Why I Ride? I shall give you my story and how I did it solo, it’s for you to fish what is relevant to you as adult learning is complex.

 I am a woman anatomically, I am a super mum (but well the world loves the term single mum more) of four (18yrs, 9yrs & twins 7yrs), professionally I am a pre-hospital medic, a medical instructor and a wilderness/outdoor guide. Health-wise a have a rare form of blood disease which is a myeloproliferative cancer for life and no its not hereditary. It occurs mostly in persons 60years and above, well I am not, but I have a gene mutation that makes my odds flip. Treatment goal is to control the condition rather than cure the condition, which means I am forever on forms of chemotherapy drugs that control blood counts, and blood thinner/ anti-clotting meds (which means I have to watch what I do very carefully as any trauma I could potentially bleed out). Coping with a rare condition can be difficult both practically and emotionally. What does this translate to? I am forever tired so I have to choose wisely how I use my energy and take frequent breaks to avoid deteriorating; bone pains, frequent headaches that are somewhere between a migraine and a piercing headache which can give me ringing ears; then comes the lack of appetite and nausea accompanied by occasional vomiting; sun exposure burns due to sensitive skin, sunscreen, hats are my best friend; periodic memory lapses, let’s just say during my outdoors training I flop navigation skill; socially to live with my mum for the days when am not coping well and days I just want to be.

Why I Ride? I have long since learnt not to share my aspiration especially to those that know me because I shall get ten reasons why I shouldn’t so I just do it. I had been planning this ride in my head for a while and asked the universe to lead me to people that will encourage me and build my skill set. During the research I was told not to venture that route alone because of security. Well, as Dos Throttle Adventures once told me to get a riding partner is as hard as getting a relationship partner. Boy don’t I know that too well. Earlier in the year I went on a ten days ride total 1262 kilometers through 10 counties and let’s just say it nearly got physically ugly when my choice of partner couldn’t accommodate my limitations at one point I was saved by a local who happened to appear from nowhere like an angel. Group rides are also not fair to others so I end up in a group but alone with my own plans. Overcoming the fears. It started when I enrolled to Offroad EA riding school. I told Mike the coach in as much as I need the skills, I don’t have the need to go Enduro and jump over hills all I want it to overcome the fears that come with being on off-tarmac terrains. I got more than I bargained for during the classes, I was told to be having an oats breakfast as that will give me energy throughout the day and that has been the best discovery in my diet routine! The lady coach Grace with a forever smile and constant encouragement kept telling me I can do it even when I got on the bike and no sooner toppled over on the other side for lack of strength and fear when I saw obstacles in the terrain, other trainers to advanced courses have pushed me aside with words that am too basic. The other is music. The never ending debate of riding with music verses no music. Music and motorbiking combined puts my mind at ease helping with the anxiety attacks. Just enough music to calm but hear what is coming from the environment. Seeking Help. For the routes I had never used I sort the help of a safari guide/tour operator Conquest Adventures, I was informed on the general route and even helped to negotiate accommodation to places I thought I would need rest stops, well i didn’t have to use those rest stops for other plans came up. The offroad route I got advice to look for a Martin Mureithi as he was the only biker known to have done that route.  He was a blessing given it was one day to the trip, he guided me all through virtually including the timings I had to beat it, reminders to deflate tires, and he panicked when he couldn’t reach me on phone.

ROUTE & TERRAIN

Total distance: 1,067Km

Total Five days: I had to take two rests.

Day two I had one of those major headaches and chills. Day Four was a short trip of 98kms Archer’s post to Meru and I just had to rest for I was properly fatigued, poor nutrition, no sleep and yellow-red eyes. All that combined with the rain that escorted me I nearly rear-ended a donkey cart carrying nappier grass getting into Meru town in the forested area then when I got into town I almost hit cars as I wouldn’t stop on those incline junctions adequately due to fatigue.

12 Counties : Kiambu, Nakuru, Nyeri, Nyandarua, Laikipia, Samburu, Isiolo, Meru, Tharaka-Nithi, Embu, Machakos and Kitui.

