Springbok, Namibia 5/10
I cycled in to my last African nation late yesterday with much relief. Namibia was lovely, but tough on the behind ever since Windhoek, when we left pavement, did some heavy climbing, then descended into the world's second-largest canyon (and I am guessing the hottest.)
Here's how last week went: Left Windhoek Monday with an assigned distance of 150 K, I think. I can't remember because the heat fried my brain. I got on the big truck when it caught me at 25 K. Yes, 25 K. And I am not ashamed.
Rode the truck Tuesday and Wednesday as off-road, desert hell continued. Tuesday was 178 K, Wednesday 145 K.
The collective chorus of the group saying how lovely Wednesday was was enough to get me back on the Light Blue wonder Thursday. Wise choice. It was 170 K, still off-road, but the dirt was much smoother and we had very little washboard.
Friday was as bad (for me) as Thursday was great. Nothing around you to look at but dry grass, arid dusty air clogging your throat and wretched road surface the whole way. Well actually, I can only attest for the first 65 K 'cause after lunch, guess what I did? - Hopped on the lunch truck.
Next day was kind of weird. Assignment was 120 K to just outside Fish River Canyon, hop on the trucks for a 15 K ride so everyone could see this natural wonder (second in size to the Grand Canyon), then when the trucks dropped riders back off at the pickup spot, cycle back about 4 K uphill and turn right for another 60 K to the Ai Ais resort(pronounced eye ice). Now does all that cycling, descending and climbing sound like something I'd like to do? You know me by now people. So are you surprised to hear that what I did was cycle the first 60 K to lunch (EFI brutal), take the lunch truck in to the Canyon, view the canyon and then take the truck to Ai Ais? No, you are not suprised.
We then had a rest day in Ai Ais Saturday instead of resting here in Springbok. Sunday, since Ai Ais is 11 K down a ridiculously cruel hill off the main road, Henry started the race 11 K up from the bottom of the resort, where the road goes to South Africa. So riders had the option of taking the trucks up the 11 K and cyclcing the assigned 120 K from there. Do you need me to tell you if I took that option? Didn't think so.
Morning was OK overall, with one really nice drop, a few short climbs and a return to sweet pavement after 80 K. Just a few meters into South Africa though, we turned right onto "Unpaved Road From Hell: Part Deux," featuring washboard to rattle every bone in your body. Ten kilometers to camp on that. Morning started with 10 K back out to the main road on that, then 117 to here. I did the 60 to lunch, then trucked it. The 15 K climb in the morning killed my spirit. I'll try for a full day tomorrow. Each day until May 14 is about 120 K. Then the last day, May 15 is about 90 K, the last 40 of which we do together to the finish line, I believe with a police escort and lost of pomp. I like pomp.
Posted May 10, 2004 01:27 PM
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