Riding with Ross Methven: day 1

Ross Methven is riding a bicycle from Edinburgh, Scotland, to Cape Town, South Africa. He is currently cycling through Tanzania and I am accompanying him on part of the Tanzanian leg. My Mt. Kilimanjaro guide, Yahoo, says cycling is one of the best training options for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro.

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Monday, 29 July 2013
In the last post I mentioned that I am tempted to accompany Ross Methven on part of his epic Edinburgh to Cape Town bicycle journey that began in Edinburgh in January 2013. Well, I caved in to the temptation. I will not cycle all the way to Cape Town, but I will keep up with him for as long as possible.

As I mentioned in the last post, this cycling trip is excellent preparation for my upcoming Mt. Kilimanjaro climb from 23 to 30 September 2013.

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If you want to donate to Ross' cause please follow this link:

http://fundraise.unicef.org.uk/MyPage/value-adder-to-vagabond

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As I write this post we have already covered a little more than 40 kilomtres from Butiama to Bunda and will be heading to Kisorya, then take a ferry across to Ukerewe Island.

Ross, along the way to Bunda.

There is a long gentle descent from Butiama towards the main highway to Mwanza, 11 kilometres away, which is extremely misleading. I found that months of inactivity have affected my ability to ride effortlessly uphill. As a result, I must have walked as much as cycled on today's section from Butiama to Mwanza.

At the top of a long gentle ascent. 

The highlight of the day occurred when we stopped at a village along the way and Ross went away to buy bottled water as I watched over Eleanor and Mugendi, our bicycles. A curious crowd had gathered to observe us and a woman, gesturing towards me, said: "Huyu atakuwa bodigadi na mkalimani." [He must be the bodyguard and interpreter.] I thought that was a huge compliment as it meant I must appear to be relatively fit.

Next post: Heading to Kisorya

Related posts:
http://www.rossmethvensbigbikeride.co.uk/
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-solution-to-challenge-of-training-for.html
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2013/08/riding-with-ross-methven-day-2.html

A solution to the challenge of training for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro?

One of the major challenges I face is how to motivate myself to get off my chair (and bed) and train for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. It requires an exercise regimen of three months to adequately physically prepare the body to confront Mt. Kilimanjaro.

It is true that any reasonably fit person can climb Mt. Kilimanjaro and reach the summit, but if one wants to enjoy the mountain rather than struggle up to the summit then it is best to prepare the body well. The better prepared you are the less demanding the climb and the more you will be able to stop and admire the beauty of this mountain.

I have climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro under most conditions. On some climbs, I have logged enough time in training and with other climbs I have done no training at all. And that is the problem. I am aware that it is possible to reach the summit without any serious training and so I have little motivation to train.

Now I think I might have the perfect motivation to put in several days of training.

Ross Methven is passing through Butiama, where I live, on his Edinburgh to Cape Town cycling trip in which he is raising funds for UNICEF and I am tempted to take several days off and accompany him for some of the way as he pedals his way through central Tanzania on his way to Tanzania's border with Malawi. It might also provide me with a brief holiday away from work given my penchant to forget to program holidays in my work schedule.

A bicycle with a name: Mugendi.

I cannot go as far as the border, but if I put in several days of cycling it should provide me some valuable preparation for my upcoming climb from 23 - 30 September, 2013.

If I eventually go, Mugendi will be accompanying me. Ross says a bicycle has to have a name. His is called Eleanor; mine is called Mugendi - the traveler, in the Zanaki dialect.

Related post:
http://blogkili.blogspot.com/2013/07/riding-with-ross-methven-day-1.html

Mary Kalikawe, member, Kilimanjaro Club

The Kilimanjaro Club lists people I know who have scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro, including those who join me every year on the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb and those who join me for my non-charity climbs.

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Mary Kalikawe joined me on my third annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb in December 2010. She reached the summit on a day that had considerable snowfall.

Mary Kalikawe is the Managing Director of Kiroyera Consulting, a tourism company based in Bukoba which opened a branch office in Mwanza in 2010. She joined the 3^rd Annual Mwalimu Nyerere.

The updated Kilimanjaro Club list:

No.	Name	Nationality	Age	Point Reached*	Summit Date
1.	Madaraka Nyerere	Tanzanian	48	Uhuru Peak	24th August 2008
2.	Le Huyhn	Vietnamese	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	25th August 2008
3.	Markus Geiger	Swiss	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	2009
4.	Gerald Hando	Tanzanian	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	6 October 2009
5.	Notburga Maskini	Tanzanian	49	Stella Point	6 October 2009
6.	Dmitry	Russian(?)	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	13 December 2010
	Jaffar Amin	Ugandan	44	Uhuru Peak	13 December 2010
	Mary Kalikawe	Tanzanian	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	10 December 2010

*A climber is awarded a certificate for reaching one of three elevations: Uhuru Peak (5,895 AMSL), Stella Point (5,745 AMSL), or Gillman's Point (5,685 AMSL).

Another member of the Kilimanjaro Club, William Rutta

The Kilimanjaro Club lists people I know who have scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro, including those who join me every year on the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb and those who join me for my non-charity climbs.

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Ever since he joined me for the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb in 2010, William Rutta has shown keen interest to return to Mt. Kilimanjaro for another challenge. 

William Rutta at Uhuru Peak.

He is the chairman of BUDAP an NGO based in Bukoba that provides assistance to the disabled by providing skills training to its members.

The updated membership list is:

No.	Name	Nationality	Age	Point Reached*	Summit Date
1.	Madaraka Nyerere	Tanzanian	48	Uhuru Peak	24th August 2008
2.	Le Huyhn	Vietnamese	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	25th August 2008
3.	Markus Geiger	Swiss	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	2009
4.	Gerald Hando	Tanzanian	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	6 October 2009
5.	Notburga Maskini	Tanzanian	49	Stella Point	6 October 2009
6.	Dmitry	Russian(?)	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	13 December 2010
7.	Jaffar Amin	Ugandan	44	Uhuru Peak	13 December 2010
8.	William Rutta	Tanzanian	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	10 December 2010

*A climber is awarded a certificate for reaching one of three elevations: Uhuru Peak (5,895 AMSL), Stella Point (5,745 AMSL), or Gillman's Point (5,685 AMSL).

Another member of the Kilimanjaro Club, William Rutta

The Kilimanjaro Club lists people I know who have scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro, including those who join me every year on the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb and those who join me for my non-charity climbs.

*********************************************************

Ever since he joined me for the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb in 2010, William Rutta has shown keen interest to return to Mt. Kilimanjaro for another challenge. 

William Rutta at Uhuru Peak.

He is the chairman of BUDAP an NGO based in Bukoba that provides assistance to the disabled by providing skills training to its members.

The updated membership list is:

No.	Name	Nationality	Age	Point Reached*	Summit Date
1.	Madaraka Nyerere	Tanzanian	48	Uhuru Peak	24th August 2008
2.	Le Huyhn	Vietnamese	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	25th August 2008
3.	Markus Geiger	Swiss	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	2009
4.	Gerald Hando	Tanzanian	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	6 October 2009
5.	Notburga Maskini	Tanzanian	49	Stella Point	6 October 2009
6.	Dmitry	Russian(?)	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	13 December 2010
7.	Jaffar Amin	Ugandan	44	Uhuru Peak	13 December 2010
8.	William Rutta	Tanzanian	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	10 December 2010

*A climber is awarded a certificate for reaching one of three elevations: Uhuru Peak (5,895 AMSL), Stella Point (5,745 AMSL), or Gillman's Point (5,685 AMSL).

Another member of the Kilimanjaro Club, William Rutta

The Kilimanjaro Club lists people I know who have scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro, including those who join me every year on the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb and those who join me for my non-charity climbs.

*********************************************************

Ever since he joined me for the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb in 2010, William Rutta has shown keen interest to return to Mt. Kilimanjaro for another challenge. 

William Rutta at Uhuru Peak.

He is the chairman of BUDAP an NGO based in Bukoba that provides assistance to the disabled by providing skills training to its members.

The updated membership list is:

No.	Name	Nationality	Age	Point Reached*	Summit Date
1.	Madaraka Nyerere	Tanzanian	48	Uhuru Peak	24th August 2008
2.	Le Huyhn	Vietnamese	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	25th August 2008
3.	Markus Geiger	Swiss	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	2009
4.	Gerald Hando	Tanzanian	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	6 October 2009
5.	Notburga Maskini	Tanzanian	49	Stella Point	6 October 2009
6.	Dmitry	Russian(?)	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	13 December 2010
7.	Jaffar Amin	Ugandan	44	Uhuru Peak	13 December 2010
8.	William Rutta	Tanzanian	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	10 December 2010

*A climber is awarded a certificate for reaching one of three elevations: Uhuru Peak (5,895 AMSL), Stella Point (5,745 AMSL), or Gillman's Point (5,685 AMSL).

Another member of the Kilimanjaro Club, William Rutta

The Kilimanjaro Club lists people I know who have scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro, including those who join me every year on the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb and those who join me for my non-charity climbs.

*********************************************************

Ever since he joined me for the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb in 2010, William Rutta has shown keen interest to return to Mt. Kilimanjaro for another challenge. 

William Rutta at Uhuru Peak.

He is the chairman of BUDAP an NGO based in Bukoba that provides assistance to the disabled by providing skills training to its members.

The updated membership list is:

No.	Name	Nationality	Age	Point Reached*	Summit Date
1.	Madaraka Nyerere	Tanzanian	48	Uhuru Peak	24th August 2008
2.	Le Huyhn	Vietnamese	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	25th August 2008
3.	Markus Geiger	Swiss	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	2009
4.	Gerald Hando	Tanzanian	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	6 October 2009
5.	Notburga Maskini	Tanzanian	49	Stella Point	6 October 2009
6.	Dmitry	Russian(?)	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	13 December 2010
7.	Jaffar Amin	Ugandan	44	Uhuru Peak	13 December 2010
8.	William Rutta	Tanzanian	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	10 December 2010

*A climber is awarded a certificate for reaching one of three elevations: Uhuru Peak (5,895 AMSL), Stella Point (5,745 AMSL), or Gillman's Point (5,685 AMSL).

Another member of the Kilimanjaro Club, William Rutta

The Kilimanjaro Club lists people I know who have scaled Mt. Kilimanjaro, including those who join me every year on the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Charity Climb and those who join me for my non-charity climbs.

*********************************************************

Ever since he joined me for the annual Mwalimu Nyerere/Mt. Kilimanjaro Climb in 2010, William Rutta has shown keen interest to return to Mt. Kilimanjaro for another challenge. 

William Rutta at Uhuru Peak.

He is the chairman of BUDAP an NGO based in Bukoba that provides assistance to the disabled by providing skills training to its members.

The updated membership list is:

No.	Name	Nationality	Age	Point Reached*	Summit Date
1.	Madaraka Nyerere	Tanzanian	48	Uhuru Peak	24th August 2008
2.	Le Huyhn	Vietnamese	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	25th August 2008
3.	Markus Geiger	Swiss	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	2009
4.	Gerald Hando	Tanzanian	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	6 October 2009
5.	Notburga Maskini	Tanzanian	49	Stella Point	6 October 2009
6.	Dmitry	Russian(?)	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	13 December 2010
7.	Jaffar Amin	Ugandan	44	Uhuru Peak	13 December 2010
8.	William Rutta	Tanzanian	Unknown	Uhuru Peak	10 December 2010

*A climber is awarded a certificate for reaching one of three elevations: Uhuru Peak (5,895 AMSL), Stella Point (5,745 AMSL), or Gillman's Point (5,685 AMSL).