This was the ride that seemed like it would never end. After
a brief circuit of the lakeside city of Kisumu, our team was immediately faced
with a 3.5-mile steep-grade climb into the surrounding highlands. It was the first of a seemingly endless day
of significant hills with few descents.
We ascended over 3000 feet in the course of the day. The climbs just kept coming at us and all we
could do was grind our way up them as best we could. But our team kept at the challenge and by
nightfall rode into Eldoret.
The payoffs of hill climbing are breathtaking vistas of the
valleys and distance places. In this
area, the valleys are many miles wide and full of rich life. Again, the hills were filled with tea
plantations and the roads were lined with well-wishing children walking to and
from school, vendors and local laborers.
Our ride to Eldoret took all day. Midway through the ride, we stopped for lunch
at a Free Methodist Church and were welcomed by children at the ICCM school and
parishioners. The pastor and his family
invited us to their home for a delicious
lunch. After it, a few of us stole a few
moments of a nap before rejoining the journey of hills, hills and more
hills. We rolled into Eldoret and the
Free Methodist Bible School well after sundown.
We were exhausted, but somehow satisfied with our effort.
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