The African GLO Tour 2018

May - June 2018

A 11-day adventure by Hugh Read more

12footprints
4countries
11days
67photos
4videos
952miles

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- May 22, 2018, 7:31pm
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitude: 98 ft
- England Godshill 50.639464, -1.24917850°38’22” N 1°14’57” W
Bike packed
May 22, 2018 in England ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
The bike is packed - next stop Kigali!
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- May 24, 2018, 7:15am
- ⛅ 15 °C
- Altitude: 5,292 ft
- Kenya Nairobi Airport North Jomo Kenyatta International Airport -1.331358, 36.9247251°19’53” S 36°55’29” E
Day 2
Nairobi
May 24, 2018 in Kenya ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Arrive in Nairobi en route - brilliant to be back in Kenya. Waiting for Fred and Wycliffe to catch up quickly before on flight. Talking to a Kenyan also waiting - he tells me it's cold, it's not for me! Beautiful African sun! And the bike had arrived! 😃Read more
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- May 24, 2018, 1:53pm
- ⛅ 17 °C
- Altitude: 2,575 ft
- Burundi Bujumbura Mairie Murukaramu Aéroport de Bujumbura Gakumbu -3.319505, 29.3200863°19’10” S 29°19’12” E
Day 2
Bujumbura Airport , Burundi
May 24, 2018 in Burundi ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C
Touched down in Burundi for quick stop. So this is what Burundi looks like!
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- May 24, 2018, 6:09pm
- ⛅ 20 °C
- Altitude: 4,708 ft
- Rwanda Kigali Kamutwa Kinunga Rwintare -1.94216, 30.0841151°56’32” S 30°5’3” E
Day 2
Touchdown in Rwanda
May 24, 2018 in Rwanda ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Arrived! And the bike's here also! Safely at the Scripture Union guest house rooming with Simon.
Bike built and ready to go - except that my tiredness and diet of airplane food probably isn't condusive to any sort of exercise, let alone riding.
Rwanda is really full of hills! On way here came down a 1:4 cobbled Street - thankfully don't think we're cycling that one.Read more
Traveler Looks hilly is it warm?
5/25/18Reply
Traveler Yes hilly - about 25 degrees, so ok
5/25/18Reply
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- May 25, 2018
- ⛅ 18 °C
- Altitude: 4,731 ft
- Rwanda Kigali Kamutwa Kinunga Rwintare -1.942019, 30.0841641°56’31” S 30°5’3” E
Day 3
Getting acclimatised
May 25, 2018 in Rwanda ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
A day in Kigali, no proper cycling today although we did set the bikes up and have a little ride out - the cobbles certainly have a way of checking all is tightened well - it wasn't, but is now - hopefully!

After we took a trip into Kigali, starting with the genoide memorial. Difficult to fully describe, over 250,000 people are interned there, no words really suffice. 24 years on and it's still raw. We came to Rwanda for a night in 1996 and looking back I don't think I understood the full magnitude of what had happened.

After a great lunch at the Ubunwe Grande Hotel with amazing views over Kigali, it was a spot of shopping- African style ! Great fun and great people. Have to say we avoided the ‘clean meat place’ - so no Sunday roast I am afraid!

Tonight had a talk by an amazing visionary who was behind the project to replace Burundian cows with friesian cows that produce loads more milk, lifting families out of poverty. His latest project is to produce organic stevia- a natural sugar substitute- and giving the producers free chicks to fertilise the land, a brilliant but simple idea. Lots of opposition from sugar producers and GM stevia seed manufacturers, but he is persevering and succeeding! Tomorrow we cycle!

Psalm 67 1-2
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us—
so that your ways may be known on earth
your salvation among all nations.Read more
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- May 26, 2018
- 🌧 4 °C
- Altitude: 6,470 ft
- Rwanda Northern Province Cyabagarura Gahondogo Kiroba -1.469881, 29.6189331°28’12” S 29°37’8” E
Day 4
Day 1 - Kigali to Musanze (Team Rwanda H
May 26, 2018 in Rwanda ⋅ 🌧 4 °C
First day of cycling and what a day! The roads are amazing and it is so clean. Today between 7am and 11am they have 'umaganda' where communities clean up - it's the last Saturday of the month. No traffic is all on the road so we have a clear run through normally busy Kigali.
It's then the hills start and they are big and long - take a look on Strava!
But it is beautiful- amazing. Really the photos do no justice. 64 miles 6800 ft climbing. Bike taxis racing us up hills (and often winning), shouts of Muzungo. Kiki - a team Rwanda cyclist is our mechanic and everyone knows him - he is an excellent mechanic - mended my clicky gears!
Great company- great chats.
Tonight Bosco - who drives one of the support vehicles told his story, about when he was young in the genocide in Burundi. Take a look at https://youtu.be/uph8e0r4mZk it is well worth the look.

