Day 7: Kakamega to Kisumu - FINAL DAY CYCLING!!! only 53 km

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Our final day of cycling and not too much to do only just under 60 km!!!!!!!!! Exhilarated by the realisation that this would be our last day in the saddle - I woke up surprisingly early. Another 7.30 am start. Hoping that next week on holiday I will get to have a lie in!

No rain in sight and everyone's spirits were high despite all of us being tired. There was an odd mixture of excitement and sadness - knowing the challenge was coming to an end. We cycled the first 20km which was so beautiful and with two big-ish hills. Nothing in comparison to the 26km hill. In reflection this final day was so easy because I knew the end was in sight. We stopped at the equator again for one final visit before regrouping closer to town where we cycled as a group with balloons to Kisumu.

My trusty steed

Getting ready for the last 10km

It was wonderful to be with the ladies when they crossed the finish line for some of them this has been a trip which they have been working on for over 18 months. In the end the cycling became part of a daily routine and all the days have merged into one long memory. The sights I have seen over the last few days will stay with me for a long time to come. The Kenyan Rift Valley is so beautiful, fertile and green, with crops of all varieties. We have had such fantastic support by the majority of Kenyans - particularly the children who were always smiling and encouraging. I've meet 71 inspirational women who have shown that women do know how to take on an extreme challenge and win. More than that they have fundraised a staggering £300,000 for charity. The work involved in that cannot be underestimated.

Thank you to each one of them for allowing me to be part of their Cycle Kenyan Challenge.

Group 2 Cycle Kenya - at the finish line!

I haven't given up my cycling shorts yet but it might be a while before I put them on again!

Day 6: Eldoret to Kakamega 93 km

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After the excitement of the day before waking up at 6 am to do 93km wasn't a happy thought. When I went down for breakfast I realised that I wasn't alone in being rather tired. It seems most of the other women felt the same. The start of the day was extremely hard work. Dubbed Day 3's little brother it consisted of quite a few undulating hills. The first hour was tough but I have now understood that it takes between 30 minutes to an hour to start feeling good in the saddle. The pain in my calves slowly eased and I relaxed into the ride. Within the first 30 minutes, I managed to get splashed by a bus and covered from head to toe in mud. This caused a bit of controversy as people kept asking me if I was OK because it looked like I had had a serious fall. I am told by those who saw the incident it was a classic 'have you been framed moment'. What's a bit of mud to an ex-archaeologist?!

The scenery was truly gorgeous. Rolling green countryside filled with corn, sugar cane and lots of tea plantations. People and kids lined our route shouting greetings at us. I cycled alone most of the day but I felt it was a good time to reflect on yesterdays cycle and the ride overall. Lunch was outside in a small estate (we have had very good food). Today I felt exceptionally hungry must be the 250km of cycling I have already done!

Covered in mud!

As with yesterday the last 20km stretch was hard as it began to rain rather heavily - soaked through again (my trainers may never dry off). Although while sheltering in the rain I had my second marriage proposal of the week! A man in his 50s who after a few minutes of talking to us asked me to marry him. He also asked me if I could come and meet his mother who lived around the corner. Sadly had to decline his offer.

We had an hours bus transfer from the last cycle point to our hotel for the night. Had a brilliant dinner at the hotel and there was even time for a dip in the pool (which was unexpectedly very cold)!

Kids that we gave a gifts of toys and stationary to on our route.

View along the route

Tea plantation

Making sure we get enough pictures of the view!

Day 5: Kabarnet to Eldoret - 85km

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Starting the day

Today was dubbed the most difficult day! Let me tell you it was. We had a 5.15 am start, transferring on buses from Lake Baringo to Kabarnet. Two and a half hours on a very pot holed road. Arriving at around 8/8.30 am we set out. The day consisted of the following: 16km of downhill, 26km of uphill and around 35 km left to get to the hotel. How can I describe today: tough, mental torture and painful but also beautiful, uplifting and insane! The 16km of downhill was soooooo cool. It seemed to go on forever and we got some incredible views over the Rift Valley. But once you go down you know you have to go up!

The uphill was staged, bronze (6km), silver (15km) and gold (26km - the top!). At any time we could say we had had enough and jump on a bus. I decided early on that I wanted to try my best to get to gold but if I was really struggling I would allow myself to step down from the challenge.

