Typical scenery on the way to Iten
Kitale 2-3/52015
Time in Kitale was initially spent in bed, sleeping from 0800 to 1300. That's how much of a drain the journey south from Lodwar was. Pedro slept a similar time .
It was so different to be in an environment with huge supermarkets similarly stocked to those in Australia.
Many items were just as expensive. Here milk powder was bought. There was not much else needed. My life now is quite different without my stove working. Normally a couple of good meals of blanched Broccoli and beans would be enjoyed. I actually boiled my first pot of water on my little homemade coke can stove. It was actually quite efficient. The only problem was the flame licking up around the side of the pot.
.
The restaurants here were great value with every meal enjoyed at a couple offering roast chicken and beef. A similar meal cannot be prepared at the same cost.
Again mangoes were eaten leisurely.
The rain was now upon us with torrential tropical downpours each day. Coupled with these, the authorities switched off the electricity in the town to avoid infrastructure damage from lightening strikes.
Another day was spent at an internet cafe updating this.
Pedro and I enjoyed a lunch together and both agreed how enjoyable our time was together and how we missed the food in Ethiopia. We had our final farewell. He heads to Uganda and over to Mt Elgon from here.
We will more than likely cross paths further south.
He had a Warmshowers host here out of town.
We both agreed we will probably meet up again on the road somewhere south.
My back is now much better.
Kitale, is a town with 4 huge supermarkets numerous hardware shops and many roadside merchants selling Chinese things from stalls and people selling mangoes, tomatoes and other fruits and veges on every corner.
It was a town with numerous motos as taxis. A way in which many chose to commute.
A visit was made to the local museum, here was a display of mounted antelope and the skull of the Turkana boy from the site we had ridden past south of the Ethiopian border. Basically, these humanoids were apes walking on two legs.
There was a nature walk surrounding the buildings here some monkeys were seen in the trees. All this was in the middle of town almost.
4/5/2015 Kitale to Jeff and Janets Farm, 25km NW Iten
D101, 40,438, 5405
Fine and comfortable
There was a weather window of two days without forecast rain, it was an opportunity not to be missed.
I was on the road by 0800 and soon found the way out of town.
The countryside was refreshingly lush, with coffee plantations passed at one point. Many cyclists were cruising along on their Neelams. The posture of the riders is different from other bicycles, it is so African.
There were many minivans moving passengers to other towns. People were still tending to a few cattle or sheep they owned on the side of the road. Most property is now fenced. The herders were grazing the “long paddock”.
Coming to a turnoff, the asphalt ceased and a great smooth clay surface commenced. It was packed hard by traffic and damp.
Any rain would have turned it into an ochre glue, impassable for me.
It was rural bliss, no one hassling me and just a scene of people chipping weeds from the young maize crops and others just on the side of the road or riding motos and Neelams.
I stopped for a rest in one village and had oranges and mangoes.
One mango was very green, at the time there was an elderly man next to me with his hand out for money. I had turned my back to him. He did not hesitate to take the mango I offered him. He never said a word and quickly walked off eating the fruit.
Tomatoes were also bought.
At Cherangani, the road turned into a track, from here people were asked directions every time I came to an intersection.
I stopped under the shade of some trees to have my left over bred and sardines with onion and tomato.
From here the tranquility of the scene continued. Without kids hounding me life could not be better.
At another village, a stop was made for some lunch at a small restaurant. Here their special was ordered. This meal was rice beans and Matumbo, which is animal intestines. It was tasty and I was hungry, a couple of bottles of fant were enjoyed with this.
Riding on the road degraded even further, with side tracks branching off regularly. Directions were asked for often. In another village a bunch of school girls followed me. They all have shaved heads here. Someone told more that it puts everyone on an even staus at school among other health reasons.
The girls were a happy lot, a few were carrying hoes, they chip the maize during their lunch hour.
From this elevated position it was down to a valley then a difficult climb up a rock laden track.
People were washing clothes in a creek and performing other rural tasks. Traffic was almost non existent.
Once out of here the road leveled some what.
I got to Moiben and 36km to ride in the 3 hours before dark, it was possible.
With the hour about 1500, my stomach was feeling a bit ordinary. Further on nausea set in, I soon knew it was only a matter of time before I was going to be throwing up. Sure enough, a stop was made and the oral flood gates opened, oranges first then the rest.
I did feel better afterward. Further on the same happened again. This time I was outside a Christian rural school. A guy named Stanley, love these names! Rode out of the gte, he said to go on in. Once at the entrance, the principal wandered out. Embarrassingly, I am throwing up whilst trying to explain my predicament. It turned out to be a very animated explanation. He told me to go across the road to the owners place at the farm. In here, again talking to the owner, a Kenyan of Nandi people origins, I was throwing up.
