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Ok, so on a different note, here I am almost finished riding Tanzania! I'm in Mbyea, a town of about 200,000 people which lies (of course) in a mountain range. We've just finished riding an 8 day section of dirt roads from Arusha to here. They were hard, for sure. But not hard enough for me. So, what did I do? I rode the whole section in two gears. And climbed a mountain in one gear. Just to see if I could. And I did. But guess what? My legs hurt. A lot. The whole section was probably my favourite section so far. All of the colours here are so vivid! There is green everywhere and animals a-plenty. Well, insects a plenty. I have really only seen one warthog while cycling. I have seen a ton of cool bugs, mind you. There are a ton of ants that streak across the road like black veins, numerous large caterpillars, a ton of butterflies and moths, lots of praying mantises (manti?), some snakes (which I've only ever seen squashed on the road) and just generally a lot of cool stuff. Oh, did I mention how green it is? Ya, it's green. When I cycle by the long grass, it actually looks illuminated a-la-Avatar. The flowers as well. It's just so green! Along our route, there is also a ton of farming (green). There are corn fields and tobacco fields everywhere. It seems to be a great source of income for the country. The people are very nice along the road as well. They all pass by and yell "Poa, poa" (Good, good in swahili) and give you a thumbs up, or stop to help you fix the 26 punctures you've had.
The weather is the only bad part of this section. It's the rainy season here, so it rains every day. Now, the rain during the ride is actually a lot of fun. It just teams rain down on you. I mean it absolutely pours. And it's nice. It cools you down and cleans your bike a bit. The downside is that the roads become mud and I mean deep mud. The kind of mud you step in and lose your shoes. And that mud gets thrown upon you and your bike and in your eyes, nose, mouth and whatever else is exposed. Somehow it even gets under your clothes. Still, not too bad. It's fun to feel so dirty after a hard day of riding. What sucks is not having a shower for the next 8 days. Then waking up to a soaking wet tent and putting on soaking wet cycling kit and shoes. Then you pack up your wet tent and eat breakfast in the rain. Then when you start cycling, your bike weighs 20 pounds more than normal because you're collecting mud like it's rare. Then you climb uphill (always) and your back tire spins and it takes you twice as long to get up said hill. That is unless you've stopped and fallen over because your tires can't turn in the mud. Now, again, I sound like I'm bitching, but I love it. I don't mind being dirty and my sleeping bag is not wet (thank you army and Goretex) so I just ride it out like any other day. Overall, I have really loved Tanzania.
On another different note, thanks to all for the encouraging comments after my last post. I never expected such a response. The post wasn't meant to be a grab for compliments, just a view into my headspace at the time. However, I have renewed confidence in my journey after such a flood of positive words. I really could not do this without the help from you guys. It's very encouraging to check e-mail after 8 days and find a slew of people offering a helping hand or a thoughtful word. Also, I have received a few compliments from some riders on how strong I've become on the bike. Even Horst (#2 racer) said he is proud to see me ride now. So, thank you all again for all you've done for me. It has really made a difference. Anyway, I have to head off an eat. Must fuel the furnace. So, I leave you all with a thank you and some more random stats.
Punctures to date: 26
Total mileage: 6400km
Number of showers to date: 8
Parts worn out on bike: chain x1, cassette x1, crankset x1, brakeset x1, tires x1, front wheel bearing x1, rear wheel bearing x2, derailleur jockey wheel x1
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Friday, March 18, 2011
50%
I made it. Well, I made it halfway. That's a good start for me considering my longest ride was 60km prior to this tour. 5530km of pure awesome. This trip has been incredible. I have seen so many things I never thought I'd see and done things I thought impossible. However, this trip does leave me a little... well, worried.
I came on this tour with the goal of discovering myself. So far, that has been an abysmal failure. I know nothing more than I did two months ago. All I've done is exercise. Lots of exercise, mind you, but still just exercise. It seems everyone on this tour is experiencing the same phenomenon. Many people decided to do this tour with the same intention as myself. They have left their jobs in search of new meaning or a new start. But as I've found, you just get wrapped up in this little TDA bubble, where everyone thinks like you. You spend more time with these people than your family, usually, and you feel like it's never going to end. Unfortunately, in another 50%, the bubble will burst and it will end. And then what? I will come back to a world where I have no job, no money and a little bit of debt to settle. Now, the debt doesn't scare me, the lack of job does. I have a few opportunities, but as far as career goes, I am at a total loss. I don't really want to do the mechanic thing, so the army is feasible. However, the army is still just another facet of the government and I really hate all the bureaucracy. So, really I find myself stuck in the same place as I was two months ago. Now, don't read into this as a failure. I think this trip will be one of the best things I've ever done. I've loved every day of it and will probably love every day to come. My attitude has just sort of shifted into this bubble that I forget has to end sometime. Anyway, I've come full circle in this point. I'm stuck in the same mental place that I was before, only now I'm there with 60 others. Also, after such a long time cycling, I still have no calves. That was another goal, but I didn't see that being accomplished anyway. Thanks, genetics.
