Fat Kid On A Bike Ron Rutland sent us this update of his adventure late last year. We apologise for posting it so late, but we believe the story is amazing and hope you will enjoy it too: Dear friends, old and new, sponsors, partners, ambassadors, and all who have been part of my journey in any way, Firstly, thank you for believing in #LettiesRide! The support I have received, in every form imaginable, since long before the first pedal strokes 121 days ago from outside the Cape Town Stadium until here in Nakonde, far NE Zambia, has been remarkable, humbling, and beyond anything I could have imagined. So thank you again; I will be forever grateful. I could write a book on the experiences and adventures Ive had even just in these first few months of my expedition, and Ive tried where possible to convey a taste of these via my website fatkidonabike (and on Facebook and Twitter - details on the site), but in very brief summary, the following may be of interest; BY NUMBERS: 0 - the number of times Ive been refused a place to pitch my tent, or been refused water 0 - punctures 0 - bribes paid 0 - items stolen 1 - new chain 1- Sharks Currie Cup victory 1 - Springbok test matches missed - was in very rural Mozambique at the time 1 - road kill witnessed (poor goat never had a chance) 1 - tent lost in veld fire 2 - $s given to me by an Angolan policeman to help me on my journey 2 - bouts of very minor illness 6 - hours ridden in the rain (about to change dramatically as the wet season looms large) 8 - approx number of times crossing the Zambezi river 10 - on s scale of 1-10 how good the beers have tasted, and how good water tastes after running out of it 10 - countries crossed - S.A., Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Angola, DRC, and Zambia 10 - approx kgs lost - yup, still far from skinny 14 - border crossings, and about the most number of days between proper showers (or similar) 15 - approx number of falls; almost all sand related fortunately 20 - kms covered on shortest riding day - almost all pushed through thick sand in rural western Mozambique 85 - km/h...highest speed reached - down a wonderful pass in the Golden Gate National Park 121 - days since departure 180 - kms covered on longest riding day - along an almost dead flat section in the Zambian copper belt 6,500 - approx distance covered in kms (estimated 65% tar, the balance ranging from amazing dirt roads to ankle deep sand tracks and everything in between) 45,000 - at R1/km ridden, the rands pledged by a very generous donor in Zambia for MAD CHARITY on me reaching London PLACES IVE SLEPT (IN DESCENDING ORDER OF THE APPROX. NO. OF TIMES): * Wild/free camping - I.e. pitching my tent in the middle of the bush, next to a river, behind a clump of trees just off the road, etc * Pitching my tent in, or nearby, a village (always with the local chief or head-mans permission) * At Schools - either in a classroom or in my tent in the grounds * In peoples homes * Behind police stations, shops, pubs, hospitals, churches * Grotty noisy guesthouses/truck stops * Fancy hotels and lodges - thank you Protea Group, and those privately owned lodges and guest houses that have put me up - these rare treats always seem to come at just the right time! Its been an incredible journey; its reinforced my faith in the Human Spirit and the goodness of people (and that these really do transcend all boundaries and apparent differences), made me appreciate more than ever my health, vitality and mobility, and allowed me to experience Africa in a truly unique and meaningful way. It hasnt all been without its challenges, and one certainly doesnt take on a expedition like this because its easy, but as the cliche that goes something like the tough times make the good times better, so the days of pushing a 45kg bike through thick sand, with an aching back and injured wrist, surrounded by honey flies, and without water, are all memorable parts of the journey, and my goodness are cold water, tail winds, good roads and showers appreciated after that. Ive also learned to be ok with being gawked and stared at, and feeling somewhat like part of a travelling circus at times, but considering Ive been through places where more than once Ive been told by village elders that Im the first white person theyve ever seen on a bicycle, it probably shouldnt be surprising! Im also continually inspired by Nix Lettie Haynes and her brave fight, and its a constant reminder to me to appreciate how lucky I am to be doing what I am, and also when I find myself struggling and mentally complaining, to tell myself to harden up a bit and put my challenges into perspective...its only a bike ride after all. As I approach Malawi, its with a continued sense of excitement that I look ahead to the coming months and all the promise of new people, scenery, and unforseen amazing experiences. For those interested, the rough plan after Malawi is to head north into Tanzania along lake Tanganyika, up through Burundi, and into Rwanda (where I hope to treat myself to a budget breaking, once in a lifetime, and from what people say, a life changing early Xmas present of visiting the gorillas). From there its north into Uganda, and crossing the equator for the first time on this trip, where Im looking forward to cycling through the SW volcanic lakes region, and following the Nile all the way to Juba in South Sudan, which may well be my Xmas destination; and then Kenya and Ethiopia will take me through to late January if all goes roughly according to plan. Finally, for someone that doesnt feel comfortable on camera and seeing himself on video, I was completley blown away by the wonderful production that ABSA did on #LettiesRide as part of their inspiring #HumanSpirit campaign - so if you havent seen it, I invite you take 7mins out of your day and do so at https://youtube/watch?v=f0L8OFA_b3Y&feature=youtube_gdata_player and please feel free to share it if you like it! Thank you again, and please remember theres an open invite to join in for a leg or two at any stage of the ride, and if I dont see you somewhere in Africa before, see you in London in just less than 2 years time to watch the Bokke bring the RWC home! Cheers The Fat Kid
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 13:46:54 +0000
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