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March 26, 2008

Africa | Ethiopia   10:18 AM
Speed of Life.

It seems that since leaving Kenya a scant week ago, I've been on the run. And after a couple day of riding through the both verdant hills and semi-arid deserts landscaped pocked with people sporting gleaming smiles evoking a contentment that would be hard to contemplate back home where our lives are sped up and constantly in fast-forward due to the pressures of work and family life and the self-induced demands brought about due to our fascination and addiction to technology. But here in Ethiopia the pace of life slows and moves gracefully like the languid moves of a desert camel.

Doc gets a good cleaning courtesy of my friends in Awasa.

Wake up and smell the coffee. Freshly roasted, ground and poured Ethiopian coffee.

Surrounded by beautiful Ethiopian women, a hotel manager passionate about his China-built motorcycle and the tranquil blowing in the wind trees shading Doc, I stay a couple days at Lake Awasa. Good food, comfortable digs and smiling faces. Who could ask for more?

But creeping up in the back of my mind dulls this tranquility as the thoughts of securing a visa that will allow me to cross into Sudan and ultimately take me up the Nile River through Egypt. I've met hundreds of travelers in Africa. Of the handful that spent time in Sudan, none are American. Given that to some the global image of America has been tainted by our current political situation, I've never been embarrassed nor defensive when discussing my home -- my heritage. I'm American and proud of it. And while many will deny it, it's fact. No US administration in the past one hundred years or more has done more for Africa than our current cast. And while the scorecard in other parts of the world leaves a bit to be desired, I cannot and will not hide the fact that I'm American.

But today, as an American, it might be impossible to get into Sudan. And that would seriously hamper my journey.

Back to those beautiful women and the wind in the trees. Ahhhh. Yes. This is nice. It's been a rough road the last week. But I'm happy to report one major milestone: yesterday as I rolled into Awasa I rode my 50,000th mile since leaving Newport Beach, California on July 4, 2005.

* 50,000 miles / 80,467km *

So my new friends here in Awasa marked the milestone in my journal by writing 50,000 miles in Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia.

Posted by allan

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	Hey Allan...I guess the Ethiopian Women are as beautiful as I have heard! Glad to see you posting again!
	Commented by  Eric Jasso  On  July 24, 2008
	Congratulations on the 50k mark. I've enjoyed the new reading material.
	Commented by  Señor Mano  On  July 24, 2008
	Thanks my mates!!! Yep those Ethiopian woman sure are lookers, no doubt. And the 50k mark is more than just a milestone... it's a tirestone, too! Loving this part of Africa.
	Commented by  WorldRider  On  July 26, 2008
	Hey Bro'... What a milestone!! But let's put that in perspective...50 000 miles in 707 days... Thats 70 miles a day...!!! You gotta speed this thing up Allan, you're not getting any younger, you know !! Ha, ha... Great going pal, wish we had covered more miles together...
	Commented by  TheDarkDestroyer  On  July 28, 2008
	Congrats on the 50,000 milestone, Pun intended :P
	Commented by  AtlasRider  On  July 29, 2008
	thanks Atlas... it's been a longer way around than I'd ever imagined. but that's what I like. always something to surprise you!! thanks for the note and the PUN!
	Commented by  WorldRider  On  August 05, 2008
	50,000 miles in 707 days? DD you mathematician is that right? Only 70 miles a day???? We'll ride more miles in the future Ronnie "B"! Many more one day!
	Commented by  WorldRider  On  August 05, 2008

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