So, I have really been thinking whilst I cycle along: What am I going to make of myself? Only time will tell. I have two months left to sort myself out and figure out what is going to happen. I do know this: I am capable, durable, stubborn, efficient and really good at spinning my legs in a circle. If anyone has any ideas for a good job, please let me know.
On a much less serious note, I went on safari here in Arusha, Tanzania. It was awesome. I went to the Ngorongoro crater, which is home to about 20,000 animals within a 265 square kilometer area. It's like a zoo, only it's not because it's their natural habitat. I saw lions, cheetah, zebra, rhino, elephants, pumba (warthog), buffalo, wildebeest, hyena, hippo, gazelle, kudu and all sorts of crazy birds. I actually ate lunch right near some hippo. They are huge! And my first elephant sighting was right out of Marsabit, a few weeks ago. I didn't mention it, as I had other things on my mind, but it was awesome! I came cycling up a hill and there was a huge bull elephant on a hill about 20m to my right. I just stared in awe. It was only about 5km out of town and I never expected it to be there! I've also seen giraffe in the past few days, but only from a car. It was getting to the point where everyone had seen a giraffe on their bikes except me, so I was ready to see a dinosaur before I saw a giraffe. But, good news: They're not extinct. They're just surprisingly hard to see. The vegetation can get incredibly dense here, now that is actually rains. In fact, I experienced rain for the first time in two months only two days ago. It was a weird feeling seeing clouds again.
Anyway, I have to head off. I have a bike to fix and more eating to do. I will post again in 8 days, after a long section of dirt. Hopefully I will make it unscathed. So, until next time everyone!
Danimal
I came on this tour with the goal of discovering myself. So far, that has been an abysmal failure. I know nothing more than I did two months ago. All I've done is exercise. Lots of exercise, mind you, but still just exercise. It seems everyone on this tour is experiencing the same phenomenon. Many people decided to do this tour with the same intention as myself. They have left their jobs in search of new meaning or a new start. But as I've found, you just get wrapped up in this little TDA bubble, where everyone thinks like you. You spend more time with these people than your family, usually, and you feel like it's never going to end. Unfortunately, in another 50%, the bubble will burst and it will end. And then what? I will come back to a world where I have no job, no money and a little bit of debt to settle. Now, the debt doesn't scare me, the lack of job does. I have a few opportunities, but as far as career goes, I am at a total loss. I don't really want to do the mechanic thing, so the army is feasible. However, the army is still just another facet of the government and I really hate all the bureaucracy. So, really I find myself stuck in the same place as I was two months ago. Now, don't read into this as a failure. I think this trip will be one of the best things I've ever done. I've loved every day of it and will probably love every day to come. My attitude has just sort of shifted into this bubble that I forget has to end sometime. Anyway, I've come full circle in this point. I'm stuck in the same mental place that I was before, only now I'm there with 60 others. Also, after such a long time cycling, I still have no calves. That was another goal, but I didn't see that being accomplished anyway. Thanks, genetics.
So, I have really been thinking whilst I cycle along: What am I going to make of myself? Only time will tell. I have two months left to sort myself out and figure out what is going to happen. I do know this: I am capable, durable, stubborn, efficient and really good at spinning my legs in a circle. If anyone has any ideas for a good job, please let me know.
On a much less serious note, I went on safari here in Arusha, Tanzania. It was awesome. I went to the Ngorongoro crater, which is home to about 20,000 animals within a 265 square kilometer area. It's like a zoo, only it's not because it's their natural habitat. I saw lions, cheetah, zebra, rhino, elephants, pumba (warthog), buffalo, wildebeest, hyena, hippo, gazelle, kudu and all sorts of crazy birds. I actually ate lunch right near some hippo. They are huge! And my first elephant sighting was right out of Marsabit, a few weeks ago. I didn't mention it, as I had other things on my mind, but it was awesome! I came cycling up a hill and there was a huge bull elephant on a hill about 20m to my right. I just stared in awe. It was only about 5km out of town and I never expected it to be there! I've also seen giraffe in the past few days, but only from a car. It was getting to the point where everyone had seen a giraffe on their bikes except me, so I was ready to see a dinosaur before I saw a giraffe. But, good news: They're not extinct. They're just surprisingly hard to see. The vegetation can get incredibly dense here, now that is actually rains. In fact, I experienced rain for the first time in two months only two days ago. It was a weird feeling seeing clouds again.
Anyway, I have to head off. I have a bike to fix and more eating to do. I will post again in 8 days, after a long section of dirt. Hopefully I will make it unscathed. So, until next time everyone!
Danimal
Carnivore
So, I have safely arrived in Nairobbery. The city is pretty large with not a whole lot to see. People call it Nairobbery for a multitude of reasons:
1. It's very violent. You can't really go out at night. At all.
2. You pay a massive tourist tax. Everything is hugely expensive. It feels like robbery without the excitement.
Anyway, it was nice to be in a real city again. The people seem reasonably friendly. I didn't venture far from the campsite because I was exhausted from the previous week's events. I went to supermarket nearby to purchase some dairy products. I have been missing dairy a lot recently. There is really no milk to speak of farther north than Nairobi, and what is there is not pasturized. So, my meals consisted of yogurt, ice cream and coffee with a lot of milk. In fact, I ate 1L of chocolate yogurt with chocolate frosted flakes in it for lunch and a snack. I had a real craving. However, I have a main point of this post: Carnivore.