Jeffery said it was fine to stay the night. He had more work to do and said just lie under this tree. By now my stomach was almost empty, and dry reaching began with me on all fours struggling. Soon an uncontrollable shake from cold set in.
I had to change into something warm quick. My raincoat and other warm emergency gear is always kept in my front pannier. This was donned along with my raincoat.
Still skaking but now protected from the coldish air, sleep came rapidly under the tree.
Soon Jeff came by, one of his workers wheeled the bike to the house for me.
We even thought it could have been malaria. Up at the house Jeff and I chatted. I drank copious amounts of great sweet water he had.
Soon all this came racing out my throat onto the front lawn. I was feeling better though. His wife Janet was introduced to me.
One of their staff prepared a bed and put a tub of hot water in the shower fro me. They were so hospitable. This was my first hot shower since Wakos in Waliso, Ethiopia.
It warming waters were such a help. His farm is at 1900m above sea level so it was quite cool, even though we are less than a degree from the equator.
I was now feeling alot better. Jeff invited me to the house to dine with them.
The house was built in the 40’s by an Afrikaner from South Africa. It was like a homestead, not huge but comfortable with high ceilings. We sat at a long wooden table in chairs of a similar age. Dinner was beans and chapatti. My appetite had returned somewhat.
We both agreed the problem was the lunch I had eaten. My body was rejecting it big time.
Soon in bed after having set up the mosquito net, sleep came rapidly.
I had told Jeff the story about the feather from the Native American elder. On this occasion, once again its spirit had looked after me, in so many ways on this day.
Here out in rural Kenya with acute food poisoning on a little used road. I am in the company of such kind people, showered, fed and drifting off to sleep in a comfortable bed safe from the elements.
5/5/2015 Farm to Iten
D31, 40,469, 5436
Fine and cool.
A great nights sleep had been enjoyed, though as usual I was awake vertearly but dozed off again.
I felt so much better and even had an appetite. My porridge mix was made and the coffee put in the filter. I wandered the few metres to the house and joined jeff and janet in the dining room for brekky. My food was eaten and a couple of Chapatis and honey were eaten. After breakfast, some ag consultants arrived. I wandered out to the farm and joined them.
Jeff has a dairy farm and is the process automating the milking process.
I did not get on the road till almost 1100.
It was to be an easy ride to Iten, where a Warmshowers host Simon from the Kenyan Riders was putting me up.
Their website is: www.kenyanriders.com He and Nick with their coaches have a dream to send an African team to compete in the Tour de France.
Once on the gravel road, I stopped and talked to Stanley as he rode past and thanking him for directing me to Jeff house last night.
A group ogf Athletes was seen running along the road. They run from Moiben to Iten and back often.
It was 5km to the left turn and Tarmac to Iten, 15km away and slow up hill to the town that has an altitude of 2300m.
Coming into the town limits was a large arch over the road, with the words “Welcome to the home of champions” written across its top.
This town is where Kenyas elite long distance runners are trained. Other runners from around the world also train here in the terrain that offers all aspects of hills, and flats.
My sunglasses have almost broken in half so a stop was made to glue these together.
Further down the road were two stores selling running gear. There were people dressed in sports gear everywhere. All long legged thin athletic types.
At these stores a pair of much needed riding shorts were needed. Ones with zip pockets were found. It is so important to have zips on the pockets as phones and purses can easily slip out of pockets when off the bike and dining.
Some good waterproof over pants were also bought. Along with a second hand long sleeve shirt. Things like this are a third of the price back home.
Soon Ciuran rang me from the Kenyan Riders. We met and he took me up to their accommodation.
Here I met Nick who is the founder of this venture. Zane Robertson, a commonwealth medalist long distance runner from NZ was staying and training. I was in elite company. Other Kenyan runners stopped in.
There was also a guy, Scott here from NZ, a writer who is gathering information on Zanes achievements and the running culture here in Iten for a future book.
We enjoyed a meat and rice dish, Nick and I sat round and had a good chat about his dream to field a team of Kenyans in the tour.
Again, it was great to eat home cooked food, be in great company and sleep in a bed guaranteed free of bed bugs. I will never forget that night in Konso, Ethiopia, my skin crawls at the thought of all those bugs trying to get into my tent.
Even though mosquitoes transmitting malaria up here are rare, a mosquito net was still used.
The evening was actually quite cool and again the need to use my sleeping bag saw for a good nights sleep.
Time in Kitale was initially spent in bed, sleeping from 0800 to 1300. That's how much of a drain the journey south from Lodwar was. Pedro slept a similar time .
It was so different to be in an environment with huge supermarkets similarly stocked to those in Australia.
