onto the Lunch Truck in the morning

A lot of the Riders chose to only start riding from the Lunch position so they left Camp in the Lunch Truck

The long climbs up and over the rolling Zambian hills

Main Road maintenance on the road to Lusaka

A little bit of encouragement kindly supplied by the Lunch Truck Staff

Philip enjoying his lunch

Coke Stop, but this time in a Local Bar

Welcome Committee near the Finish offering us a well earned cold beer

Camp at the Jehovah School Soccer Field

Goal post washing line very popular with TDA Riders

The Farrow's enjoying a quiet moment

This evenings dishes "Washing up Team"

Supper time enjoyed by all

The "Twilight Zone" approaches

Rain clouds gathering but thankfully staying away

A glorious Zambian sunset

Petauke to Luwanga Bridge Camp (171km + 1'410m climbing & 1'950m downhill...)

Zambia

Day 82 - Apr 4 - Stage 57

Max giving the evening's Briefing Meeting

Had a great day cycling, cycled with Philip, as Judith took Dr Helen's advice not to cycle, after yesterday's physically demanding hours of bum-on-saddle ride. Helen said she needed to rest up, so she rode on the Main Truck with a few others, to the Bridge Camp.

Wasn't an easy cycle, another 171km after yesterday's 176km, with a lot more climbing, I struggled up the hills, but have yet to meet a hill I could not simply walk! My thanks go out to Philip for his patience, and waiting for me when the going got tough.

We spent the whole day answering the local kids, whenever they shouted and inquired, "How are you ? How are you!?" This was met with a response from us of "We are fine, how are you?" Which was then followed by... silence!!

Lunch was at 80km, and after another 91km we arrived at Camp, which was situated along the Luangwa River, directly across from Mozambique.

Spent some quality time at the Bar which had a great setting and ambiance together with Judith and some of the other Riders and TDA Staff, a good ending to another tough day.

However, for all of its natural beauty and it's fantastic setting, the Camp was a major rip-off. The Owner charged us for beers at 30 Kwacha each!! We only paid 12 Kwacha at the previous Camp (We all need to put it out there on Trip Advisor). As a result hardly anyone took up a room as accommodation. It was totally overpriced. Very shortsighted of the Owner. If he had lowered the room prices... they would have all been sold out!

Anyway, off to bed & another tough day tomorrow - a shorter distance but with 1'720m of climbing, mainly in the morning.

Cheers,
Mike T

All flagging-tape leads to Camp!

Looking down from the Bar Area towards the Camp grounds

Petauke to Luangwa Bridge Camp

Tent up and waiting at Luangwa Bridge Camp

Afternoon Coke Stop with Philip

Riders enjoying the Luangwa Bridge Camp Veranda

Paul and Wendy enjoying the peace and tranquility of the Boma

Erin and Kim catching up on some social media time

Judith trying to make her point of view known, pinky-finger style.

Rupert spending some quality time with Cath and Alex

View of the Luangwa River with Mozambique on the opposite bank

Great setting for a Camp

Amarula time at the Bar

Chipata to Petauke (176km) & A New Record for Judith

ZAMBIA

Day 81 - Apr 3 - Stage 56

Local Zambian Riders (Judith in the background)

It was a very long cycling day and Judith decided to give it her best shot, and consequently... it was Judith's new personal best! She completed the 176km distance and we arrived at our destination before sunset (cut off time).

Early morning we reluctantly left Mama Rulas Camp in Chipata, it had been the best Camp so far, I would have preferred a rest day there, as opposed to the one we had in Lilongwe, but it was not to be.

The Zambian road surface was fantastic, from the dedicated bike lanes as we left Chipata, to the very smooth surface of the Great East Road, which had been rehabilitated by kind donations and loans from European Investment Bank, European Union and Agence Francaise de Development - (for which we were extremely grateful).

We cycled 81km to lunch, then a further 96km to Camp, we might of come in last, accompanied by the Sweep Rider, but we had done the distance! Briefing was already in progress when we arrived, and we appreciated the thunderous applause we received from the other Riders.

We were just too tired to Camp, so we took a room at the Lodge, had a few drinks with Murray & Andje on the veranda, and then it was off to bed.

Tomorrow is another long day with a 171km cycle to Luangwa Bridge Camp (we cross over the Bridge, then cycle to the Camp).

Cheers,
Mike T

Leaving Mama-Rula's in the morning

Turn right for Lusaka and keep going straight!

The Company's involved in the rehabilitation of The Great East Road

The great surface we were able to ride on

The morning's Coke Stop with Marie, Liz and Sweep Rider Helen

Leaving the Lunch Truck for the second half of the day's riding

The afternoons Coke Stop with Liz

Charcoal Sellers on the side of the road

Sweep Rider Max shadowing Judith on her new Personal Best Day of 176 km

Part of the Great East Road was only open to Cyclists and Cattle

Lilongwe to Chipata [Mama Rulas Camp] (152km with 800m climbing)

MALAWI - ZAMBIA

Day 80 - Apr 2 - Stage 55

Left Lilongwe after an average type of Rest Day, fortunately it was a Sunday, so the traffic was relatively quiet as we passed through the CBD of the City on our way to the next Country, Zambia - which we were both looking forward to visiting since it is the land of my birth.

I wanted to see how much the Country had changed, and it has been 50 years since I left the then young Independent Republic, and immigrated with my parents Ken and May Treloar, to South Africa. My parents had been in the then "Northern Rhodesia", since 1945 after the Second World War, and left to go South in 1967. I had not been back officially to Zambia since then.

After riding 80km, Judith got on the TDA Cruiser to rather ride to the Border, as she felt she would hold the border crossing procedures up by getting there too late if she continued cycling, a wise decision as we were actually running late.

The Malawian kids were still shouting, "Give me my money" which had by now become quite boring, although I did get a, "Give me my cell phone" which was soon followed by a, "Give me my bike". Hell, what was I expected to do, donate my bike to some kid and then walk to Cape Town!??

After lunch, I cycled the 42km to the Border, but had a Coke Stop on the way with Liz, Marie and Helen the Sweep Rider. Once at the Border, crossing out of Malawi and into Zambia was absolutely painless.

On the Zambian side, the Immigration Official noticed from my passport that I was Zambian born, and said, "Welcome back to Zambia!" How cool was that!

Amazingly once across the Border, the call of "Give me money" by the kids immediately stopped! It was replaced by a chirpy, "Mzungu, how are you?" What an absolute pleasure....

The road surface on the Zambian side was just perfect, rode the final 30km to the Camp with Marie, who kindly allowed me to draught behind her for the complete 30km, and she didn't cycle slowly either, we averaged a decent 30 km/hr!

Arrived at the Mama Rulas Camp, had a few beers while I waited for Judith to arrive (she was with some of the TDA Staff doing some shopping in Chipata) before doing my tent erection duties. We decided to camp as it didn't look like it was going to rain.

Mama Rulas Camp had a great Bar, named "The Pit Stop", the beers were relatively cheap, cold, and plentiful, and a good time was had by all.

A local Indian fellow came to the Camp to assist us in changing our money from Malawian Kwacha to Zambian Kwacha, or to exchange US Dollars for Zambian Kwacha. Some of the Riders said he looked like my Brother, but just from another Mother!

Of all the Camps we had camped in so far on the Tour, Mama Rulas was one of the best we have encountered, and hopefully a taste of things to come in Zambia.

Tomorrow is a long day, 176km from Chipata to Petauke, don't know what Judith is going to do, will she ride the whole distance or only part of it? Tomorrow will tell.

Cheers,
Mike T