I cycled with a few different women on my way up the hill. Gemma, I found lost on the side of the road post a thorny bush attack! Poor thing, she had fallen off her bike into the thorn bushes and managed to get thorns stuck everywhere - really awful. I managed to prop her up with M&S jelly beans (thanks JCCT team! They really did work) and we cycled together up the mountain. It was great to have company on such a demanding physical challenge and we were able to motivate each other. I also cycled some of the way with Amrit. I want to thank both of them because being with Gemma and Amrit meant that I was able to distract myself from the reality of cycling up such a massive hill. It was tough and the heat combined with the continuous steep slop meant that it seemed never-ending. The last 2 km were really arduous and I almost stopped (being stubborn I didn't let myself stop). But I am pleased to report that I made it to gold!!!!

However, randomly I had no reaction at all. Everyone else was quite emotional about reaching the submit. I felt so physically odd when I reached gold that I couldn't feel anything emotionally. I felt emotionally empty and had to eat a lot of chocolate to make myself feel better (burned ! After a lovely alfresco lunch of pasta and veggies. We waited for the few finally cyclists and headed out on our final 35 km stretch. This was probably worse than the hill. I was so tired by that point I'm not sure who cycled the last 35km. My body was physically cycling but mentally I was so worn out. The sense of relieve at reaching our hotel was palpable.

It was wonderful to have experienced the atmosphere today, everyone showed a great kindness for their fellow cyclists. Motivating and supporting each other all the way. Every single woman put in 100% effort into todays ride. It was brilliant to watch and be part of. I wouldn't want to do it again but I really am glad that I did it and made it to the top!

Only 93km to do tmrw!! Fourth day of cycling...

More pics can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.796540735850.2285955.202909845&type=1&l=2b3290ff29

Day 4: Nyahururu to Nakuru (transfer to Baringo) - 57 km

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This should have been a much more relaxing day compared to our first day of cycling. A shorter day with less hills. However as it turned out there were a few hills (I think they may have tried to down play the magnitude of the hills) and we got rained on rather a lot. 

Thompson Falls our starting point

The first 30km of the day was fantastic, brilliant scenery and good company. The last 30km was accompanied by torrential rain. It didn't stop and was monsoonal in its quality. When it first started I assumed it wouldn't last long, also assumed I wouldn't be able to get any wetter. I clearly could and did...as we arrived for lunch we all looked like drowned rats. Soaking and really cold (would you believe that you can go from 30c to freezing cold in a few hours). We sat shivering in our outdoor restaurant. Our team took pity on us and managed to get our bags down from the buses. We changed alfresco and I had to wring out my socks and cycling shorts - nice!

Styling the cycling look

We transferred by bus to Lake Baringo. There were a few misadventures with massive potholes and dirt track roads - but all the mishaps were made up for by the view over the lake. We went down to the lake to see crocodiles. Their tiny heads popped up out of the water. Really cool. 

Lake Baringo

Shoes drying out after a long rainy day!

Tmrw is the big hill day! We have a two and a half transfer by bus before we start...scary

Day 3: Nyeri to Nyahururu - 98 km

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Our first day cycling!!!! It was a REALLY tough one: beautiful, hard, never ending hills and a true challenge. I think I assumed (incorrectly) that our third day of cycling (Day 5) would be the toughest. But if this was anything to go by Day 5 is going to be a killer. 

Kicking off with an early start at 5.30am we were ready to start at 7.00 am. I am really rubbish in the mornings - not someone you want to speak to, let alone exercise with!  As we went down for breakfast up you could cut the atmosphere with a knife - I was running on pure anticipation. The fear and excitement of the unknown...  

Group 2 Cycle Kenya - just before we started our cycle challenge

Saddled up and ready to start the day we had to do a warm up. Always slightly awkward (I personally never stretch before cycling) but it was a pretty funny sight: more than 70 lycra clad women! Warmed and ready to go it was my responsibility to carry the pink horn – our version of the Tour De France’s yellow leaders t-shirt. As the first to be honoured with the horn I had to lead the group out of the hotel and we set off on our first 20 km. I LOVED the first 20km – some big hills to contend with but we set our own pace. I rode with Rachel and the other Claire. The time sped by and when we reached the checkpoint I felt as though I didn’t need the break! Little was I to know what was to come…more hills far too many to count. 

By lunch a mere 66km completed I felt wrecked. It was a really difficult ascent – not impossible but tough. I think this was made harder by the heat and altitude. While we’re not likely to suffer altitude sickness – it’s not high enough but usually you would need a few days to acclimatise before exercising. Going up the hills was definitely harder. I now have lovely paw marked hands because I forgot sun screen on the backs of my hand! Suffered from a bad headache but was able to use my huge drug supply to get myself back in gear! Also employed my old field excavation technique of dousing my head with water – no sea to dip my head in – but we have water canisters for just such a purpose. The scenery has been absolutely gorgeous! As we cycled we caught a glimpse of Mount Kenya – heavily obscured by cloud but it was peaking through (as we were told by the Minister for Tourism in the region it must have been shy with so many good looking women – he clearly appreciated lycra!).