Many items were just as expensive. Here milk powder was bought. There was not much else needed. My life now is quite different without my stove working. Normally a couple of good meals of blanched Broccoli and beans would be enjoyed. I actually boiled my first pot of water on my little homemade coke can stove. It was actually quite efficient. The only problem was the flame licking up around the side of the pot.
.
The restaurants here were great value with every meal enjoyed at a couple offering roast chicken and beef. A similar meal cannot be prepared at the same cost.
Again mangoes were eaten leisurely.
The rain was now upon us with torrential tropical downpours each day. Coupled with these, the authorities switched off the electricity in the town to avoid infrastructure damage from lightening strikes.
Another day was spent at an internet cafe updating this.
Pedro and I enjoyed a lunch together and both agreed how enjoyable our time was together and how we missed the food in Ethiopia. We had our final farewell. He heads to Uganda and over to Mt Elgon from here.
We will more than likely cross paths further south.
He had a Warmshowers host here out of town.
We both agreed we will probably meet up again on the road somewhere south.
My back is now much better.
Kitale, is a town with 4 huge supermarkets numerous hardware shops and many roadside merchants selling Chinese things from stalls and people selling mangoes, tomatoes and other fruits and veges on every corner.
It was a town with numerous motos as taxis. A way in which many chose to commute.
A visit was made to the local museum, here was a display of mounted antelope and the skull of the Turkana boy from the site we had ridden past south of the Ethiopian border. Basically, these humanoids were apes walking on two legs.
There was a nature walk surrounding the buildings here some monkeys were seen in the trees. All this was in the middle of town almost.
4/5/2015 Kitale to Jeff and Janets Farm, 25km NW Iten
D101, 40,438, 5405
Fine and comfortable
There was a weather window of two days without forecast rain, it was an opportunity not to be missed.
I was on the road by 0800 and soon found the way out of town.
The countryside was refreshingly lush, with coffee plantations passed at one point. Many cyclists were cruising along on their Neelams. The posture of the riders is different from other bicycles, it is so African.
There were many minivans moving passengers to other towns. People were still tending to a few cattle or sheep they owned on the side of the road. Most property is now fenced. The herders were grazing the “long paddock”.
Coming to a turnoff, the asphalt ceased and a great smooth clay surface commenced. It was packed hard by traffic and damp.
Any rain would have turned it into an ochre glue, impassable for me.
It was rural bliss, no one hassling me and just a scene of people chipping weeds from the young maize crops and others just on the side of the road or riding motos and Neelams.
I stopped for a rest in one village and had oranges and mangoes.
One mango was very green, at the time there was an elderly man next to me with his hand out for money. I had turned my back to him. He did not hesitate to take the mango I offered him. He never said a word and quickly walked off eating the fruit.
Tomatoes were also bought.
At Cherangani, the road turned into a track, from here people were asked directions every time I came to an intersection.
I stopped under the shade of some trees to have my left over bred and sardines with onion and tomato.
From here the tranquility of the scene continued. Without kids hounding me life could not be better.
At another village, a stop was made for some lunch at a small restaurant. Here their special was ordered. This meal was rice beans and Matumbo, which is animal intestines. It was tasty and I was hungry, a couple of bottles of fant were enjoyed with this.
Riding on the road degraded even further, with side tracks branching off regularly. Directions were asked for often. In another village a bunch of school girls followed me. They all have shaved heads here. Someone told more that it puts everyone on an even staus at school among other health reasons.
The girls were a happy lot, a few were carrying hoes, they chip the maize during their lunch hour.
From this elevated position it was down to a valley then a difficult climb up a rock laden track.
People were washing clothes in a creek and performing other rural tasks. Traffic was almost non existent.
Once out of here the road leveled some what.
I got to Moiben and 36km to ride in the 3 hours before dark, it was possible.
With the hour about 1500, my stomach was feeling a bit ordinary. Further on nausea set in, I soon knew it was only a matter of time before I was going to be throwing up. Sure enough, a stop was made and the oral flood gates opened, oranges first then the rest.
I did feel better afterward. Further on the same happened again. This time I was outside a Christian rural school. A guy named Stanley, love these names! Rode out of the gte, he said to go on in. Once at the entrance, the principal wandered out. Embarrassingly, I am throwing up whilst trying to explain my predicament. It turned out to be a very animated explanation. He told me to go across the road to the owners place at the farm. In here, again talking to the owner, a Kenyan of Nandi people origins, I was throwing up.
Jeffery said it was fine to stay the night. He had more work to do and said just lie under this tree. By now my stomach was almost empty, and dry reaching began with me on all fours struggling. Soon an uncontrollable shake from cold set in.
I had to change into something warm quick. My raincoat and other warm emergency gear is always kept in my front pannier. This was donned along with my raincoat.
Still skaking but now protected from the coldish air, sleep came rapidly under the tree.
