Day 11 -What goes bump in the night???
I was in my tent, the sun had disappeared over the horizon and the temperature was dropping... fast! Snuggled in my sleeping bag with every layer of clothing on that I owned at this particular moment. My body was ok... my peripheries ... not so much. Shivering at times ... (a good thing... when the shivering stops =bad ) and desperately trying to keep as curled up as possible. Aside from the cold issue, my brain was running away with itself.... images of the two girls, trekking in the Atlas mountains, who had been killed in their tents kept resurfacing. 'Don't be ridiculous' I told myself... 'more likely to be grabbed by a hungry puma'...
of course after that, every little sound, including those made by my airbed or tent flapping, became a Puma, stalking up to my tent...
I was still cold.. my feet had got to the point where I was struggling to feel them. Could have been worse... could be in the Peak District in March (the last time I had frostnip in my feet). I pulled my buff from around my neck and tried to wrap my toes in it.... success... but not much warmer.
Eventually I managed to ignore my cold feet and I guess drifted off, when I awoke to my tent being hit... hello ... then again, something bashed into my tent....
...
in reaction I kicked out with my feet, heart pumping with adrenaline at something that had gone bump in the night. I opened the tent and switched on my torch and peered out... hurtling away from me was a cow... I had obviously scared him as much as he had scared me.
Obviously I was relieved that it was only a cow, but equally a daily mail headline of 'Bikepacker trampled to death by a cow' also didn't appeal too much!!
Because the field had been used by cows, I had pitched my tent with one side right up against a tree, to protect me as much as possible, which is what I think stopped the cow from standing on me ... she just tripped over my tent.
After that, I didn't sleep much... still freezing cold and worried about more cow incursions, I drifted in and out until morning, when I awoke to an icy world... no wonder I was cold.
Everywhere was frozen solid and as the suns rays peeked over the mountain, it lit up the glistening world in such a magical way that freezing my arse off in a tent was almost worth it!!
I got up and packed the tent up as quick as possible, easier said than done with frozen hands... but actually the tent went into its bag with the least amount of bother I have ever had. Once packed up it was time to take on the descent.
It was a sandy, slippery, tough descent that took all the concentration I had not to slide out. Looking at the view could cause an accident... so every time I looked .. I stopped. Otherwise it was eyes down. It got a bit better further on as I came into the farmers land... once missing a turn and having to climb back up.
The further down, the warmer it became and soon I was stripping off the coat and gloves. The green hills enveloped and with every turn, the mountains above were lost to me. At one point, I came to barbed wire across the track. I assumed it was to keep the cows out??? At least that is what I would say if I had to play the stoopid foreigner card!! I propped up the barbed wire and slid my bike under before following in a less graceful fashion... to say that I was a little dusty would be under exaggerating it slightly!
Down and down the path wound, pretty steep at times and always needing concentration. I arrived in a little town... found a shop, bought a drink and a packet of crisps and sat on a bench in the square.
At some point during the descent, I crossed the Equator again... I even captured on my etrex 00° 00.000!
A gentleman approached, speaking English!!! yay. He was from this town but had lived in the states and Germany most of his life before returning. It was nice to just chat in English.
I then continued downwards, with a bit of up thrown in of course. The path was now gravel, but again so loose, that much care had to be taken. It was now very hot and everything appeared bleached by the sun. The gravel turned into paved tiles, which gave way to the tarmac of the PanAmerican Highway.
This was the last stretch of the day and with all the downhill, there had to be a kick in the teeth somewhere. Looking up at the cliffs, I could see the cars, with the sun glinting off the bodywork, high above me. But it also didn't look too far and so with gritted teeth I headed on up the road, trucks and buses passing me slowly, feeling like I was being fried slowly in the sun.
I hadn't eaten for around 36 hours and was starting to feel a bit funny... the heat, lack of food and the odd stomach cramp were combining but I managed to keep the pedals turning until I topped out! The relief was palpable and shortly after, I collapsed into a hotel.
I'm not sure I'm ever going to get rid of the dust from today, It seems tattooed into my skin permanently!
I was pleased with my efforts from the last 2 days... though every day here is always an effort, nothing comes easy at all... Here there are NO free miles!
But the beauty that I have seen up on the paramo exceeds that of anywhere else I have been, truly untouched and fragile seeming at the same time. I feel privileged to be allowed to enjoy it.
If you are enjoying these blogs, please consider sponsoring me for the effort.
