More hills. We sure appreciate granny for inventing that little wheel on the crank. Without those low gears, it would be impossible. Camp is at the top of a long steep ascent through a village. The kids remain persistent - "gimme your money" - "where are you go" (they seldom understand the reply) - "money money money money money" - "gimme your clothes" - "pen, pen" (the kid has a pen in his hand). The demand for handouts is onerous - it is constant and repeated and forceful - demands, not requests. There is stone-throwing (stones the size of baseballs) and stick-swinging (they all carry sticks). Some of our fellow riders sport significant bruises as a result. Nobody yet has any broken bones - last year someone's jaw was broken. We've seen some kids standing, stones in hand, premeditated and waiting to throw them at riders. Kindness has been repaid by stone-throwing. Our Ethiopian riders tell us that we don't want to know what some of the kids (teens mainly) are saying. Of course we know that most of these kids are looking forward to tough lives. Food, health, education, and opportunity are all lacking in this over-populated country.
Water is still carried long distances by young and old, most often by the females.
There are lots of cattle. Beef is reportedly exported to Saudi Arabia.
When it's 30+ degrees and the sun is directly overhead, the destination may be Addis Ababa, but the short-term is a coke, hopefully cold.
The staff all work on our meals, even Tour d'Afrique founder Henry Gold.
Melvin drives one of the trucks and prepares meals when he gets into camp.
Miles is the chef and mastermind behind the menus, nutrition, and how to purchase it all locally as the trucks leapfrog ahead of us.
Bike mechanic Luke also pitches in with the food preparation.
Jeff is our other Zimbabwean driver who also prepares dinner.
Here we find Luke fixing someone's bike - he and Buckie keep us on the road.
Interesting trees nearby the campsite.
Ursula and Liz (trainee leader) with kids who appeared out of the woods and followed us on the walk.
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