So, Carnivore restaurant. My dream come true. I was ready to stop the tour and just live at this place. It's heaven. It is a restaurant with a flat fee for dinner (about $30USD), and worth every penny. It's all-you-can-eat meat. And all sorts of different kinds of meat. A lot of people went to this place that night. I would guess 20 of us. I just don't think the staff knew what was coming. We had all just come off a 7 day stretch of riding in some hard dirt and were looking forward to a huge meal and some beers. I bet I turned them non-profit for the night. I ate more than 2kg of meat, and probably closer to 3kg. Easily. I ate all different kinds of meat that night. The list is as follows:
1. Ox testicle (very good, actually)
2. Ostrich meatballs
3. Camel steak
4. Lamb roast
5. Turkey
6. Chicken breast
7. Chicken liver
8. Beef steak
9. Pork spare ribs
10. Pork sausages
11. Crocodile
12. Lamb sausages
It was awesome. The waiters just come around with huge skewers of different meats and ask you if you want some. Of course I did. You know what's a bad idea on their part? Letting me loose into an all-you-can-eat spot after a week of riding and no real steak to speak of for two months. So, I did what any red-blooded bodybuilder would do. I got into an eating competition with somebody else (come on, what did you expect?) Myself and a guy named Scott ate ourselves stupid. The staff actually made an attempt at cutting us off the meat, which we would have none of. We did end up stopping the eating after almost 3 hours because the other 18 people were waiting to order desert. However, you guys will be proud, I maintain my "I can eat the most of anyone on the tour" status. If the Danimal was born with tear ducts, I would have cried tears of joy. When people speak of disaster as "a bull in a china shop", they have clearly not seen a Danimal in a buffet. I'm pretty sure kids were crying at the devastation I left behind. And I take pride in helping do some animal control in this country.
On a different note, my brakes arrived in Nairobi. I have to give a huge shout-out to Bushtukah for getting me these parts. The brakes are Avid BB5 mechanical disc brakes, which is an upgrade from my previous set-up. They came with rotors, calipers, pads, mounting brackets, and even spare pads! I can not thank these guys enough for the parts sent over seas. It would be hard to finish a tour with no brakes, although sometimes I'm not going fast enough to need them. However, thanks again Bushtukah for hooking me up with these parts.
So, I keep promising pictures, which will most certainly be delivered, just not right now. I will post again later today, but I just wanted to write about Carnivore. To be honest, that's as far as my trip planning went and now I'm lost. However, apparently there are more animals to eat the farther south I go, so I will keep you all updated. Until then, here are some random stats.
Total distance: 5210km (5530 for the tour, due to my sick day and robbery convoy)
Total punctures: 16
Top speed to date: 76km/h
Types of animal eaten on tour: 10 (I had pigeon in Egypt)
Hours in the saddle: 240
Until next time,
Danimal
1. It's very violent. You can't really go out at night. At all.
2. You pay a massive tourist tax. Everything is hugely expensive. It feels like robbery without the excitement.
Anyway, it was nice to be in a real city again. The people seem reasonably friendly. I didn't venture far from the campsite because I was exhausted from the previous week's events. I went to supermarket nearby to purchase some dairy products. I have been missing dairy a lot recently. There is really no milk to speak of farther north than Nairobi, and what is there is not pasturized. So, my meals consisted of yogurt, ice cream and coffee with a lot of milk. In fact, I ate 1L of chocolate yogurt with chocolate frosted flakes in it for lunch and a snack. I had a real craving. However, I have a main point of this post: Carnivore.
So, Carnivore restaurant. My dream come true. I was ready to stop the tour and just live at this place. It's heaven. It is a restaurant with a flat fee for dinner (about $30USD), and worth every penny. It's all-you-can-eat meat. And all sorts of different kinds of meat. A lot of people went to this place that night. I would guess 20 of us. I just don't think the staff knew what was coming. We had all just come off a 7 day stretch of riding in some hard dirt and were looking forward to a huge meal and some beers. I bet I turned them non-profit for the night. I ate more than 2kg of meat, and probably closer to 3kg. Easily. I ate all different kinds of meat that night. The list is as follows:
1. Ox testicle (very good, actually)
2. Ostrich meatballs
3. Camel steak
4. Lamb roast
5. Turkey
6. Chicken breast
7. Chicken liver
8. Beef steak
9. Pork spare ribs
10. Pork sausages
11. Crocodile
12. Lamb sausages
It was awesome. The waiters just come around with huge skewers of different meats and ask you if you want some. Of course I did. You know what's a bad idea on their part? Letting me loose into an all-you-can-eat spot after a week of riding and no real steak to speak of for two months. So, I did what any red-blooded bodybuilder would do. I got into an eating competition with somebody else (come on, what did you expect?) Myself and a guy named Scott ate ourselves stupid. The staff actually made an attempt at cutting us off the meat, which we would have none of. We did end up stopping the eating after almost 3 hours because the other 18 people were waiting to order desert. However, you guys will be proud, I maintain my "I can eat the most of anyone on the tour" status. If the Danimal was born with tear ducts, I would have cried tears of joy. When people speak of disaster as "a bull in a china shop", they have clearly not seen a Danimal in a buffet. I'm pretty sure kids were crying at the devastation I left behind. And I take pride in helping do some animal control in this country.
