Ashleigh's Adventure In Africa: Rain, Wind, Mountains

Greetings from Malawi!

Um, I have lots to tell you, but I have plopped most of the details onto my blog because it's totally word vomit. Yesterday I spent all day on the bike with Kerri (American) because I needed... CRAVED... time with a girl and a Yankee who would understand all of my words (and stuff!) and seriously, we talked for 8 hours (it should NOT have taken 8 hours even with the climbs but she was a hurtin' and I was a happy to wait at the top of every hill and ride at 10mph).

In short, we have been riding in headwind (galore), up climb after climb, through rain storms (it stings), in the dreary cold until it warms up to a muggy mess. Malawi.

Who cares about that stuff though! I mean, I could talk your ear off about terrain, cycling, my sick ass body and the weird sectional riders (one of them is like a gremlin who was fed after midnight, that's all I'm saying) but let's talk racer politics!

So, this is a race. There are like 3 men who are actually strong and they are OWNED by Jos. There is 1 woman who fancies herself as a racer (even though she (a) is not (b) is nuts (c) has no competition (d) cried through the first 3 countries,. literally (e) has spent more days on the bus than anyone should have). Yea, and her name is Deb.

So, we skipped Kenya, as you know, and the logistics were all complicated. Jos asked when the last race day was, he was told -- he decided to go home for 2 weeks. BUT, after he booked his flight, they changed the last race day -- but since he had his flight, they said he wouldn't be penalized (seein' as they screwed up).

WELL, he leaves and the other racers start moaning and group together to convince the race organization to ding him for not racing. Hello sportsmanship!

Don't do it, we told them (they did it). He's going to punish you when he gets back to make up the time (he is). Alas, he comes back and has lost like 24hrs in the race, putting him 2nd. Now, I though he was a tool before (only talked about racing, grams, calories...boooring) but I'm pretty much running his fan club now. It's such bad form to do that when he wasn't even there to make his case.

Enter crazy Deb sans competition. There's a new sectional (Jo) who is racing (was racing, but she managed to ride like 1 day and it kicked her butt so she dropped out of the race and rides the bus a lot -- shame). Deb saw Jos push Jo up a hill (he did that for me once... brilliant) and FREAKED out, screaming like a banchee that everyone was against her (we are). It. Was. Crazy.

So, there is a rider meeting and they sort all things out (not really). Race rules don't say anything about helping another rider, etc.

Well, THEN after 2 time trails (these are not factored into the race for whatever reason), half the racers decide they should count, so they change the rules (not unanimous) and factor the time trials in. But Joya (in love with Josh) is the only other girl racing (not really racing) and she didn't race the time trial up the Gorge (because that was NUTS) so they want to make up a time for her (stupid).

So it boils down to racers hating each other (I just hate Deb) and in fighting, and being bad sportsmen etc.

Joya is 20ish hours behind Deb, and has actually been riding really well (I can't keep up, but these days that is not saying anything). She climbs well at least (90lbs, 23 yrs old). This means that things are going to get ugly because when we hit Botswana (flat), we are all going to pull her in everyday to pick time away from Deb (because she sucks). I'll let you know how it goes... well, actually, the other strategy is for Nat and myself to enter as racers and take the last two sections (I think I can win the flats) but I haven't been convinced because ... UGH -- it's so much more fun to take coke stops and pictures and talk. However, since we'll be pulling Joya, them carefree days are already gone. See the dilemma?

Anyway, in short, the race is all messed up and you'd think there was something more than self congrats at the end of this (like money, but there's not).

And there you have it.

Alright, off to return to camp (tent is sorta fixed with the help of a plier). I have to get my bike looked at (because it creaks and squeaks and all sorts of things) and try not to puke. Livin' the dream people (actually, I am).

Will email in 2 days from Lilongwe (it's a long way to Lilongwe)... perhaps I'll even share with you my lil' song that I'm writing about this trip (to the tune of Rollin Down the River by Tina Turner).

xoxo