Fog

Weekend before last Thomas Holden and I rode up Mnt Meru into this fog. I didn't notice it when looking up the mountain on the way up, so the reason I am thinking the fog was my doing.

My mood was "foggy" when we left my house at 7am. I was riding becuase of habit and an agreement to go with Thomas. It was dry and dusty from my house but as we got further into the forest the fog left my body and quickly filled all the space.


I felt so good that I used my phone to take these pictures. From this point it was 30 minutes of single track and then dusty rural tracks through small farms.

Last week I had an immigration issue arise. I suppose the chief investigator was just doing his job but I must say he was aggressive, poking holes in issues that didnt seem to be relevant and threatening. So today I rode hoping to lose some negativeness and it certainly worked. Everyone on the small roads seemed welcoming for me to be passing through. I came home with some perspective to living as a foreigner in Tanzania.

Arusha Mountain Bike Race

On Sunday Arusha Cycling Club put on a 35km mtn bike race in the Olasiti Oljoro area. We used to do this several times a year but got busy. 50 people signed up. Our top 5 riders were kept out of the prizes, $13 for first place.

I wasn't planning on riding hard but got caught up in it. I lost time on the down hills to the group i got with and almost would catch them on the uphills. then in the last canyon i hit the wall. I should of been eating and drinking more. I figure 90 minutes i would not be needed.

It was a bit dusty. below is from a ride on the previous weekend in another area but you get the idea.

Where's the bike?

OK, there is not biking in this post but I was thinking about dragging my bike up this trail part way. So my plan is to ride the 80km on the highway, then 10km on rough track, then haul bike up a rocky slope and then ride this ridge up to the forest and camp.
Oh yeah. this is Longido Mtn. It is right next to the Arusha Nairobi highway. On top it has the huge granite rock outcropping with several vertical sides. It was the scene of several WWI battles and the Germans had a fort up in the crater.


I tried to get Bernice and nashesha to come along, but Bernice had something going so Nashesha agreed to go if she could wear this head dress during the trip.



We park on the top of a ridge and cross a ravine with running water (!) and up this ridge.




On the lower slopes the are many aloe Vera plants.




On top of the ridge it is open and not so steep and the views are good except the peak obscured in clouds.





We enter the thick forest and climb steeply up to a ridge that goes up to the summit ridge.

After gaining the ridge we pass through a big valley in thick forest and head steeply up to the ridge. Nashesha says that is enough so we turn back tot he lunch spot and have a great few hours talking, making a fire, and being crazy.











From here we pass though this valley forest and up to the final ridge






I manage to take a nap