to Kibuye: the rains have started - Racpat RTW 2015-2017 - CycleBlaze

September 6, 2015

to Kibuye: the rains have started

"Does the milk not taste right to you"? Patrick asks. We did not order breakfast from the guesthouse because we wanted an earlier start than when breakfast would be ready. Not sure which was worse, that the milk was bad and wasted our cereal or that Patrick had carried it for two days over the hills. We ate the hard boiled eggs that we would have had as our "second" breakfast. We have an awesome view of Lake Kivu, making the effort to get here worth it.

The road climbs a short distance before starting the descent. Starts out rather steeply especially on the curves before leveling out a bit for the first 12kms. Sections were all mud and being torn up even more by the few vehicles on the road. At least the mud isn't as sticky as around Mt. Elgon, we didn't have to take the fenders off but the bikes are pretty dirty. Then a 3km climb to Rubengera and pavement!

The last 19kms continued to be 1-2kms down and 1-2 kms up, winding around the peninsula where Kibuye is located. We see "muzungus" on racing bikes spread out coming up one of the hills. One guy stops to talk with us. It's a group that works for the NGO One Acre https://oneacrefund.org/what-we-do/countries-we-serve/rwanda/, and they are doing a "mock" triathalon.

Reaching Kibuye ends Path One of the Congo Nile Trail. As we make our way to Bethany Hotel, we see the sign Path Two for the CNT, 127kms paved road. Our original plan was to do all of the CNT, and continue on into Burundi, but Burundi isn't safe right now. We've decided to stay in Kibuye for a couple of days then make our way to Kigali. This means back tracking to Rubengera to pick up the road to Kigali. If anyone reading this wants to know more about the CNT from Kibuye, check out Joe Hindman CGOAB blog http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/15380 or Tim Rann "Everything you need to know".

We are in a beautiful spot along the lakeshore and just enjoyed a beautiful african sunset, along with good food and Primus Beer.

View from Bumba after a night of rain and thunderstorms.
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Amidst all that green is the road down to Kibuye
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This sign is very well hidden. We don't know how you're supposed to find this place without asking around.
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Sections of the road have gotten very bad after all the rainfall we had overnight.
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The mud isn't quite as sticky as the mud of Mt. Elgon, but the bikes need cleaning for sure.
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Arrived at Bethany hotel in Kibuye before noon. Our reward!
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Today's ride: 34 km (21 miles)
Total: 6,677 km (4,146 miles)

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