The Ultimate Coke Stop

Last week, I spoke of the most fabulous Coke stops we’ve had along the way. Let me tell you, the Coke stops in Botswana have dried up—there’s hardly any people around, so there’s nowhere to stop, get off the bike, take in the view, chat, relax, and get geared up for the kilometers ahead. However, we just experienced the Taj Mahal, the Serengeti, the Everest of Coke stops.

Not only did we have access yesterday, to a clean, modern and comfortable campsite. Also access to showers, a pool and a bar, but we also today had a pool stop at 105k—yes a pool stop. After the last few days of long kilometers (170 today, 170 yesterday, 145 the day before), hot sun (though cool nights), no Coke stops (though we’ve set up refreshment stands with fruit and fast fuel), to come across such an oasis, after lunch and before a bush campsite, is beyond description. Many of us stayed for a couple hours, swimming, relaxing on the deck, drinking juice, beer or Fantas. We even enjoyed fantastically comfortable cow hide chairs and took in the “Drum” magazine photos and chandeliers made out of green Amstel bottles. Ahhh, how refreshing! Most are of the opinion that it is the preeminent Coke stop, hands down.

We’re definitely becoming spoiled with showers between rest days, access to a variety of food, snacks, and pools, of all things. Tomorrow, we’ve got 150k to get to Maun, followed by a rest day. In the meantime, we’ll have a good team time trial to run, where 4 people have to race together for 20k, with whatever creative costumes and themes they conceive.