Bougouni to Niena - Day 249

Date: April 24th, 2010
Distance: 137km
Country: Mali
Song of the Day: Pork and Beans - Weezer

Well, it was a hell of a day today. Sometimes I don't know why I do the things I do, I just get them set in my head and that is it. Today was like that. I wanted to get to Niena. So I did.

I did have a bit of help though. The wind was giving me a little push. Plus it was another cloudy day. So I could push through the hot part of the day. It is still warmer than the rest of the day, but it is much cooler than even a sunny morning. So it makes for pretty good going. After that it was just doing the miles. More ups and downs. The road was pretty good. Wide shoulders and so forth.

About an hour before dusk I picked up a shadow. This happens pretty often. Usually it is a little kid who decides to ride along for a while. I can be annoying at the end of the day when you are tired and it is miserably hot, and some kid on a crap bike comes up and rides along like it is nothing. Other times someone will just ride behind you without saying anything. That is what happened today. I passed a guy on a bike. After a few minutes I looked back, and he was still right on my tail. This went on up and down the next hill. Finally I decided he was drafting off me long enough. I slowed down and motioned for him to go ahead. After that I stuck to his tail for about 4km. That felt good. I think he was trying to lose me, too. On that single speed, his legs were pumping like crazy, but I kept up. He ran into two friends on bicycles as well, and they formed a rough pace line. I think they were trying to ditch me. Not gonna happen. It was nice not to have to plow my own air. Eventually they gave up and pulled off the road. I may not be the fastest thing on two wheels but I can pretty much outdistance anyone out there. Feels good.

It did get dark on me before I could get to Niena. The road was under construction as well, so I was riding on the uncompleted section. It was smoother and didn't have any traffic. Of course I did have to watch out for obstacles, like logs in the road. That just keeps things exciting.

Five kilometers from the town, the construction ended, and I was back on the main road. Pot holes and all. Fortunately I had my new rear blinken light. So I didn't feel like I was going to be crushed by a truck. Plus, if they make quiet trucks, they don't sell them here. I can here them rumbling down the road a mile away. It makes it easy to get out of the way. (I think that is how the locals do it, as I saw a number of them riding bike without any lights. I am not that crazy.)

Once in Niena, I got myself a nice cold Coke and some dinner. From then on I did what a lot of young people do on a Saturday night, I spent my time at a bar. Actually, I camped there. They were originally going to set me up with a tiny windowless cell with a dirty foam pad. No thanks. I told them I could camp instead. So I pitched my tent in their beer garden.

Just after midnight, the wind picked up which I liked. But the owner and his wife said it was going to rain. So I moved the tent under the little awning at the bar. I thought it was going to pour, but it only rained for about 5 minutes. Sprinkled really. Personally I thought a bit of rain might have done me some good.

-Dravis