About 10 years ago, I had a friend who was a pro cyclist from Uganda Cycling Association. He would jazz me about how they cycled from Kampala to Entebbe and back. I didn’t believe it was possible. However, as a cycling fan, I put it at the back of my mind and said to myself optimistically, “I’ll do it one day.”
10 years later, I was to take on my biggest and longest cycling challenge.
Those of you who have been following my blog posts know that for the past few weeks, I’ve been in some sort of intensive training to hike Mt. Rwenzori. It’s been about seven weeks of hiking and jogging. In fact I, together with my hiking buddies at Rwenzori Tutambule, have hiked all the 7 hills that makeup Kampala twice.
Cycling has been the kind of thing I’ve done since childhood. I remember cycling every day to and fro school in my senior one and senior two before joined boarding school. Cycling to and fro school used to take me about an hourr.
So when I decided to hike Mt Rwenzori this November, I got to learn that cycling is one thing you could add to your training routine beside lifting weights, hiking for more than six hours a day and jogging for at least 10 kilometers.
The first two sets of training that caught my attention were jogging and cycling. In fact, I started off my training with cycling about 8km in roughly 28 minutes in Entebbe. Then I joined the group for long challenging hikes like hiking Kampala’s 7hills that make about 42 kilometers.
It’s been over four weeks since I last did a fun bicycle ride. I had put all my efforts in hiking, jogging, doing weight training and cardio. However, as I was scrolling through my Facebook feed, I saw a post in a group that was organising a 40 kilometer bike ride and I decided that I would join them. All this was being done in my rest week, the last week before hiking Mt Rwenzori.
The “catch”
The group was to set off from the other side of the city. So my mind started doing the Math. The idea was; if I am to ride 40km with the group, plus ride the 25km it’s going to take me to reach the meeting point (making it 50km to and fro the meeting point), I would have done 90km in total. 90km in a single day, tremendous!
I was like, YES! This is the time for me to attempt to ride 100km, something that has been on my bucket list for years.
The heavy downpour in the morning couldn’t stop me as I rode to Ggaba – found in the Southern part of Kampala city. It took me over an hour to get there as I traversed through traffic and braved the rains.
Before I knew it, I was at the meeting point (see image above). It so happened that the group had changed the route and starting point. I realised this after two hours of waiting and making some calls on a number I picked off Facebook.
There I was, already wet, my body had developed goose bumps due to the coldness and I wondered whether to go back home or set up an alternative plan.
Turning Point.
At the restaurant at the Beach House in Ggaba, I grabbed a cup of hot black tea and chatted up the workers. I asked them if it was acceptable for one to ride a bicycle to Kajjansi via the Munyonyo Express link to which I received a valid yes. I then made up my mind to ride to Kajansi, proceed to Entebbe and in case my body complained, I would simply stop and board back home.
I set off for this route afer the tea. There I went, from the Beach house in Ggaba to Munyonyo via Kigo and then straight to Kajansi.
At the back of my mind, I decided to enjoy the ride rather than seem like I was after someone. I took time to stop and take pictures as well as sightsee along the way. Before I knew it, I was at Kajansi, so I got off the express link to Kajjansi on Entebbe road.
From there, I rode to Entebbe and did another stopover at Katabi – Kitubulu where Lake Victoria comes nearest to Entebbe road.
Food and its shortcomings.
Thereafter, I proceeded to Entebbe and make my last stop at Victoria Mall before the traffic lights. I wanted to get in and grab some ice cream but I was denied entry due to having no mask on me.
I ended up having a small talk with the security officer and told him how I knew that he is a bachelor and that I’d not offer him my sister. Lols. He ended up taking pictures of me :-).
I then rode across the road to the Rolex Guy and grabbed lunch before I set off for my return trip. It took me about an hour for lunch with an interesting read of the Bradt Handbook.
After lunch, I hit the road again. I did my first stopover for a picture at the intersection between the Entebbe Express Highway (Southern Bypass) and the Entebbe- Kampala road. See picture below.
Another picture moment was at Lweza Clays just after the Kajjansi interconnection. This was also the moment I started to feel my muscles ache.
Thereafter, I rode steadily through Zana, Najankumbi, Kibuye Junction where I got another picture opportunity before crossing and going towards Katwe and later to Clock Tower in Kampala city.
From there I rode to Nsambya, then towards Mukwano, through to Kitgum House traffic lights junction, turned right towards Nakawa, went past Uganda Management Institute and Game Lugogo on Jinja Road. I then rode on straight to Nakawa, went past Spear Motors and got another picture opportunity at City Oil Nakawa below.
I cycled on, found my way through Kireka – Namugongo road, then to Kyaliwajja and back to Nsawo in Namugongo – my starting point.
By the time I was at Village Mall Entebbe, Strava was already counting 62Km and deep instead I knew that if I just focused on enjoying the ride and not keep track of what the app was saying, I would definitely find my way back home. That’s exactly what I did. By the time I checked the app when back at my starting point, it was an astonishing 111 kilometers in total. I was in shock and couldn’t believe it.
I couldn’t be more happier realising that I could finally tick this off my bucket list. I can’t wait to go up the Rwenzoris, a journey starting in less than three days.
And if you’re reading this, you would certainly be interested in knowing why I want to hike Mt Rwenzori.
Thanks for reading…