Love Hope Strength Foundation raises money for and awareness of the bone marrow donor list. In addition, we also raise money for cancer services around the world and in the UK. We also go to gigs and festivals and swab people for the bone marrow donor list. It is a worthwhile cause.
If you would like to, I am offering those who sponsor me to add a name to the prayer flags that I am taking on this journey.
Please go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lydia-franklin1
Thank you
LHS
of course after that, every little sound, including those made by my airbed or tent flapping, became a Puma, stalking up to my tent...
I was still cold.. my feet had got to the point where I was struggling to feel them. Could have been worse... could be in the Peak District in March (the last time I had frostnip in my feet). I pulled my buff from around my neck and tried to wrap my toes in it.... success... but not much warmer.
Eventually I managed to ignore my cold feet and I guess drifted off, when I awoke to my tent being hit... hello ... then again, something bashed into my tent....
...
in reaction I kicked out with my feet, heart pumping with adrenaline at something that had gone bump in the night. I opened the tent and switched on my torch and peered out... hurtling away from me was a cow... I had obviously scared him as much as he had scared me.
Obviously I was relieved that it was only a cow, but equally a daily mail headline of 'Bikepacker trampled to death by a cow' also didn't appeal too much!!
Because the field had been used by cows, I had pitched my tent with one side right up against a tree, to protect me as much as possible, which is what I think stopped the cow from standing on me ... she just tripped over my tent.
After that, I didn't sleep much... still freezing cold and worried about more cow incursions, I drifted in and out until morning, when I awoke to an icy world... no wonder I was cold.
Everywhere was frozen solid and as the suns rays peeked over the mountain, it lit up the glistening world in such a magical way that freezing my arse off in a tent was almost worth it!!
I got up and packed the tent up as quick as possible, easier said than done with frozen hands... but actually the tent went into its bag with the least amount of bother I have ever had. Once packed up it was time to take on the descent.
It was a sandy, slippery, tough descent that took all the concentration I had not to slide out. Looking at the view could cause an accident... so every time I looked .. I stopped. Otherwise it was eyes down. It got a bit better further on as I came into the farmers land... once missing a turn and having to climb back up.
The further down, the warmer it became and soon I was stripping off the coat and gloves. The green hills enveloped and with every turn, the mountains above were lost to me. At one point, I came to barbed wire across the track. I assumed it was to keep the cows out??? At least that is what I would say if I had to play the stoopid foreigner card!! I propped up the barbed wire and slid my bike under before following in a less graceful fashion... to say that I was a little dusty would be under exaggerating it slightly!
Down and down the path wound, pretty steep at times and always needing concentration. I arrived in a little town... found a shop, bought a drink and a packet of crisps and sat on a bench in the square.
At some point during the descent, I crossed the Equator again... I even captured on my etrex 00° 00.000!
A gentleman approached, speaking English!!! yay. He was from this town but had lived in the states and Germany most of his life before returning. It was nice to just chat in English.
I then continued downwards, with a bit of up thrown in of course. The path was now gravel, but again so loose, that much care had to be taken. It was now very hot and everything appeared bleached by the sun. The gravel turned into paved tiles, which gave way to the tarmac of the PanAmerican Highway.
This was the last stretch of the day and with all the downhill, there had to be a kick in the teeth somewhere. Looking up at the cliffs, I could see the cars, with the sun glinting off the bodywork, high above me. But it also didn't look too far and so with gritted teeth I headed on up the road, trucks and buses passing me slowly, feeling like I was being fried slowly in the sun.
I hadn't eaten for around 36 hours and was starting to feel a bit funny... the heat, lack of food and the odd stomach cramp were combining but I managed to keep the pedals turning until I topped out! The relief was palpable and shortly after, I collapsed into a hotel.
I'm not sure I'm ever going to get rid of the dust from today, It seems tattooed into my skin permanently!
I was pleased with my efforts from the last 2 days... though every day here is always an effort, nothing comes easy at all... Here there are NO free miles!
But the beauty that I have seen up on the paramo exceeds that of anywhere else I have been, truly untouched and fragile seeming at the same time. I feel privileged to be allowed to enjoy it.
If you are enjoying these blogs, please consider sponsoring me for the effort.
Love Hope Strength Foundation raises money for and awareness of the bone marrow donor list. In addition, we also raise money for cancer services around the world and in the UK. We also go to gigs and festivals and swab people for the bone marrow donor list. It is a worthwhile cause.
If you would like to, I am offering those who sponsor me to add a name to the prayer flags that I am taking on this journey.
Please go to https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lydia-franklin1
Thank you
LHS
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