Club tour, Lengijave - Ketumbeine - Monduli Juu

It was time for another club supported tour.  This time camping and bush riding.  Seeing animals like this is pretty cool.

We rode on dirt roads to Lengijave.  Then inevitably we stopped here for the view and looking where we are going.

As we crossed the valley we had this short carry.

Thad noticed this lizard being eaten by a small snake in the trail, and we had to move it off the trail.

Great riding in the valley.

Sometimes not any shade trees to stop by but it was overcast most of the time.

Waiting for the vehicle to bring lunch as it had to drive way around.  We messed up and the vehicle took another track, eventually we got them on the right jeep trail

 vehicle came and Sune helping cook.

Lelo's amazing trailer complete with a chef. 

The last section down the rift valley escarpment.

We almost got  arrested ( Moses sorted it out.) and ended up camping here.  Were good friends with the masai balozi after a bottle of gin was shared.

Younger masai came around also.

Day 2 and we drop the final bit into the basin and leave the jeep track.

 Eventually it is just picking our own way

 A wide expanse of sand.  not easy

 Sune likes riding with hood up

We saw fair amount of giraffes, gazzele, zebra, ostrich.

On the main track. A big road.

Then up the 7 switchbacks to the plateau.  800m climbing

Arrived at Monduli Juu camp.  some went for a loop and some enjoyed the afternoon.

10 to 4

I am not a racer.  I might go fast.  I might feel the adrenaline of competition.  But i am not a racer.

Or am I?

This is Thad and I on day one of the 10 to 4  bike race in Kenya.

I went two years ago and was sick and struggled to complete the two day race.  On day one i reached the 1/3 water point and could hardly stand.  i had climbed probably 1200m at this point and had 800m and 60 km to go.  Somehow I finished.  Finishing in last place and 2 hours behind my buddies.  The next day was easier , despite that on the final down hill i was violently sick.

This year was to prove that result was a fluke, i could do better.

Thad and I stuck together on the long climb up mtn kenya.  The picture above is the last part of the climb, just before entering the forest.

What followed was an hour of mostly downhill, through fast forest roads, incredible single track through forest, Elephant corridor trails.  Thad got away from me.  He is more fearless, and i pulled back becuase of dust.

then we rode together through the rollers back accross the wheat fields.  Then a fast track through the ngongare forest.  i lost Thad again.  Thad waited again.  We finished together, after stopping to take a picture of these elephants.

Am i a racer?  my buddy waits for me.  We stopp for pictures of elephants.  We stop for me to empty my shoes.  I cant be called a racer.


some more pictures

there is a rhino in between these guys.  50m away

mtn kenya in the background.  first day you ride up to 3,000m over the first ridge. and up to the forest.

Around Mnt Meru

In a less regulated time we used to ride around Mnt meru and cut through Arusha National Park.  There was a through road and lots of people were walking or riding bikes through.  Never heard of anyone getting killed by animals.

About ten years ago the  national parks called a halt to that either for safety reasons or to increase income.

It didn't seem so appealing to ride around the park in farmland.

Arusha Cycling club has grown and kind of fractured.  we have groups depending upon geographical location, age, style of riding.  I belong to a couple of groups.

 Northern A-city riders called for a weekend ride , staying on the north side in a tented camp called Mkuru.

None of these pictures are mine.  We set off a bit after 7 from Kijenge.  This is the part where the new bypass road overlaps the old moshi road.

Happy campers when we ride along the park

Some great riding along the edge of the park

 

First lunch.

WE arrive at Kikatiti sokoni and have a soda and water.

Sune finds true love on a poster.

After a section of rolling road we get to Momella lakes and play tourist for a few minutes.

Ngarenanyuki and we stop to regroup and rest.

Sundowner at Mkuru camp.

Second day some climp up to a plateau right out of Mongolia

Guys enjoying the wind

Sune getting air in Mongolia

And always punctures, sometimes at camp

but usually on the trail with no shade.