then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth Isaiah 58:14Read more
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- May 27, 2018, 6:24pm
- ☀️ 19 °C
- Altitude: 4,810 ft
- Rwanda Western Province Gisenyi -1.695665, 29.246991°41’44” S 29°14’49” E
Day 5
Easy day to Lake Kivu - Gisenyi
May 27, 2018 in Rwanda ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
Waking up to the sound of torrential rain was an ominous start, breakfast was later - an easy day - although that would have rapidly changed had the weather not. It did and by the time we set off it was damp, but clear.
42 miles total - 21 miles up hill and 21 miles down (that was the quick bit), the bad news is that tomorrow we have to climb up the bit we came down today - not so quick I fear!
A short day meant we arrived at Lake Kivu about 1230. It's a seaside (ok lakeside) town and being Sunday everyone was out enjoying themselves - with the few weddings thrown in. A quick walk to the DR Congolese border and a stroll along the beach to take in the sights. All very pleasant!

Jeremiah 29:11

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.Read more
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- May 28, 2018, 9:15pm
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitude: 6,135 ft
- Rwanda Southern Province Gahogo Kabgayi -2.099713, 29.7518962°5’59” S 29°45’7” E
Day 6
To Mahanga
May 28, 2018 in Rwanda ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
A big one! 20 miles up hill for first climb, then a bit of downhill and more up hill - another long downhill, but just to keep us tired another 15 mile uphill to finish. 90 miles and 11000 feet (from strava so maybe not totally accurate) climbing. But what amazing views - breathtaking and for some of the ride not many people around. Many children running with us and a puncture attracted a crowd of probably 100 kids who had just come out of school. Many cries of 'Hello muzungo', good morning (in the afternoon) as well as 'give me money!'
All in all a great day!

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Psalm 19:1Read more
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- May 29, 2018
- 🌙 16 °C
- Altitude: 4,767 ft
- Rwanda Western Province Kibuye Josi Kabilizi -2.067864, 29.3568822°4’4” S 29°21’25” E
Day 7
To Kibuye
May 29, 2018 in Rwanda ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
At the risk of sounding boring today the scenery was stunning. The country contains diverse landscapes and perhaps today was some of the most beautiful. Only 50 miles and 5000 feet climbing the day was easier- but the 2500 foot climb in the middle was tough, although the view from the top was amazing The normally excellent roads however on this stage were not present, numerous potholes meant careful riding but I still managed to get a pinch puncture after hitting one too hard.

A fast descent into Kibuye gave even more stunning views as we approached lake Kivu. The guest house we are staying at must be one of the most beautiful locations anywhere, on a peninsula and looking out both ways to the lake. A swim in the Lake followed by chips and then a short trip to a Swedish sauna, with a real stove running on eucalyptus also on the lake. A perfect way to loosen up and look over to the hills of the Congo.

Psalm 121
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.Read more
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- May 30, 2018, 6:50pm
- ⛅ 20 °C
- Altitude: 4,951 ft
- Rwanda Western Province Kamatita Gahwazi Butabagire -2.470551, 28.8999822°28’14” S 28°53’60” E
Day 8
To Cyangugu
May 30, 2018 in Rwanda ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
A day along the lake - sounds good - no big climbs? But this is Rwanda - the land of 1000 hills - of course there are climbs! Apart from the last they didn't go on for a long time - but they were steep and it was hard. The joy of the downhill was tempered by the realisation that what goes down must come up. Whether it was slight dehydration from the sauna or just the terrain I found the first half tough. The views of course were again amazing, sometimes making you feel guilty that you do not appreciate them more - this time next week I'll have the view of Dulux colour centre out of my window! But there is literally a view around every bend. Thr landscape too changes dramatically. Up high the coffee bushes grow - most of the cherrys are picked, whereas lower down vast areas of tea is planted - the workers busy picking. Of course there are many more beautiful views of Lake Kivu around every bend.
We arrived into Cyangugu down a big long hill - we are climbing back up tomorrow - found the Peace guest house, with great rooms and another great location on the lake. Eric (our chef - we have a personal chef to try to prevent food poisoning) laid on the most amazing chips with a chorizo-type sausage.
Dinner at 730, short power cut, bed at 9 ready for the big day tomorrow.

Philippians 4:6-7

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.Read more
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