Route: Nairobi-Gilgil-Olkarao-Mweiga-Narumoru through Solio ranch-Nanyuki-Rumuruti past OlPajeta ranch-Suguta-Kisima-Wamba-Archer’s Post-Isiolo-Meru-Embu-Kindaruma Dam-Matuu-Thika-Kiambu

Fuel consumption: 32.87 liters cost will vary according to location in Kenya

Scenery: absolutely beautiful both on-tarmac and off-track. For the wildlife, camels included the mountains and hills, the forest stretches. Just fear grips you at sunset when the mountains begin to cast shadows into the valley and the last stop you meet a kid barely 6years grazing camels who one look at you and trying to converse with him, he runs for cover. As for the camel around the corner that refused to leave my path I just had to remember don’t hoot and pray it just stands there as you ride by less than a meter away and I was glad that this bike doesn’t have a noisy exhaust. Never spook a camel! Bird photography is difficult even on a normal calm environment, now trying it on transit on a motorbike and quickly trying to stop, remove a concealed camera and capture fleeing birds took luck and a broken lens cover. The scenery is both beautiful and scary, the area has history of bandit attacks so pee breaks in the bush were rushed and never managed to completely empty my bladder. The Rift Valley, Aberdares mountain range, Mount Kenya, Ol Lentille, Mathews ranges, Ololokwe rolled on.

The Bike itself: Gisli is his name, a KTM 390Adv was the model for all the pics. Lucky him! At Rumuruti stretch I skid on the loss gravel in a rut damage to my right was my side mirror became lose and I waited for a passing lorry crew to help lift the bike. Gisli too decided to faint after passing the signage “Slow Down Dangles Ahead” I think passing the elephant barriers had him in stress too, I dismounted to stretch as I contemplated passing herds and herds of huge cattle approaching. I look back and Gisli is like madam pleaseeee let me just lay here and that’s how the other side mirror came lose. I couldn’t tighten them as one my tool kit is under the seat where I had strapped my bag and secondly the function of my right hand is somewhat as I can’t hold the spanner after a thug used a machete on me in a robbery in June last year. So everytime I had to go done a decent or uphill the left mirror would spin and hit my chest or helmet and I had to pray I don’t injure myself. At one point when I got to a small town past Wamba the bus driver exclaimed “alah hii side mirror inataka tujione mbele!”, direct translation, this side mirror wants us to see ourself ahead. The side mirror was facing forward.  Standing while riding here would having been the best option but I have learnt to conserve my energy even when I feel strong as it can just plummet abruptly. Well I stood some distances so that my speed would increase and it was a funny affair as I sat on my bag as the bag had slid further ahead from where I had strapped it and I wouldn’t stop to readjust. I learnt that the hard way during my last long ride when I wouldn’t handle a water logged muddy stretch after a long day’s journey and I just fell and sat down in the mud crying and the then riding partner didn’t take it kindly. Here it was a matter of safety and chasing daylight I needed to take all caution.

ACCOMODATION

I was hosted for two nights in a beautiful home typical of the way mountain cabins look like as its wooden finishing and some brick and the décor is forest like. It belongs to a former NOLS instructor Mungai Njenga and one can get it as an Airbnb. Photos won’t do you justice as they were taken in the haze of pounding headaches.

Archer’s post got a modest accommodation that is the only one that is clean there about. Steto Guest Lodge cost only KES1,000 bed. It is also your only chance of a decent meal on order. Only downside is prepare for the noise if you are downstairs as you will here noisy drivers asking to be opened for the gate from 4am and a next room guest snoring through the night as I tried to sleep in the stuffy atmosphere. I tried another place Northerners for meals and I just gagged trying to eat the ‘firao’ its a shoddy pilau meal as a breakfast. So resolved Meru was just here I can eat there.

Meru a beautiful accommodation at Cam Supreme Studios. Very clean spacious room, well ventilated, TV with connection that works, a room has an extension that looks like they had a kitchenette in mind, hot shower, safe parking with a car wash, Gisli finally had a pampering proper wash here, (after a chain clean in Archer’s post where he was set on a gas cylinder and Omo cleaning detergent and cloth was used the dust off the chain so that I could lube). Carry your own lube always. Digressing, Cam Supreme and has a restaurant section with very delicious meals and their pub session is also awesome. For a new year’s eve, it was the best place to be but I was too beat to do anything but room service and spend the day resting. Wonderful, helpful and friendly staff. Oh and google maps will lose you to get to the exact location. I had to call for final stretch and when I finaly arrived google maps was like am 800metrers away. Ehe now the vocabulary in meru, I called reception to ask if they have OAT porridge for breakfast and I was told yes. Morning I see a thermos and was served, I thought maybe it’s the powder oat flour used. I sit it’s the traditional sour porridge of the Meru, at this point am laughing. I asked the receptionist and she is like you asked for HOT porridge:)) Cost B&B KES.2000/=.

