9 hours, 30 minutes, 600 kilometers (300 miles)

Daily Diary

Back Where I came From – Again

Yeah, I rode through the darkness to get to Tchibanga. At least I had some idea of what the road conditions were – even if I could barely see them in the dark.

Get Gas & Get Out

Hitting the “Road”

Surface conditions change every 500 meters or so. Just long enough for you to get used to one before it switches to another.

This bridge actually scared the shit out of me on the way in in the dark. There was so much dust that I couldn’t tell what was up ahead. The good news is that tarmac is just up ahead – even with giant potholes as least I can make up some time.

Back through the twisties i the other direction.

People are always interested when they see a big bike come through. Mostly the kids, but every now and then you get a giant smile and a big thumbs-up from an adult.

Local cemetery. Not sure where everyone else is buried.

People were lined up filling up large bottles of water from a natural spring.

Some giant bird circling over me. Good sign?

Crazy dust updraft with smoke from people burning shit all the time. This one was probably from clearing trees for pasture or farming, but it was huge. The dust and ash came down a couple of kilometers later.

I saw hundreds of these trucks on the road. Don’t know the type of tree, but they are clearing massive acreage.

This is a far-off shot, but those trees are really tall – more than 50ft and they are climbing up the side of the hill.

I don’t think I saw one road sign worth a shit in this country.

I probably went through a dozen police checkpoints. They didn’t seem to care about me at all. I only had one who stopped me just to make sure my camera wasn’t on. Weird.

City driving in Gabon makes Congo look like Vienna. The Gabonese have to be the worst drivers in the world. I’m not talking about weaving or going fast, they just don’t have any concept of rules of the road.

Dead car #300!

Dead car #301.

Finally getting closer!

Carlos, this guy might have some of your pairs of sneakers.

Made it! Time for food, drink, and a movie watch party with Shel.