Day 5: Bush Camp to Maun

Maun, Botswana - Today was the probably the toughest day yet for me. It wasn't the longest day... We rode 135km (84 miles), which is so short compared to yesterday's ride. But it was tough.

For starters, after four days of riding, I am beat. My legs are worn out. My butt is sore. And I am suffering from the same woes that eventually befall all cyclers: saddle sores. Ouch!

Second, the scenery is lovely but it is monotonous when you are riding through it for 6-8 hours a day. This Elephant Highway could do with a few more elephants to add some excitement. (Alternatively, they could change the name to Cow Highway, which would also be an apt description.)

Plus, it was the last ride before a rest day. I think I started to let my guard down, looking forward to taking a day off before I actually finished. the morning was fine, but after lunch I still had 2-3 hours of riding. It was HOT and I was BEAT. Plus the tailwind we had yesterday had disappeared. If anything it felt like a headwind.

It helps a lot to take short breaks, stretch the legs and eat a power bar. But I reached the point where I was stopping every hour, then on the half-hour... At one point I started to cry, as I still had at least 90 minutes of riding before I reached my destination. I hadn't seen another rider since lunch and I feared I might be last... I dreaded the idea of the sweep sneaking up on me.

Then on the horizon I saw a few riders in the distance who were taking pitstop. I was overjoyed to see that it was a group of women I had ridden with - for short stints - during the last few days. I confesed to them that I was beat and Sonia offered to let me draft off of her. We formed a paceline that pulled me into Maun. It was amazing really... Just when I started to think that I was really never ever going to make it, these three strong women rallied around me and pulled me in. Again, the collective energy is so much greater than the sum of the parts.

I have not actually made it to camp yet, since I stopped at the internet cafe in town. But I am looking forward to spending my rest day poolside. Five days down, five to go!

By the way, I have a speedy connection here so I'm going to try to post some photos from our safari. Please peruse past posts to see some of the highlights that I was not able to post earlier.