On a different note, my brakes arrived in Nairobi. I have to give a huge shout-out to Bushtukah for getting me these parts. The brakes are Avid BB5 mechanical disc brakes, which is an upgrade from my previous set-up. They came with rotors, calipers, pads, mounting brackets, and even spare pads! I can not thank these guys enough for the parts sent over seas. It would be hard to finish a tour with no brakes, although sometimes I'm not going fast enough to need them. However, thanks again Bushtukah for hooking me up with these parts.
So, I keep promising pictures, which will most certainly be delivered, just not right now. I will post again later today, but I just wanted to write about Carnivore. To be honest, that's as far as my trip planning went and now I'm lost. However, apparently there are more animals to eat the farther south I go, so I will keep you all updated. Until then, here are some random stats.
Total distance: 5210km (5530 for the tour, due to my sick day and robbery convoy)
Total punctures: 16
Top speed to date: 76km/h
Types of animal eaten on tour: 10 (I had pigeon in Egypt)
Hours in the saddle: 240
Until next time,
Danimal
Sunday, March 13, 2011
In light of the heavy previous post...
So, I know that was heavy for some people to read. But before that whole incident transpired, I decided to write a letter due to the difficulty of the ride that day. Here it is:
Dear Headwind,
I get it.
Sincerely,
Daniel
Dear Headwind,
I get it.
Sincerely,
Daniel
Daniel the Bullet Dodger.
So, this will be a long post, but worth reading.
9 March, 2011: Today started the same as any other day. I woke up early to get some coffee into me because yesterday had been 115km on some very tough dirt. I was a little groggy and tired, so I figured I would take the ride pretty easy. It was going to be a long ride anyway, somewhere around 160km. Anyway, after breakfast, I set off with Ruth (UK) to start the ride. It was slow going as there was a wicked headwind, but I knew it was going to be a long ride anyway. About 40km into the day, Ruth and I rolled up on 3 other riders, Peter, Christine and Kim. They stopped us in the road and said that they had seen a very aggressive man hurl a rock at Kendra, another rider. We figured we'd wait for a few more riders and cycle past as a group to avoid confrontation. Seemed like a good idea. So, as Pierre, a fellow Canadian rider rolled up on us, we explained the situation. He seemed to agree that riding in a group would be a good idea. So, we decided to pee in the woods first and then roll on. And then it hit the fan. In a big way. As the women strolled farther in the woods than the men (I was basically peeing on the road), there was a loud bang. My heart sank. I had heard that noise before. That was a gunshot. Unmistakeably a 7.62mm round. I looked back into the woods to see two men with rifles running out towards the road. Two more bangs. This was no accident. These rounds were directed at us. Thank god not aimed directly as us, but certainly in our direction. I looked into the woods to see Christine standing, with an AK47 pointed right in her face. Thankfully, she pushed the barrel aside as two more shots were fired. Then two more men appeared. So, we have a total of 4 men now, two with AK47s, two with HK G3s. The ladies then came running out of the woods followed by two of the men. More shots fired. As the confusion finally cleared into fearful understanding, I actually thought I was going to die. From where I was standing on the road, it looked to me like Christine had been shot in the face (thankfully she hadn't been).
So, this was now a clear robbery. More cyclists had heard the shots and turned around to go and notify the staff behind us about 600m. We could actually see them standing on the top of a hill, watching at a safe distance. Many of them had heard the 12 or so shots fired and wisely stayed away. Anyway, our attackers were yelling in Swahili, which I clearly do not understand. I was trying to communicate with them, my hands held over my head. They were having none of it. The ladies were sitting on the side of the highway, which was clearly not what they wanted, so they hit Christine in temple with the barrel of one of the AKs. She fell over, now bleeding out of her head. They hit Ruth as well, who was still wearing her helmet, so no damage. I was yelling to see if everyone was ok. Then I was motioned over my the main robber, who was wearing a traditional orange skirt and headdress, but no shirt. We shall refer to him as attacker 1 (original, I know). Anyway, he wanted my Camelbak, which I gladly gave him. He motioned for the other riders to hand over their bags as well. The attackers were clearly not pros as they were incredibly shaky and waving their weapons all over the place. I was worried about a slippery finger and someone taking a stray round. I continuously motioned that we did not understand and for them to calm down and point their weapons down. So, I collected a saddle bag from Pierre and my Camelbak and handed it to attacker 1. He started sorting it on the side of the road and then ran into the woods to meet two other attackers. The two guys in the woods sorted out everyone's bags while attacker 1 came back and started searching people. I had my camera in one of my jersey pockets, which I was NOT losing (it's not mine). So, I lay down on the road on top of my camera. I figured they weren't going to do a proper search of people anyway. I kept the others calm, instructing them to lay down and just cooperate. I yelled and checked to sure Christine was ok, despite her head wound. She was fine. They took a few energy bars from Peter and gave him a sharp barrel-prod despite being cooperative. The attackers continued to yell orders in Swahili, which I tried to understand, to no avail. Anyway, they kept us on the highway for about 30 minutes. In this time, not a single car passed. No other person came near, thankfully. Attacker 1 came back and gave Christine a sharp kick in the side as she was lying face down. She must have been in shock, because she doesn't remember it, nor does she remember how many of the robbers there were. So, attacker 1 and another guy kept sorting out our gear. Anyway, they made everyone lay down and then ran off in the bushes. I told everyone to sit tight for a minute and make sure they were gone. They were. Finally. I stood up and began to tend to Christine's head wound (Ian, you would be proud). Once her head was clean, I wandered into the woods to see what I could salvage of what they took.
