Back to Kenya: Day 3

Monday 12th November: Nyeri to Nyahururu (101 kms)

The day started with the already customary 6.30 wake-up call and a cooked breakfast to load up on carbs ready for our first serious test of the week. While there were no really big hills today, the route, taking us along the edge of the Aberdare mountains, climbed steadily over the course of the day with an overall height gain of over 500 metres, giving us our highest finishing point of the week, at Thompsons Falls Lodge, 2336m - or over 7000ft above sea level.

We started out by retracing our steps through Nyeri - back down the hill we had crawled up the previous evening. The roads were pretty good and we were soon riding over open savannah. This probably makes the ride sound easier than it was. The road was far from level, but more a series of steady climbs and descents. Soon the downhills no longer felt like a relief, but just a prelude to the next up. Unfortunately, as the morning progressed, the weather deteriorated and we were faced (literally!) by high winds and heavy rain. By lunchtime, waterproofs or not, everyone was wet and cold. This was not the weather we were expecting in Kenya!! Fortunately the weather improved over lunch, drying out socks and shirts - but not squelchy cycling shoes - before we set off for the afternoon's ride. The weather held for the afternoon, and, but for one long but not particularly severe climb of 12 kms, the cycling was pretty good. After struggling with the weather in the morning Julian did really well and was among the first dozen to reach our destination around 5.30 pm, by which time one of the team - Andrew - had already ordered in a crate of "Tusker" beers to celebrate our arrival! The lodge we were staying in was an old colonial building, single story and mostly wood and brick. Given the weather and the altitude it was cold too, and we were delighted when staff came round to light fires in the bedrooms. Everyone was feeling tired that night after the combination of "relentless" hills (thanks John), bad weather and the distance. Raphael, our wonderful Kenyan doctor, and Gareth, a physio who was also on the challenge, set up a treatment room after dinner and spent an hour or more treating and massaging sore legs, necks and shoulders. It was good to climb into bed that night - even if the bedding was all a bit damp!