1 September 2011

Day 2: Orodara to Bobo -- 80 km

Weather: cool, cloudy in early morning followed by clear and sunny in late morning
Terrain: sweet sweet pavement, rolling hills
#PCV riders: 9 + 1 friend of PCV
Hosts: Bobo - Dioulasso: Peace Corps Bureau

As seen through the eyes of: Chev

After a long, uphill ride on a dirt road which left my thigh muscles cursing my name the first day of the tour, I was a little nervous about the second day. We started the morning with petit pois (pea) and omlette sandwiches courtesy our gracious hostess in Orodara, Sara. When we left the house we were greeted by the first light of dawn and a pleasant, cool breeze. We'd been discussing the difficulty of the ride - the hills especially - but we all swallowed the soreness of the first day and took off on the wonderfully smooth pavement.

My friend visiting from America, Kelsey, and I stopped to fuel up with some Nescafe (like the good caffeine-addicted Seattle girls we are). Then we took off. The hills proved to be rolling and gorgeous, and for each painful climb we were rewarded with a blissful downhill. The surroundings were beautiful beyond words- lush, green, and hilly, unlike any part of Burkina I've seen before. After a short stop halfway I rode with Lauren and Kelsey, making frequent stops for dried mango from Orodara, cool water, and photos. Sometimes I would be powering up another steep hill, sweat pouring down my face, the next moment I found myself gliding down the other side at the fastest speed I could manage, taking in the scenery, laughing with my friends, and trying to imagine a better way to spend the day.

As the sun broke through the clouds we found ourselves further along in the ride than expected. At the top of one of the last big hills Lauren and I caught up with Austin and Nick, recovering from the scorching sun for a few moments in the only shade they could find, and the 4 of us rode into Bobo together. There was a hill coming into town, but we were so encouraged by the "Bienvenue" signs all along the road and the site of a city waiting for us in the distance that we no longer cared. After a small mishap in which Kelsey got lost and couldn't find the bureau, all the riders settled in safely and happily. We rewarded ourselves with plenty of good food, naps, and good stories from the day.