Now this is where I get confused. They didn't take a lot. They took my wallet with about $40US worth of local currency, my old crappy MP3 player (sorry Simon, you can't have that), my BIQ knife (lots of sentimental value), my sunscreen, my pens and my hand sanitizer (which I hope they drink). However, they left my headlamp, medical kit, Camelbak bladder (although they took the water) and backpack. So, once I collected everyone's stuff with the help of Peter, I headed back to the road to check on Christine. She was ok, but very shaken up. Then Megan came cycling back from ahead of us, in tears. She told us Kendra had been shot. My heart sank again. That was totally plausible now, as we had just had been fired upon wildly. So, I hoped on my bike with everyone and we headed off to see Kendra. I had heard she had kept cycling, which gave me comfort that she had not been shot. You don't get hit with a 7.62 and keep cycling. You drop dead. Anyway, we headed to see her. I had begun to give directions as to what to do when we came upon Kendra, because I wasn't sure people would be able to deal with it. However, when we came to where she was supposed to be, she was gone. Apparently a car had picked her up and taken her to the local health centre. So, we headed off to the town about 8km away to see what was up. In the end, she had not been shot. The rock that had been hurled at her had connected, cut her back so she was bleeding and broken a rib.
So, in the end, everyone was fine. Christine has a cut on her head and Ruth is pretty shaken up, but we're all ok. Nobody got shot. And I made it out with my camera :). So, now I have to thank some people. First off: TDA staff. Their response to this incident was incredible. Our tour director got the military involved, drove all the cyclists to camp, arranged medical treatment and arranged armed escorts for everyone. It was great. We were allowed to use a satellite phone to call our families. I cannot commend them enough for what they did. It was incredibly helpful. I would also like to thank Daniel Pilliard for cycling back and telling the staff what was happening. Patrick Peeters for his relaying of information on Kendra's state.
Now, I hate to do this, but I was pressured into it. Matt Paradine insisted I mention myself. I know I'm a cocky ass and I love myself, but this is not normally what I do. He wanted me to mention that my actions saved lives that day. Boys, mom, dad, you would have been proud of me. He said I kept the whole situation calm, cool and collected. I was somewhat helpful in treating Christine's wound, and very helpful in keeping people from getting shot. Ruth has also said that if she is ever in a crisis, she wants me to be there. So, I'm sorry for mentioning myself, but Matt is insisting. I'll add that my military training was worth every miserable second of basic training. It was very helpful in keeping my panicked ass from breaking down.
So, in the end, everyone got out ok. Nobody lost anything really important and we carried on the next day with business as usual. Now I have an awesome story to tell everyone. Also, for anyone that ever worries about me, remember what I say: the Danimal can't die.
Until forever,
Danimal
9 March, 2011: Today started the same as any other day. I woke up early to get some coffee into me because yesterday had been 115km on some very tough dirt. I was a little groggy and tired, so I figured I would take the ride pretty easy. It was going to be a long ride anyway, somewhere around 160km. Anyway, after breakfast, I set off with Ruth (UK) to start the ride. It was slow going as there was a wicked headwind, but I knew it was going to be a long ride anyway. About 40km into the day, Ruth and I rolled up on 3 other riders, Peter, Christine and Kim. They stopped us in the road and said that they had seen a very aggressive man hurl a rock at Kendra, another rider. We figured we'd wait for a few more riders and cycle past as a group to avoid confrontation. Seemed like a good idea. So, as Pierre, a fellow Canadian rider rolled up on us, we explained the situation. He seemed to agree that riding in a group would be a good idea. So, we decided to pee in the woods first and then roll on. And then it hit the fan. In a big way. As the women strolled farther in the woods than the men (I was basically peeing on the road), there was a loud bang. My heart sank. I had heard that noise before. That was a gunshot. Unmistakeably a 7.62mm round. I looked back into the woods to see two men with rifles running out towards the road. Two more bangs. This was no accident. These rounds were directed at us. Thank god not aimed directly as us, but certainly in our direction. I looked into the woods to see Christine standing, with an AK47 pointed right in her face. Thankfully, she pushed the barrel aside as two more shots were fired. Then two more men appeared. So, we have a total of 4 men now, two with AK47s, two with HK G3s. The ladies then came running out of the woods followed by two of the men. More shots fired. As the confusion finally cleared into fearful understanding, I actually thought I was going to die. From where I was standing on the road, it looked to me like Christine had been shot in the face (thankfully she hadn't been).