I find it hard to describe the scenery because the vista was so beautiful, fields of fruit, vegetables, and sugar cane. Lots of kids lined the route to cheer us on and they like to shout: 'how are you' very loudly. At first this was fun but after a whole day of 'how are you' it got a bit annoying!

It was a really tough day and the last 20 km was a strain - mainly because I was so knackered. BUT we all made it. A truly extreme day, with far too many long hills for my liking. As I arrived at our hotel, Thomson's Falls Hotel, Nyahururu I felt tired but relieved great start to the Women V Cancer Cycle Kenya Challenge.

Day 1 and 2 - London to Nairobi and then to Nyeri

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As we met at Heathrow there was an air of anticipation and excitement - a heady mixture. We were all in our Women V Cancer t-shirts and given that there were 71 women in pink it wasn't difficult to find each other! Our tour assistant, Anna and our doctors, Sophie and Sarah were also with us on the plane out (lucky them - hope the doctors had some valium with them!).

The flight was uneventful and those of us who were able to slept did so, the rest of us like me, lay there too excited to sleep!

Monday morning we arrived blurry eyed in Nairobi. We were met by our second tour assistant Gideon and Action for Charities, Ann F. Straight onto a bus and on our way to Nyeri - the start point for our cycle ride.

At the Baden Powell Museum

Nyeri is Kenya's 8th largest town and the administrative capital for the Central Province. It is located in the Aberdare National Park with stunning views of Mount Kenya. Nyeri is famous for its links to Lord Baden-Powell and we visited Baden Powell's house now a museum and we got a chance to try out our bikes by cycling down to the museum. You can feel the altitude up the hills!

We had an hour or so with our fab bike mechanics to get our mountain bikes in shape. I managed to get my lovely gel, ergonomic saddle and my kit bag on to the bike. Still waiting nervously for the day when I get a puncture (in all the time I have been training I have never had a puncture - thank you puncture resistant tyres - you were worth the money but now I have no idea what to do if it happens). Anyway, all of us have prepped our bikes and are ready to go at 7 am tmrw! It is going to be a tough day with multiple hils and heat to contend with but we will end of up an elevation of 2200m and have some beautiful scenery to keep us entertained! Wish us luck.

We've just had a great meal, and about to turn in for the night in our fantastic hotel, the Green Hills, willing the night to go fast so we can get on with our adventure!!! More soon...

Some pics:

 

More pics are on FB: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.796540735850.2285955.202909845&type=1&l=2b3290ff29 

Slow internet so sorry for not posting more...

The battle between excitement and extreme fear - which will win?!

In 46 hours, I'm leaving with 70 other amazing women to go on an adventure!!!

Am I ready? Hell no but are you ever ready for 400 km?

This week has been rather hectic – seeing friends and family; finishing all of my work errands; making sure I get everything on the huge kit list and the even larger drug list (perhaps I am completely naïve and will be eating my words by next Saturday but how will I really need two packets of Ibuprofen and two packets of Paracetamol?). Regardless of my denial of the actual difficulty of the trip, everything, including my massive drug supply, is now piled up in my room and ready to be properly packed. Still missing the gin hip flask...must search for that tomorrow.

I am £105 away from hitting my fundraising target of £1000 - a massive thank you to everyone that has donated so far. Should you feel the need to top up my fundraising page, here's the link: http://www.justgiving.com/travelingorilla (feel free to share it with your friends!)

As a parting gift, my Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust Colleagues bought me some jelly beans (Marks & Spencers - yummy!) and pink smarties. Can't wait to crack open the beans at the top of the 26km hill. Thank you Team Jo's and of course the rest of the office, you really have offered me so much encouragement over the last couple of months even when I went into too much detail about chaffing...you all still listened and nodded sympathetically. THANK YOU!   

Pink smarties and jelly beans to help me keep pedallin'.
Thanks Team Jo's! 

So far this week, I have experienced an interesting combination of: excitement, insomnia, fear, panic over lack of waterproof trousers (let’s not even go into details about that one - needless to say it was verging on hand me the valium all over waterproof trousers), and the best one of all mild indifference. And I haven't even started the cycling bit of the challenge yet. No idea which emotion will win but what I want more than anything is to get on the plane NOW!  Really can't wait to meet the rest of Group 2 and start cycling! 

Roll on Sunday!