Swept

Stage 57 (38): Petauke to Luangwa Bridge Camp

No headache this morning, but no energy either. We were told this would be another very tough day, and it was. Lots of downhills (most too short to allow any relaxation of the legs and/or butt), and enough uphills to make the day spicy.

The country is just beautiful - not so many people in evidence as on previous days, and often decent stretches with no sign of settlement at all.

The road continues to be really good; traffic is light and generally ok. The long distance buses are the exception; they just fly by at top speeds, the air blast usually very unsettling.

We get into rolling hills after the lunch stop; dominated by bush rather than crops of any kind. Really pretty.

I’m seeing a number of roadside charcoal stands - there must be a fair amount people making a living or st least subsidizing their income, making charcoal. I’m not sure who would buy all these bags, except passing motorists or truckers, who then might onward sell?

The afternoon is now getting very warm; high 20s, I think. More hills. Colleen comes by headed back down the road to check on the remaining riders. I re-fill my water and accept her invitation to probably get on board but on her return trip at about the 146 km mark, where she’ll wait on a long straight section.

I’m really lagging at this point.

I manage to get another 20 km or so before I hear her double-beep. I’m done, so am relieved to get out of the saddle. At this point, it’s 2:00 pm and I’m still 3 hours riding time from camp, at best. Ah well, maybe live to fight another day, as they say. But I know that in terms of this trip, those additional 3 years on the clock are telling; I’ll just to have to try to recover better and be a bit more paced in the morning. Right.

We’re camped on the Luangwa River; across from us is Mozambique.

Tomorrow another tough day.