Day Five - Dodoma to Bush Camp

Distance: 95.3km

Ride time: 4:28

Climb: 191m

Definitely a cyclocross dirt day today. Just a bit of sand and some small corrugations. Apart from that, it was pretty smooth sailing. Not even any real hills to slow us down. I kind of feel like the other shoe has to drop soon. This is meant to be a rough, challenging section and apart from the day after the mando day, it hasn't been too bad. Pretty bad, but not too bad.

Even though the road was better, there were still plenty of opportunities to cut across on the little bike paths. After lunch, I got onto a pretty long diversion. It was nice and fast but I started to get a bit worried when I couldn't see the road anymore. I didn't turn around. I figured that I'd enjoy riding up the path as much as I was riding down it. I kind of knew where the road was so I headed in that direction until I got to a village with a road that headed towards the main road.

Other riders had a harder time finding the road again. There was a massive time difference between the first ten or so riders and the next riders. Some also had a lot of punctures. I guess that it is all part of the tour. There would have been worse places to get lost. Taking a wrong turn in Ethiopia could have taken you down a huge hill that you would have had to ride all the way back up.

It is hard to describe how pleasant the singletrack is though. It is so smooth and effortless compared to the road. Stop pedalling on the road and the best case is you slow right down. Worst case is you lose momentum, hit some soft sand and fall or careen across the road. Stop pedalling on the singletrack and you coast along. Maybe you get lucky and there are some little bumps that you can pump to keep speed. Plus, riding a touring bike with tank tyres on singletrack is a very singular experience (hah, see my witty pun?). It feels kind of like being on a Tron lightcycle. Hunched down over the drops and twisting around obstacles. It is so absorbing, that I stop thinking about how much further I have to go, where I am or what I am doing. A nice change.

The view before dropping down the last hill to the camping plain.

Dan's Camping Tip: If you think it is going to rain (and it probably will in wet season Tanzania) don't pitch your tent in the grassy depression. Smart money is that rain will probably run down there.