So, this was now a clear robbery. More cyclists had heard the shots and turned around to go and notify the staff behind us about 600m. We could actually see them standing on the top of a hill, watching at a safe distance. Many of them had heard the 12 or so shots fired and wisely stayed away. Anyway, our attackers were yelling in Swahili, which I clearly do not understand. I was trying to communicate with them, my hands held over my head. They were having none of it. The ladies were sitting on the side of the highway, which was clearly not what they wanted, so they hit Christine in temple with the barrel of one of the AKs. She fell over, now bleeding out of her head. They hit Ruth as well, who was still wearing her helmet, so no damage. I was yelling to see if everyone was ok. Then I was motioned over my the main robber, who was wearing a traditional orange skirt and headdress, but no shirt. We shall refer to him as attacker 1 (original, I know). Anyway, he wanted my Camelbak, which I gladly gave him. He motioned for the other riders to hand over their bags as well. The attackers were clearly not pros as they were incredibly shaky and waving their weapons all over the place. I was worried about a slippery finger and someone taking a stray round. I continuously motioned that we did not understand and for them to calm down and point their weapons down. So, I collected a saddle bag from Pierre and my Camelbak and handed it to attacker 1. He started sorting it on the side of the road and then ran into the woods to meet two other attackers. The two guys in the woods sorted out everyone's bags while attacker 1 came back and started searching people. I had my camera in one of my jersey pockets, which I was NOT losing (it's not mine). So, I lay down on the road on top of my camera. I figured they weren't going to do a proper search of people anyway. I kept the others calm, instructing them to lay down and just cooperate. I yelled and checked to sure Christine was ok, despite her head wound. She was fine. They took a few energy bars from Peter and gave him a sharp barrel-prod despite being cooperative. The attackers continued to yell orders in Swahili, which I tried to understand, to no avail. Anyway, they kept us on the highway for about 30 minutes. In this time, not a single car passed. No other person came near, thankfully. Attacker 1 came back and gave Christine a sharp kick in the side as she was lying face down. She must have been in shock, because she doesn't remember it, nor does she remember how many of the robbers there were. So, attacker 1 and another guy kept sorting out our gear. Anyway, they made everyone lay down and then ran off in the bushes. I told everyone to sit tight for a minute and make sure they were gone. They were. Finally. I stood up and began to tend to Christine's head wound (Ian, you would be proud). Once her head was clean, I wandered into the woods to see what I could salvage of what they took.
Now this is where I get confused. They didn't take a lot. They took my wallet with about $40US worth of local currency, my old crappy MP3 player (sorry Simon, you can't have that), my BIQ knife (lots of sentimental value), my sunscreen, my pens and my hand sanitizer (which I hope they drink). However, they left my headlamp, medical kit, Camelbak bladder (although they took the water) and backpack. So, once I collected everyone's stuff with the help of Peter, I headed back to the road to check on Christine. She was ok, but very shaken up. Then Megan came cycling back from ahead of us, in tears. She told us Kendra had been shot. My heart sank again. That was totally plausible now, as we had just had been fired upon wildly. So, I hoped on my bike with everyone and we headed off to see Kendra. I had heard she had kept cycling, which gave me comfort that she had not been shot. You don't get hit with a 7.62 and keep cycling. You drop dead. Anyway, we headed to see her. I had begun to give directions as to what to do when we came upon Kendra, because I wasn't sure people would be able to deal with it. However, when we came to where she was supposed to be, she was gone. Apparently a car had picked her up and taken her to the local health centre. So, we headed off to the town about 8km away to see what was up. In the end, she had not been shot. The rock that had been hurled at her had connected, cut her back so she was bleeding and broken a rib.
So, in the end, everyone was fine. Christine has a cut on her head and Ruth is pretty shaken up, but we're all ok. Nobody got shot. And I made it out with my camera :). So, now I have to thank some people. First off: TDA staff. Their response to this incident was incredible. Our tour director got the military involved, drove all the cyclists to camp, arranged medical treatment and arranged armed escorts for everyone. It was great. We were allowed to use a satellite phone to call our families. I cannot commend them enough for what they did. It was incredibly helpful. I would also like to thank Daniel Pilliard for cycling back and telling the staff what was happening. Patrick Peeters for his relaying of information on Kendra's state.
Now, I hate to do this, but I was pressured into it. Matt Paradine insisted I mention myself. I know I'm a cocky ass and I love myself, but this is not normally what I do. He wanted me to mention that my actions saved lives that day. Boys, mom, dad, you would have been proud of me. He said I kept the whole situation calm, cool and collected. I was somewhat helpful in treating Christine's wound, and very helpful in keeping people from getting shot. Ruth has also said that if she is ever in a crisis, she wants me to be there. So, I'm sorry for mentioning myself, but Matt is insisting. I'll add that my military training was worth every miserable second of basic training. It was very helpful in keeping my panicked ass from breaking down.
