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