Soon Jeff came by, one of his workers wheeled the bike to the house for me.
We even thought it could have been malaria. Up at the house Jeff and I chatted. I drank copious amounts of great sweet water he had.
Soon all this came racing out my throat onto the front lawn. I was feeling better though. His wife Janet was introduced to me.
One of their staff prepared a bed and put a tub of hot water in the shower fro me. They were so hospitable. This was my first hot shower since Wakos in Waliso, Ethiopia.
It warming waters were such a help. His farm is at 1900m above sea level so it was quite cool, even though we are less than a degree from the equator.
I was now feeling alot better. Jeff invited me to the house to dine with them.
The house was built in the 40’s by an Afrikaner from South Africa. It was like a homestead, not huge but comfortable with high ceilings. We sat at a long wooden table in chairs of a similar age. Dinner was beans and chapatti. My appetite had returned somewhat.
We both agreed the problem was the lunch I had eaten. My body was rejecting it big time.
Soon in bed after having set up the mosquito net, sleep came rapidly.
I had told Jeff the story about the feather from the Native American elder. On this occasion, once again its spirit had looked after me, in so many ways on this day.
Here out in rural Kenya with acute food poisoning on a little used road. I am in the company of such kind people, showered, fed and drifting off to sleep in a comfortable bed safe from the elements.
5/5/2015 Farm to Iten
D31, 40,469, 5436
Fine and cool.
A great nights sleep had been enjoyed, though as usual I was awake vertearly but dozed off again.
I felt so much better and even had an appetite. My porridge mix was made and the coffee put in the filter. I wandered the few metres to the house and joined jeff and janet in the dining room for brekky. My food was eaten and a couple of Chapatis and honey were eaten. After breakfast, some ag consultants arrived. I wandered out to the farm and joined them.
Jeff has a dairy farm and is the process automating the milking process.
I did not get on the road till almost 1100.
It was to be an easy ride to Iten, where a Warmshowers host Simon from the Kenyan Riders was putting me up.
Their website is: www.kenyanriders.com He and Nick with their coaches have a dream to send an African team to compete in the Tour de France.
Once on the gravel road, I stopped and talked to Stanley as he rode past and thanking him for directing me to Jeff house last night.
A group ogf Athletes was seen running along the road. They run from Moiben to Iten and back often.
It was 5km to the left turn and Tarmac to Iten, 15km away and slow up hill to the town that has an altitude of 2300m.
Coming into the town limits was a large arch over the road, with the words “Welcome to the home of champions” written across its top.
This town is where Kenyas elite long distance runners are trained. Other runners from around the world also train here in the terrain that offers all aspects of hills, and flats.
My sunglasses have almost broken in half so a stop was made to glue these together.
Further down the road were two stores selling running gear. There were people dressed in sports gear everywhere. All long legged thin athletic types.
At these stores a pair of much needed riding shorts were needed. Ones with zip pockets were found. It is so important to have zips on the pockets as phones and purses can easily slip out of pockets when off the bike and dining.
Some good waterproof over pants were also bought. Along with a second hand long sleeve shirt. Things like this are a third of the price back home.
Soon Ciuran rang me from the Kenyan Riders. We met and he took me up to their accommodation.
Here I met Nick who is the founder of this venture. Zane Robertson, a commonwealth medalist long distance runner from NZ was staying and training. I was in elite company. Other Kenyan runners stopped in.
There was also a guy, Scott here from NZ, a writer who is gathering information on Zanes achievements and the running culture here in Iten for a future book.
We enjoyed a meat and rice dish, Nick and I sat round and had a good chat about his dream to field a team of Kenyans in the tour.
Again, it was great to eat home cooked food, be in great company and sleep in a bed guaranteed free of bed bugs. I will never forget that night in Konso, Ethiopia, my skin crawls at the thought of all those bugs trying to get into my tent.
Even though mosquitoes transmitting malaria up here are rare, a mosquito net was still used.
The evening was actually quite cool and again the need to use my sleeping bag saw for a good nights sleep.
School girls followed me, they had hoes to chip the weeds during lunchtime and after school
Jeff and a couple of ag advisors on his property
Jeff and Janets little cottage where I spent the night.
These guys were wandering about Nariokotome river, 1.6 million years ago we had to wade across
Lovely rural riding with laid back people about. here a little shop on a farm. The kids start school after holidays on monday
A great day to be riding in the tropics here almost on the equator.
Typical scenery, many fields are worked by hand, though tractors were seen on the road.
I was very lucky, any rain would have made these tracks impassable.
The girls on Jeffs farms cleaned my old pot, it was almost unrecognizable
Overlooking the Rift Valley a few hundred metres from our house above the escarpment at Iten with Scott and Ciuron
The views from here were truly amazing. The riders train up and down from here.