Thursday, 8th March 2007

To: Just past Isiolo

... And the saga of yesterday continues.

I slept fitfully a few hours in this shack that was called a lodge. At 6:30, I was up and back out on the road. I wanted to get a message to my friends, to let them know where I was. I was pretty sure they were worrying, naturally, since I'd told them that I'd meet up with them the night before and then they'd never heard anything from me. So, I wrote a note and flagged down a passing car, going the direction of my group. I explained to the driver that he'd see some trucks and a LOT of bicycles and bazungu driving, and could he please give them the message. He said "O.k." and off he went.

At that time, the little rinky-dink nothing town of Archer's Post was waking up. People were out, sweeping the dirt in front of their shops. It used to always crack me up the way Africans all like to sweep dirt. It doesn't crack me up anymore, though, I have to admit that it looks nice when the dirt is swept in nice neat lines. So, I sat down, outside a restaurant, and started drinking tea and waiting for my friends to come through. They came through by 8:00 and told me that, yes, they'd received the message. Apparently, Rachel thought it was very hilarious that I'd communicated through a message sent down the road with a passing vehicle. I thought it was completely natural.

We then all made it to our camp for the night, which was on the grounds of a neat lodge, just past Isiolo. Most people got in early, so we sat around the bar, having some beers and chatting most of the afternoon.

------------------ TODAY --------------- TOTAL
Cycled ------------- 0 -------------------- 3,030 km (1,902 mi)
Sagged ------------- 80 km (50 mi) ------ 1,702 km (1,169 mi)
Total -------------- 80 km (50 mi) ------- 4,732 km (3,071 mi)