So, in the end, everyone got out ok. Nobody lost anything really important and we carried on the next day with business as usual. Now I have an awesome story to tell everyone. Also, for anyone that ever worries about me, remember what I say: the Danimal can't die.
Until forever,
Danimal
Monday, March 7, 2011
Goodbye, Ethiopia!
Hello again everybody!
So, here I am in Marsabit, Kenya (read: nowhere). The group has just completed the most difficult section of the whole tour. And it was hard. Harder than I imagined. There were sections of road that you can't really call road. It was actually easier to ride off the road than on. There were lava rocks everywhere. The place looks like Mars. Black volcanic rocks sitting on top of red sand. It was really neat. After 9 hours on a bike, though, it gets a little tedious. Especially 3 days in a row. I have completed it, though. And I made it look good :P More on that in a bit.
So, my final rest day in Ethiopia was in a town called Arba Minch. Where there was nothing to do. There was a lot of wildlife, though. We camped at the edge of a cliff where baboons lived and they tromped though our camp every now and again. There were also these huge storks called Maribou storks, aka undertaker storks. Ther are huge! They stand about 1m tall and look like they're vultures wearing a suit, hence the undertaker storks. Anyway, this town was awful. The hotel had no water or electricity, despite being right beside two giant lakes and another hotel which had both. The service was terrible and the staff was very rude.
So, Ethiopia, what can I say? I will never, ever come back. The countryside is beautiful. Every piece of land is awesome. Just anything that speaks is very... well, annoying. Every service I had received was poor. Every interaction with anyone was miserable and mean-spirited (with the exception of 11... That's right, you can actually count the good times). And every single person you passed on the road either threw rocks at you or tried to push a stick through your spokes or push you off your bike. In fact, in the last days, we actually had a rider pushed off his bike by a passer-by. I'm sorry to say, the people here are very unfriendly. And as I said before, I hate to generalize. I give everyone a fair chance. But when it comes down to changing a flat on the side of the road and people are trying to steal things out of your bag, I draw the line. In fact, the last week of riding in Ethiopia, we had all had enough. Once the rocks were thrown, we dismounted and gave chase (exactly the opposite of our tour directions). The people scatter when they realize you are a person and not just a vehicle. Usually, the locals would run so fast, they would literally run out of their shoes. So, what to do? Take the shoes and give them to someone down the road. I know some people are reading this thinking "That's so terrible, I would never do that!" Guess what? You would. I thought that when I started cycling in the country. Then you receive 2 weeks of rocks and other projectiles (ranging from sugar cane to cow dung) and your opinion changes. I'm living proof. Anyway, I'm glad to be gone, never to return. You, you, you, you, you, money, money, money, money!!! Good riddance.
So, finally I crossed into Kenya. The border crossing on the Ethiopian side was tedious. The border is closed from 1300-1500. Well, in Ethiopian time, that's actually 1145-1515. So, I sat around waiting to be cleared out. Finally I was, and into Kenya. The in-processing for Kenya took 10 minutes. It was wonderful. The whole atmosphere changed just as quickly as when I entered the country. Everyone was happy again. So, we camped our first night and then set off on the hardest section of the tour. The terrain was miserable. 3 days of dirt, deep sand, large rocks, uphills, everything you could imagine, combined into one road. But it was a blast. It was thrilling to know that I had just conquered the demon. The 9 hours or so per day on a bike was tedious, but it builds character (right dad)? You spend most of the time off your saddle anyway, trying to control your bike. I am ready to try bull riding after these roads! You bounce around these giant lava rocks in the sweltering heat trying to ignore the pain in your hands, arms, head, bum and teeth. At least you can rest when you get to camp after most of the day going 8 or 9 km/h. You can't really understand until you see pictures, which I will not post now because it takes years. Anyway, I did pretty well. I came in all 3 days in the front of the pack (after the racers of course).
So, now I start a 5 day stretch into Nairobi. It will be easier than the dirt "roads" of previous days, but my body is hurting anyway. Nairobi is supposed to be a town where you can buy most things you get in the West. My list includes protein bars, tire tubes and levers, steak and a laundrymat. My sleeping bag is beginning to smell really, really bad, even after spraying it with alcohol. Bushtukah has been kind enough to donate a full wheelset and brakes for my bike, which is good, because this distance is not easy on the parts. This is greatly appreciated by myself, as all of these parts are failing as we speak. The parts are being shipped to Nairobi, where I can finally replace my worn bearings. Thanks again, Bushtukah. But no thank you DHL. My brakes alone are costing $400 to ship over.
Anyway, I have a broken bike to clean and a sore bum to pad. So, thanks everyone. I hope this installment was slightly more humourous than prior entries. "Are you not entertained?!?!" (Voiced from Gladiator) So, I leave you all with some stats.
