Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
We arrived back at the parish and I decided to spend the night. I visited the chapel
tosaytheRosaryandtheStationsoftheCross.AfterdinnerIhadagreatconversationwith
the seminarians and chatted with the local kids about Canada, my tour and how my faith
had helped me through the tough times. By 9:00 p.m., I was off to bed to get ready for a
new cycling day.
I wanted to sleep in but instead I woke up at the crack of dawn. After a great break-
fast of sweet rice, bidya, bread and sweat tea, I prepared to leave. The seminarians gave
me a bunch of letters to drop off in Kamina, Lubumbashi and one to a correspondence uni-
versity in South Africa! (All these destinations were en route.) I told them that I was more
than delighted to do it. After a thank-you from each person, I headed off.
They say a stitch in time saves nine. Well, as I mounted the bike I noticed that the
valve in the rear tire was at a sharp angle. It should be perpendicular to the rim (if it isn't,
the pressure caused by the rotation of the rim on the tire forces the valve against the rim
andcaneasily cutthevalve.) Well, Icycled anywayandwithin 3kilometres, thetire began
to leak. I stopped, stripped the bike and tried to repair the valve but to no avail. So I pulled
out my defective spare tube (also with a leak near the valve but not as bad). I loosened the
nutanddousedtheareainglue.Iplacedametalplateandthentightenedthenutbackonto
the valve tokeep it snug.The stitching onthe tire Ihaddoneearlier inMbuji-Mayi already
began to come apart. However, it held for the time being.
I loaded up my bike and very nervously and gingerly began to cycle. I passed the
80 kilometres-to-go mark. Then I passed the 75 kilometres-to-go mark and it still held. As
thedistancetocoverreduced,mynervesrelaxedandmymindwastakenoffthebacktire.I
finally looked up to enjoy the scenery and realized that I was actually cycling on a plateau.
I felt good: my speed was comfortable, I felt no pain in my knees and I enjoyed the
views. I walked the bike three times only to rest my cycling legs and got excited when I
saw the 20 kilometre marker. At 13 kilometres-to-go, I stopped to eat some bananas and
peanuts and quickly continued. There were some truly peaceful stretches of road without
anyone in sight.
I arrived in Mwene Ditu by 2:30 p.m. and stopped at a Canadian Catholic mission
run by the Soeures Missionnaire du Christ Roi (Missionary Sisters of Christ the King).
SisterColombeMartinwelcomedmewhole-heartedlyandusheredmequicklyintothedin-
ing area to eat or should I say to feast: steak, potatoes, vegetables and doughnuts. Over a
cup of tea we sat and chatted and then I was shown my room. After showering and trim-
ming my beard, I visited the chapel to reflect. Afterwards I was called to dinner and like
we did after lunch, we sat with a cup of tea to chat with the sisters for about an hour. I was
off to bed for an early start.
Thebellswokemeupat5:45a.m.andIcontemplatedtryingtosleepsomemorefor
I didn't sleep well at all. However, I got up anyway and attended 6:30 a.m. Sunday mass.
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