Thursday, December 27, 2012

Biking Accra with 500+ Friends


This past November 17 I had fun riding the 2012 version of the Cowbell mass bike ride in Accra.

Now that I have a kid to take care of my time is much less my own, and so I arrived to the starting line late.  While last year I rode more in the main pack, this year I fought traffic with the rest of the riders at the back of the group.

Thus I didn't get the rush of being in a peleton 500+ bicyclists strong, and I didn't get to see The Man With The Eggs On His Head.

I did, however, get to ride with my friend James (who kindly called to tell me the ride was on)…


…who was very ably helping a friend's son complete the ride along with the big boys.


We took the usual route through Osu and over the Ring Road…


…to Nkrumah Circle, where we cut straight down through the heart of Accra Central's Saturday market-morning madness.


There were the usual stunt men…


…hip young riders…


…and this year, bizarrely, a peace rally.


Just another day in Accra - this time with hundreds of blue-shirted riders taking over the streets.

Too bad bicyclists aren't always the biggest mass on the road.