Total distance: 4700km
Total climbing in Ethiopia: 20,380m
Showers to date: 5
Falls off my bike: 3 (No injuries. It doesn't hurt when you fall going 5-10km/h)
Time spent on saddle to date: 210 hrs.
Time spent being awesome: 211 hrs.
Until next time,
Danimal
So, here I am in Marsabit, Kenya (read: nowhere). The group has just completed the most difficult section of the whole tour. And it was hard. Harder than I imagined. There were sections of road that you can't really call road. It was actually easier to ride off the road than on. There were lava rocks everywhere. The place looks like Mars. Black volcanic rocks sitting on top of red sand. It was really neat. After 9 hours on a bike, though, it gets a little tedious. Especially 3 days in a row. I have completed it, though. And I made it look good :P More on that in a bit.
So, my final rest day in Ethiopia was in a town called Arba Minch. Where there was nothing to do. There was a lot of wildlife, though. We camped at the edge of a cliff where baboons lived and they tromped though our camp every now and again. There were also these huge storks called Maribou storks, aka undertaker storks. Ther are huge! They stand about 1m tall and look like they're vultures wearing a suit, hence the undertaker storks. Anyway, this town was awful. The hotel had no water or electricity, despite being right beside two giant lakes and another hotel which had both. The service was terrible and the staff was very rude.
So, Ethiopia, what can I say? I will never, ever come back. The countryside is beautiful. Every piece of land is awesome. Just anything that speaks is very... well, annoying. Every service I had received was poor. Every interaction with anyone was miserable and mean-spirited (with the exception of 11... That's right, you can actually count the good times). And every single person you passed on the road either threw rocks at you or tried to push a stick through your spokes or push you off your bike. In fact, in the last days, we actually had a rider pushed off his bike by a passer-by. I'm sorry to say, the people here are very unfriendly. And as I said before, I hate to generalize. I give everyone a fair chance. But when it comes down to changing a flat on the side of the road and people are trying to steal things out of your bag, I draw the line. In fact, the last week of riding in Ethiopia, we had all had enough. Once the rocks were thrown, we dismounted and gave chase (exactly the opposite of our tour directions). The people scatter when they realize you are a person and not just a vehicle. Usually, the locals would run so fast, they would literally run out of their shoes. So, what to do? Take the shoes and give them to someone down the road. I know some people are reading this thinking "That's so terrible, I would never do that!" Guess what? You would. I thought that when I started cycling in the country. Then you receive 2 weeks of rocks and other projectiles (ranging from sugar cane to cow dung) and your opinion changes. I'm living proof. Anyway, I'm glad to be gone, never to return. You, you, you, you, you, money, money, money, money!!! Good riddance.
So, finally I crossed into Kenya. The border crossing on the Ethiopian side was tedious. The border is closed from 1300-1500. Well, in Ethiopian time, that's actually 1145-1515. So, I sat around waiting to be cleared out. Finally I was, and into Kenya. The in-processing for Kenya took 10 minutes. It was wonderful. The whole atmosphere changed just as quickly as when I entered the country. Everyone was happy again. So, we camped our first night and then set off on the hardest section of the tour. The terrain was miserable. 3 days of dirt, deep sand, large rocks, uphills, everything you could imagine, combined into one road. But it was a blast. It was thrilling to know that I had just conquered the demon. The 9 hours or so per day on a bike was tedious, but it builds character (right dad)? You spend most of the time off your saddle anyway, trying to control your bike. I am ready to try bull riding after these roads! You bounce around these giant lava rocks in the sweltering heat trying to ignore the pain in your hands, arms, head, bum and teeth. At least you can rest when you get to camp after most of the day going 8 or 9 km/h. You can't really understand until you see pictures, which I will not post now because it takes years. Anyway, I did pretty well. I came in all 3 days in the front of the pack (after the racers of course).
So, now I start a 5 day stretch into Nairobi. It will be easier than the dirt "roads" of previous days, but my body is hurting anyway. Nairobi is supposed to be a town where you can buy most things you get in the West. My list includes protein bars, tire tubes and levers, steak and a laundrymat. My sleeping bag is beginning to smell really, really bad, even after spraying it with alcohol. Bushtukah has been kind enough to donate a full wheelset and brakes for my bike, which is good, because this distance is not easy on the parts. This is greatly appreciated by myself, as all of these parts are failing as we speak. The parts are being shipped to Nairobi, where I can finally replace my worn bearings. Thanks again, Bushtukah. But no thank you DHL. My brakes alone are costing $400 to ship over.
Anyway, I have a broken bike to clean and a sore bum to pad. So, thanks everyone. I hope this installment was slightly more humourous than prior entries. "Are you not entertained?!?!" (Voiced from Gladiator) So, I leave you all with some stats.
Total distance: 4700km
Total climbing in Ethiopia: 20,380m
Showers to date: 5
Falls off my bike: 3 (No injuries. It doesn't hurt when you fall going 5-10km/h)
Time spent on saddle to date: 210 hrs.
Time spent being awesome: 211 hrs.
Until next time,
Danimal
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