S24O

Trust me there was biking on this trip. Although technically a Sub 24 hour Overnite is done withing a 24 hour period we missed the deadline and were gone 25 hours.

After hiding the bikes there is a well used trail.

We cross a road and take a small trail.

In the old forest we finally see the mountain pretty close.

There is a seasonal pond in a small plateau, that makes a great place to have lunch.

an hour later we fill up with water for the night and morning

Making breakfast on the Little Bug stove.

Tailwind

The word (and the actual tail wind) probably doesn't stir much emotion from most people.  To a bicyclist getting a tailwind is about as good as it gets.  bicyclists think and talk about the wind during and after the ride. 

When I used to run I used to think about sections with dogs, as a bicyclist I think about sections in terms of the prevailing wind. 

I push the wind to work, and coming home let it push me along for 1/2 the way.

So I wish you all a tailwind (in whatever you do) today.

Cross Training (or using bicycle as transport to a hike)

I don't train, I ride a bike.  Makes sense to ride a bike to a hike

We stashed the bikes in these bushes after riding 16km up 600m. That took less than two hours.

Immediately we starting seeing large troops of Colubus monkeys in the trees.  they "run" through the treetops, leaping from branch to branch.  there is black and white colubus monkey in the middle of picture below.

After walking up a steep ravine on a foot trail we reach this road and walk on it for 200meters and notice a small track and take it.

On the small trail we gain elevation very quickly.  It is steep enough that I go to rest step method. 

Then it gets just steep and we are in thick forest with a reasonable trail.

Then it get easy grade on a well defined ridge and I can actually walk at a fast gait now.

Once in awhile we get a glimpse out of the forest

There is a trail there somewhere.  We pass through a section of stinging nettles. I put on long pants brought just for that reason.  It works mostly but not completely.

Lots of flowering going on.

I have turned on the GPS tracking and Erik Mdogo wonders why.

We reach the stream that used to be our landmark.  I haven't been here for 10 years or so.

 We went another 5km and climbed 700m from the bicycles.  Found a huge tree growing parallel to ground.  on the upper side was wide and there was soil and grass growing.

We somehow took a wrong turn coming back.  I had the GPS on but it kept timing out the screen and going to zoomed out.  We were maybe 50 meters off the trail but down a very steep slope of the ridge and in thick undergrowth.  With GPS tracking got back on the track.  Erik a convert to GPS useage.

Got back and found the bicycles still hidden , loaded them up. and coasted home for an hour. 

Some people got dirty.

Nice space

It is a long story, but right now this is  my favorite place. After many years of "battle" I own this space, and now I keep goats off so it looks like this and not like a denuded desert, despite having no rain since early May. As I ride my bike to work these days It makes me happy to see this little tree in the middle of my path. It was probably there a number of years but bit by goats . I probably rode over it several times until one day it shot up to a foot tall. My grandchildren will enjoy a huge albezia tree.

No single track. Kijenge-Themi-Custm-Oljoro.

I have to admit I am a bit different. My bike buddies go to no ends to avoid trafficked roads on mountain bike rides. so much so they ride the same rides. This was a "fact finding'" ride. What are the roads like, how much dust, can i ride this. I got up early but had excuse after excuse . it ended in bike repairs and changes.