Treasure Hunt

What do you do when your bikes gives out in the middle of the Ethiopian highlands with another few thousands clicks to go?  Do you throw in the towel and get on the truck?  Do you ring up your fancy bike shop back home, pull out the visa and hope for the best.  Or do you accept reality as it is and look for a local solution. Meet Andy Morrit.  With the strict time line of 24 hours in Addis Ababa, Andy was on the case. With a secret tip from a local rider as to the best shop in town, he was off in a tuk-tuk and ready to make the big purchase. The first shop turned out to be a write-off with nothing but second hand rides costing in the realm of 5,000 birr (roughly  $275 USD), which is nowhere near a deal in the local currency.  Keeping on with the mission, Andy found The Shop; local bikes, brand new, squeaky clean, kitted with every possible accessory, one set price of 3,600 birr, and sold. Although perhaps not the most high performance, the merits of this bicycle are more than meets the eye. The smiles it puts on local faces, seeing a “ferengi” ripping along on an Addis special, not to mention the delight of our riders at the hearty determination of Mr. Morrit. And from our perspective; you certainly get the TDA stamp of approval. Hope to see you on another tour soon Andy!