Dusty Days

A clean start

Stepping into a jet of hot water I found a moment of peace. At my feet lay the melting remains of a day spent fighting thru the dust and dirt of Ethiopia. In the rising sun, riders set out with excitement, ready for tomorrow’s day off and the precious moments of a hot shower. Following the dusty tracks of those gone before them, each person pushing pedal found that a rest day must be earned. Greeted by the true heart of Ethiopian riding, riders battled against challenging mountain roads, rock throwing children, flat tires, dust, gravel, and personal limits.

These limits were tested, pushed and broken. Yet in these tests even the tragedies of the day added up to the greater victory. Tomorrow will be a rest day. Even for those who saw there EFI status disappears into the setting Ethiopian sun, tomorrow is still a hard won rest day.

Tonight’s shower is a small moment of relaxation, a little seclusion and a place where the days dust swirls and mixes with all the grime of a hard day on the bike.

-Buckey