Smugly goes bush in Zambia

[tabledrain]

42km doesn’t sound far, does it? So when I left Kitwe after nailing the 320km ride from site to Kitwe run in 4 hours again, in spite of the potholes, multiple roadblocks and bad roads I decided a more leisurely ride home was in order.
Out of Kitwe on the M18, heading west, looking for a turn off into the scrub.( turn 1 -12.843489, 27.830981) Once off the main road, I stopped on a dry piece of road and retimed the cam, a new crank pulley had been fitted and I wondered at the time if it was wrong. It was, Smugly was as flat as a tack. Cover off, loose the tensioner, jump the belt one tooth, retension and cover on.
Smugly fairly bolted after that. Getting along at a good clip, about 10 kliks in the only fourway intersection caught me by surprise as I had to much pace on to turn right. I slowed, trundled into the village, full of church goers and drunks, stopped and made conversation with some and then headed out the correct track.
The track turned into deep river sand, first gear, a rooster tail out the back and feet occasionally padding the ground to stop me face planting as the front end tried to tuck under.
Out of that and into the mud, calf deep with feet on the pegs, idling through not sure what was in there. Up a rise and into the forest and then it was rocks and dry gullies, washouts at angles across the road and loose stones.
Once again down in the lower areas and then 20 km of wet roads, long deep water stretches with truck tracks guiding my underwater wheels. Steering? Whats that? All I could do was go with it and try not to go A over T.
At each of the villages I stopped, it was Sunday and the village is very social so I stopped and said hello. It didn’t matter which village, nobody spoke Australian until an elder arrived. We would say hello, my bike was curiously eyed off and the general statement was” it is a very strong bike”. All these people have are the cheap chinese ones.. A wistful statement made by an elder who could see how much it could carry with ease compared to theirs.
After a drink, off I went. 35km in the road became grease. Both wheels deciding they were going separate ways, feet down now, bike going in the general direction of least resistance( which was never entirely forward) I came across some boys with bicycles carrying 60litres of home brew each. Leaving the path to the boys, Smugly was headed into the water, deep enough now to cover the engine cases and in one short spot touch the knees. I thought I was gonna drown but Smugly just plowed on through..
One more village, curious eyes watching the muzungu bleeding water rolling through standing on pegs, flip open and waving at them.
41km and one hour later, the T5 turned up(-12.551349, 27.716406, turn two) and turning west I headed for a rain soaked ride home to site.
If you use google maps, enter Kitwe, the two sets of coordinates, then Lumwana mine area. The days ride..

[gegdonnell]

An amazing and well documented ride, hope to here of your next adventure soon. Take few photos next time, maybe a bike cam could be fitted.

[bonny21]

you pick a good bike, this is what they do well

[tabledrain]

I didnt have the camera with me, this side loop was a spur of the moment decision.
I am looking at a bike cam, but havent really put that much thought into it.

[Derrick]

Fantastic ride, and excellent write-up. You do need to get a bike camera, it would make a really good video.

Just had a look at Google maps using your coordinates.

[Godspeed]

Great write up, felt like I was there too!
Must have photos