OK – it’s HOT now

On my way to Zinder, I had been musing to myself about how humid it has been for the past week. I had always imagined Niger as being a giant desert, completely dry and arid. But this has not been the case. I have been surrounded by fields of millet, corn; sorghum and other things all along. Even with fewer trees and dry river beds, the humidity in the air has been significantly higher than one would find in Calgary or Perth.

Then, all of a sudden, I topped a hill, and there I was on top of a plateau with nothing but rocks and scrub brush for as far as I could see. I could almost feel the air drying out. I could definitely feel my clothes drying out. My sweat drenched shirt and shorts were bone dry in minutes. “Well, I guess this is what they call the Sahel!” I said out loud to myself. (Yes, I talk out loud to myself as I ride. Not sure if it is keeping me from going crazy or if it is proof that I already am).

The change was really quite sudden, but welcome. I enjoy the dryness. It doesn’t even feel like I am sweating anymore. This is a little dangerous because I need to keep drinking just as much if not more. I also need to use more sunscreen. I don’t know if there is any scientific basis to this, but I could feel the sun on my skin much stronger than in the previous days.

At noon, I was only 35km from Zinder and there didn’t seem to be any towns or villages that had omelet stands in them, so I decided that since I was going to have a few rest days, it couldn’t hurt to just keep rolling through nap time and get to Zinder in time to do a little internet! This turned out to be a mistake, and I won’t make it again. The hot sun gave me a licking and I went through my water reserves very very quickly.

It was just about this point when I got a flat tire again! This time it was one of those nasty thorns that grow on nearly all the bushes here. It is a wonder that I haven’t had more. Fortunately for me, (Once again, thanks God for providing!) the flat happened near a tree (the only one I had seen in a few km) that was casting enough shade for me to work under it. This patching session went much better than the last one and I was back rolling in only 15 minutes.

By the time I got to Zinder, I was really dehydrated and wiped out. When I took of my helmet, I felt some powder on my face. It was white. I noticed it on my hands and arms too. I was covered in a fine salt that had been left by my rapidly evaporating sweat. Crazy. Several cokes, bottles of water, and Oral Rehydration Solution packets later, I was feeling much better!