Day 4 - 3rd October - Agona-Swedru to Aburi

Another early start for breakfast at 07:00 with final bike tweaks and ready for the second day of the challenge at 07:30.

Today was a full day of cycling for 84 kilometres leaving the hotel and winding our way through the busy town of Agona-Swedru with the market and sellers open for business.  It was challenging to avoid the traffic and sellers to get out into the open countryside.

Everyone on the route is so friendly with shouts of "where are you going?", "what are you doing?", "hi? / hello?", with beaming smiles and a real sense that we are very unusual sight.  Particularly 25 cyclists all wearing the same cycle jerseys is a very unusual.  I am particularly amazed at how many young children (8-10 years old) are carrying machetes to cut down crops for the family.  I cannot help thinking to myself "does your mother know that you are out with that knife?!".

The cycling today was mainly on rolling tarmac roads through hills and countryside, towns and lunch was after threading our way through the busy town of Nsawam with lots of traffic (slow moving thankfully) and street sellers.  

Another great lunch thanks to Peter our chief for the week with barbecued chicken and rice which was very much appreciated given the cycling and heat (way into the 30s!).

The final climb was steep and very rough and was a real challenge to keep on the bike and climb to the top before descending and then climbing steeply again into Aburi to arrive our our hotel.  The climb was particularly challenging with rough terrain including stones, sand and loose chippings. 

We arrived at our hotel thoroughly exhausted after a long day in the saddle with a wholesome dinner and stories of each person dodging the many potholes and boulders.

The route of our second day: