25 January 2008 - Sand. Sand. Sand.

We cycled the last 55 kilometers into Akasha today. It was the toughest 55 kilometers I have cycled yet. When I had envisioned Sudan and the Nubian desert, I had pictured sand, but large rolling dunes and oppressive heat. It was a very different picture to the choppy, rocky landscape we have dealt with today. There is little relief on this terrain. You have two choices: deep corrugated ditches that can only be likened to deep tissue massage in its endless attack of muscles and joints; and soft sand that is conquered by low gears, good forward momentum and “getting back on the bike” after every fall! And fall we did. It’s a soft landing – but it punished us.