GIRL TIPS

Men please skip this part if you don’t have a female side.

One time Wamuyu Throttle Adventures asked to recommend fuel stations that are women friendly. Riding when on your periods is not funny and for me it’s the worst time of my health too as it feels as if someone is drawing my strength with a straw. Total-Gilgil was the last place with a clean toilet that had water to clean up after yourself before I got to Narumoru accomodation. Thank heavens I had thought to back up with a liner too. The other was a petrol station before Nyahururu and with no water and the key to the ladies couldn’t be traced I used dirty gents

Next trip days was me & bush. Thank heavens for thigh bags so wet wipes, tissues, and sanitizers came in handy, but stil… At one point for respect of the unknown I parked at the side of the road and asked some women who were cleaning near Sadhana Forest Post if I could use the bushes near them. From there it was till Archer’s post for everything had to be in bush dash. So when I say it’s a wonder I dint get a UTI its real. At the accommodation there too they had no women in mind and when I asked for the sanitary bucket I was told ladies just wrap their business in tissue and just dispose off in your room bin next to your bed. I was like haidhuru si we dispose off condoms the same way! 

Nails. Clip them just as you would before going to the mountain this includes even finger nails. The boots all day and gloves will chop and chip your nails. Then for your hygiene where there is no water like in my case.

NAVIGATION

Best consider Safaricom internet to operate the google maps, airtel is terrible out there. There are patches with no network so the offline map which the lady doesn’t speak to guide you so you have to have a phone mount or make stops often to check direction or ask. Google Maps also has a sense of humor at one of the locations I had set up a school as a route marker so when I passed and proceeded with the journey and at a junction to Wamba the next town google wanted me to make a u-turn and head back to the school saying that school time closes in an hour, haha. Of this white man google maps, the last stretch home was Ngecha road, google lady pronunciation was “N.G.E.C.H.A road.” :)). Martin had told me to put the powerbank in my pocket for the network search would drain my phone battery, thank heavens I listened.

Navigation and culture interaction. At Kisima not so sure of the junction to Wamba because on-going road construction I stop a probox for direction. Inside four men listening to those naughty kikuyu songs and had to lower the volume to hear me, their assumption am Kikuyu even if I addressed them in Swahili they responded by telling me to go to “Githima” and ask as they are also visitors. The place is ‘Kisima’. At Nyahururu I stopped at Thomson falls. The place where 100bob of a bracelet saved my helmet and luggage from a pickpocket who was trying to figure to unhook my helmet from the bike when I caught him and he pretended he was admiring the bike but it was proving tricky to remove it in time due to the location Mahmood Khambiye had once showed us. There was this mum a bodaboda guy directed me to when I asked him where was safe to park, a mama Wanjiku selling curios in a traditional tray was requested to watch over my bike as she was just sitted there as I visited the falls who agreed as long as I promote her sales. I went then came back and asked her where I could eat as we walked along so she could direct the pickpocket saw the opportunity. As Mama Wanjiku was talking on phone telling someone she is at “Kirurumo” is when I turned and caught the thief. ‘Kirurumo’ is the local name for Thomson Falls.

Why I Ride? To give encouragement to everyone with a chronic medical condition and especially cancers where you need supper abilities.

You can do it! Don’t give up hope to the very end. There those that look up to you. I wish I could just afford to do this trips more and still earn a living while at it, Trips of Hope.

Motorcycling is all mental and physically involving one cant afford to just sit and let the machine and environment take care of you. I decided to live it all in my late 30s as I had never even ridden a bicycle in my life. It took Sheer Determination and a Pure Love then one finds all the forces of the universe align for you. This being a lady, alone, little experience protected me from mechanical issues, injuries and kept me safe in it all. A fit of selflessness and passion for life. I did (195km short) half the time I did my other long ride, 5days in all and visited more counties (12).

Why I Ride? I do this for the sheer determination of life!

I AM ENOUGH, I HAVE ENOUGH, I DO ENOUGH