June 3 – 5, 2016

There’s inevitably that moment that occurs, when you’re pretty sure you’ve done something dumb, and that moment stamps your hunch emphatically as true. This is usually reserved for kids since hopefully as adults we have evolved past this and refined our judgment.

Today I decided to head back to Livingstone and hang out there for a couple of days before my friend Michelle arrives from Zimbabwe. While there, I can also get vaccine round 2 of my rabies series.

The cycling for the day was a mundane, predictable, well paved, well traveled 60 miles from Kasane, Botswana to Livingstone, Zambia.  The last 10 miles pass through Mosi Oa Tunya, which hopefully would provide some much desired color. After about 55 miles of being on auto pilot and listening to podcasts, I was approaching Livingstone and I began to see dirt roads spurring off to the south toward the Zambezi River. I could see on my map that these roads wrapped around and ran parallel to the river and thus the tarmac road. The first road I went down led to a game lodge. I inquired about a room for the eve and what animals are in the area. “Elephants, giraffe, zebra, buffalo” the guard said. “No cats?” I asked? “No cats.” He replied. The accommodations were more than I wanted to spend so I asked if I could continue and follow the dirt road along the river into Livingstone. “Too dangerous. You’re in the park and need a permit.” Disappointed, I headed back toward the monotony of the tarmac…when I saw another dirt road. I paused, knowing this was likely that dumb idea, but the thought of riding another hour on tarmac with trucks zooming by as I entered the city felt like brain damage. I was at the edge, and I jumped.

There was something so peaceful, yet overwhelmingly unnerving riding through the woods. I felt like I was in Jurassic Park and at any moment I would roll up on some animal just waiting for me to do just that, or worse yet, I was being stalked. This is literally what I was thinking the entire time. It’s amazing how adrenaline affects your mindset. After about a mile, the road stopped. Just to my left, there were rail road tracks. The tracks continued all the way into Livingstone, so I cut over and rode along the tracks, continuing to scan left, right, and especially, definitely…behind me. He said there were no cats, right? After about 3 miles I came to the fence line of the park and the tracks continued through a break in the fence. There was a road leading left, presumably out of the park and past a guard shack. As I was about to continue out along the tracks, I looked down and saw a bunch of wire on the tracks directly at the fence line. Of course…electric fence. This was that moment that emphatically stamped my concern that I was doing something dumb. Confirmed. I essentially was trapped with not any good options. I was not about to back track along the tracks and dirt road all that way back through Jurassic Park. This left the option of trying to cross the electrically charged fence line (which I can only imagine must be a potent zing since it is there to keep wild animals in the park) or head up the dirt road, and inevitably past a soon to be surprised and angry guard. I have no idea what happens to foreigners for this sort of thing, only that I was not anxious to find out. Like Maverick in Top Gun…I buzzed the tower. The guard shack was facing me and he had a solid 75 yard advanced view of my approach. As I got closer, he was understandably surprised to see a bicycle coming toward him and came out to inquire (read: intercept, reprimand, and possibly fine.)  Expecting this, I tucked my head and charged forward, flying by him as he chased me on foot. It was about 100 yards to the tarmac where I turned right and continued pedaling full speed ahead and never looking back. I wish I had a better story that included seeing elephants, but realistically, I’m glad that I did not.   It appears I still haven’t completely evolved yet. In my mind, I repeated this saying from when I was kid: Eye Ham Sofa King We Todd Did.

Side note: An American, German, Aussie, and Belgian wander into a locals bar in Zambia to watch the national team compete in the African Cup…and then head down a dark side street into another bar afterward…ok, no punch line, but rather just a fun evening. Thus far, the people I have met in Africa have been nothing short of amazing. I spent 3 days with this crew and have had such an amazing crew. I know that I will miss them but hope to see them again.

Crossing the Zambezi by ferry back into Zambia

Found the local bike shop

Watching futbol with the locals

The Aussie.  The German.  The Liberal from the Bible Belt.  I’ll miss these guys.