Round and round we go

Day Total: 145 Km

Total Time: 5:25

Avg. HR: 134

Avg. Speed: Very, very slow

Song of the Day: Freebird

This update is going to be brief because, well, I feel like my life force is a bit low today. Maybe I will recover tomorrow.

The day started with a fast 40km out of Khartoum. Paul and I rode with the lead racers, but I could feel early on that the body was not going to behave well today and that similarly to our rest day in Dongola I might not have gotten enough rest. Their pace continued its high rate with the frequent but unpredictable accelerations. I was sweating heavily at that point and decided I wasn’t interested in that pace and let them go. I rode with Jorg into lunch, ate quickly and carried on towards camp.

The winds were noticeably against us this day, and that coupled with the excessive heat (44 C/110 F) I was starting to suffer. With about 50km remaining I was running very low on water and had no choice but to explore various options. There was a scheduled “coke stop” about an hour up the road, but that wasn’t going to do so as we approached an irrigation canal, I turned off of the road to head towards one of the many “water stops” that seemed to dot the highway. Of unknown origin and administration, these little pit stops feature clay pots of cool water. The clay pots allow for evaporation cooling – the beauty of physics –
and a small permanent bit of shade to combat the heat. Was it safe? Is it treated? I didn’t know but I figured the worst I would get was GI issues that could be treated quickly. Severe dehydration can have lasting consequences of a much more severe nature. 1 liter down the hatch and one liter for the bike – life was feeling a bit better at that point.

I suffered through the rest of the ride, though we picked up 3 more riders which provided a small respite from the wind. Into another dusty, desolate, desert camp we rolled. I had a quick bottle of energy drink to combat my thirst, then went through the usual routine of changing clothing and eating the daily soup. After a second bowl of soup I got very nauseous and within 10 minutes I was on my back trying to combat the urge to vomit. I laid in the dirt for an hour before my life force returned. A quick check by the medic said I was fine, but I continued to drink – 7 bottles and counting…

A quick dip in the Nile – our last for the trip I think – finished the afternoon. I will have to ride easy tomorrow and adjust my hydration strategy to avoid today’s devastating hydration. One more road day awaits, followed by a day of mixed dirt/road, 3 days dirt, then 3 days pavement before a rest day. With the excessive temperatures there will be no margin for nutritional errors.