Date: 26.03.17 & 27.03.17
Blog entry date: 27.03.17
Distance: 69km
Odometer: 8 519km
Avg speed: 22km/hr
Time on bike: 3h07min
Problems: Tear in back-rim
Flat tyre counter: 3
Max speed of tour : 72.1km/hr (Day 142)
Longest day: 215km (Day 48)
Staying at family contact, about 20km outside Kigali city centre.
Last night I checked the bicycles for the last time, cleaned and lubed the chains. They are showing signs of the long journey, but did really well to carry us and our luggage this far. We had some mechanical issues, but generally speaking the bicycles held up very good. We are really grateful!
Today we started seeing signs of the impending city and the end of our journey. The shorter days are however giving us a little extra time of nomadic life. During our planning we estimated the journey to be 8500km. Today we passed that mark and are very close to our destination.
The road was in a good condition and we had some nice downhills. The last part we cycled in a valley between the green hills, beautiful.
We saw people almost the entire way and were faced with a different kind of problem, where to take a toilet-break 😁. Don’t worry, we did manage without curious eyes around.
In Rwanda the locals really love to cycle with us. Despite the single speed bicycles these guys are really fast and will stay with us for kilometers. As we pass the bigger towns we pick-up many cyclists. At some stage it felt like the we are in the Tour de France pelleton. Then, every so often a local will come racing past, just to pull off at his destination. I guess his way of showing us, “I won that stage!” 😂. I think this has to do with cycling being taken seriously as a sport in Rwanda. They even started the Tour de Rwanda a few years ago. With all the hills here it must be tough.
We arrived at our destination and were received with fantastic hospitallity! We had the best home cooked Sunday lunch in a very long time, and it was enough for our cyclist appetite. We were made to feel so welcome we soon decided to stay an extra day here. We will therefore cycle the last kilometers into Kigali only on the 28th.
Thanks for all the support! We are also extremely thankful for all the donations received for Josiah Trust. Your generosity has been an inspiration to us throughout our journey! The target is R50000 and we are now at R42472.
Willem & Eva
The road was in a good condition.
A small banana plantation.
This was 8500km’s.
Being treated to the best meals here. It was an easy decision to stay an extra day 😁
1000 HILLS FOR KLIPHEUWEL 
Hello Willem and Eva. What an achievement, tomorrow you can say “it is finished!”. Very appropriate as Easter approaches. I cannot believe how quickly the time has passed. In an odd way it feels like yesterday that you left and then if I think about everything that has happened in between then and now, it feels oddly long. I guess it feels the same to you… maybe it feels a little longer for you both given the effort you have had to make day after day! We respect the determination you guys have. You are an inspiration. Well done! Now come on home so that we can see you guys and hear the awesome stories. God has indeed made his face to shine upon you. He has cycled with you and kept you both safe. Thanks to God for the journey thus far. Be careful tomorrow and enjoy the last day. Kigali here we come! Keep those wheels turning!
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Hi Ian & Nicole, thanks for your message. Yes God has carried us through and we are very grateful. The last month felt especially long and overall, from what we have seen and experienced,it does feel more like a year. And from my perspective some of those uphills felt like never ending. We so looking forward to home! See you guys soon! Thanks for all the support. You often made my day Ian!
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I see grinadellas on the table! Yum! So glad you made it there! Just one more day of cycling! So proud of you!
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Riette, anytime I will prepare for you a big plate of passion fruit, you guys must just come and visit. Will even mix in some guava 🙂 Thank you for everything, from now on I will also be more strict wrt Willem’s look 😄
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Wir verneigen uns vor euch beiden!!! Es ist unglaublich und auch wir sind ziemlich aufgeregt, so kurz vor dem Finale. Euer Freund Ian hat eigentlich ein sehr wahres und berührendes Schlußwort geschrieben. da gibt es nicht viel hinzuzufügen. Es erfüllt uns mit großer Dankbarkeit, dass euer Traum in all den Facetten wahr geworden ist. Ein letztes Mal tausend Dank für die wunderbaren Bilder, Berichte und Storys. Wir haben bei eurer Reise manches gelernt, oft gestaunt und über Willems Witz sehr gern gelacht. Habt dann bald eine entspannte Heimreise. Ihr werdet mit offenen Armen empfangen… liebste Knuddelgrüße
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Für euch leben wir die Tage nochmal im Detail durch und wir verwöhnen euch, so wie ihr uns auch gedanklich jeden Tag von neuem mental bestärkt habt. Ihr seid die Besten ❤️
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liebe eva und lieber willem, das erste (finanzielle) ziel habt ihr nun mit einem wahnsinnsschlussspurt erreicht und morgen schafft ihr auch noch die letzten kilometer auf euren drahteseln. um es wie willem mit der tour de france zu vergleichen: ihr radelt auf dem champs elysees ein. den sieg habt ihr bereits in der tasche und den kann euch keiner mehr nehmen. genau wie eure vielen schönen begebenheiten und erinnerungen, die ihr zum glück mit viel ausdauer und leidenschaft mit uns geteilt habt. genießt die verbleibende zeit und bis ganz bald! wir drücken euch fest! mmjl
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Jaaaaa, bis ganz ganz bald! Wir schätzen eure Worte und Unterstützung sehr! Tausend-Hügel-Dank
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What an amazing adventure you have had so far Eva and Willem. Home is just around the corner. We followed you every kilometre of your journey and are in awe of your tenacity and determination in persuing your dreams. Peter and I look forward to hearing all about your cycle trip, sitting in comfy chairs, sipping coffee and dunking rusks xx
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Coll, did you just say rusks? Oh then home must really be around the corner 🙂 Thank you guys for all your interest and support, meant so much to us. Hope we have made it look easy and lots of fun, so that you guys cannot wait to pedal into your own adventure. See you guys soon. Will talk details once back. xx
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Liebe Eva, lieber Willem, nun ist es da euer Ziel, so viele haben euch begleitet, bestärkt, immer mit Neugier euern Blog verfolgt und ihr seid geradelt, geradelt, mit unglaublicher Motivation, mit einem Ziel vor Augen, Erinnerungen und Erlebnisse sammelnd, Tag für Tag, Woche für Woche, Monat um Monat fast ein halbes Jahr. Wir sind stolz auf euch, dankbar, dass wir an euerm Erleben teilhaben durften.
Ein gutes Ankommen wieder zu Hause, wie man liest freuen sich da schon Einige auf “Liveberichte” gemütlich auf dem Sofa und einer guten Tasse Kaffee. Genießt es und alles Gute für euch. madeleine, udo, johannes, wilhelmine (und elisabeth im Herzen)
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Hallo Madeleine, danke für eure Nachricht! Du konntest sehr gut immer unsere Erfahrungen nachvollziehen und auch einordnen. Danke für all euer Interesse. Vlt gibt es ja auch für uns eine Möglichkeit mit den live Berichten. Wir würden auch gerne mehr über Äthiopien erfahren. Liebe Grüße zu euch!
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Even as your journey comes to a close, you both inspire me ……… God bless you !
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Hello Mary, you are still following! That makes us so happy. So thankful our paths have crossed and Embu stands out for us as a very positive experience. Thinking back I still find it difficult to realise that we really cycled around Mt Kenya. Crazy people. Only with God’s grace have we managed this! We wish you more touring cyclists coming your way; but honestly I doubt it 😉 Keep well!
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