. Tes Bush Camp to Turuun Bush Camp 11.
Distance: 0 km
Cumulative Distance: 1938 km
Time: 0 hrs 00 min
Speed: 0 km/hr
Feet Climbed today: 0
Cumulative Climb: 37,564 ft
AHR (Average Heart Rate) bpm
Punctures so far: 2.
Altitude tonight: 4629 ft
Well, I sat it out in the van today. It's the first time I’ve done this on the long cross country cycles. But with cause.
Last night just after retiring at 9pm a a strong wind blew up that grew into a full blown storm (force 7 or 8, 30 m/sec). It started rather suddenly and the sides of the tent blowing in on me. Can deal with a certain amount of that. But after an hour or so of this relentless force the tent was bending to the horizontal. Darkness was just falling and lightning added to the trauma. Our campsite was out in the wide open flat area about 2 km outside Tes. Other tents were suffering the same fate. The strong winds gave rise to a and storm and fine sand sand came through and began to cover everything inside. I struggled to hold the tent with my back against the bulging sides. My gear was scattered throughout the tent ready for the morning.
After almost 2 hours the tent finally collapsed on me. Andreas came by calling for people to come to the kitchen tent to organise some place to shelter from this storm especially with lightning present. I crawled out of the collapsed mess with just my jacket and sleeping bag. Those whose tents were still standing moved them closer to the vans utilising them as a windbreak. Mine was a lost cause. A gang of about 6 of us dashed out, removed the poles and just wrapped everything up in the tarp. Carried it to the van like a body bag and dumped it in the back. Just at this point the rains started.
A general of impending pandemonium was likely to result but TDA staff reacted positively. They sourced some dormitory accommodation in Tes at that late hour for those whose tents were beyond use. Some of those with tents still standing waited in the vans for the storm to pass and did return to them well after midnight.
This experience by itself was a trauma and draining. I have been camping in wind and rain but never in anything of this scale. Nor would I wish to again.
The vans brought 9 of us into these dorms in Tes. Three rooms, five beds in each, no light and a big-drop toilet outside in the back. Still, we were in out of the storm.
I settled down with my sleeping bag for a restorative night’s sleep. No such luck. One of the cyclists in our room certainly had a good night’s sleep judging by the sounds and the snoring, but no such luck for the rest of us. Also worrying about the state of tent and things. Got about an hour’s sleep before rising. Neither of these experiences is the way to prepare for a day’s ride. I would have been starting out on empty.Rising and breakfast was delayed by an hour. By this time I had decided not to ride today and take the van to Turuun.
Before breakfast I recovered my tent pile from the van to examine any damage and to pack all away. Everything was in a pile inside - camera, phone set to alarm, Garmin on charge and cycling clothes for today, passport, cards, money etc. Glad to report that no damage was done to the tent or contents and all still dry. (Others had broken poles and a helmet was blown away). I was relieved that all was intact and in order to take on another night.
The morning was dry with light headwind. Cyclists set out an hour late after breakfast. My bike up on top of the van (not a nice sight) and we left at 8.30 (6 cyclists in all)
The 110 km to Turuun in the van actually felt much longer. These Russian vans move at about 40 km/hr over this sandy washboad surface. Those corrugations don't make the van vibrate like the bike, it's more a noise nuisance.
We halted briefly at the lunch stop and finally arrived in Turuun at 1.30. So, I was one of the first to have the tent erected. There's a bit of a wind blowing just now (4pm) but I hope we don't have a repeat of last night.
Naturally I’m disappointed to have missed out on the ride. Sitting in camp as the other riders come in givesriseto a very empty useless feeling.
But, please God, I’ll get a satisfactory night’s sleep tonight and be ready for the off in the morning.
Thank God for the health and thank God for the energy.
No comments:
Post a Comment