[ Ganta, Liberia ]
After spending four nights in the barracks of the Liberian National Police in Voinjama, I started my push along the interior border towards Ivory Coast. On the first day I managed to lose control of the bike on a downhill, introducing my chest and shoulder to the gravel surface in most intimate fashion. I came to rest in a deep, muddy puddle with no road rash, but one lightly bruised rib (I have a gift, it seems). During this segment–aside from the usual cast of village characters and townies–I was surprised to meet four Peace Corps volunteers; lovely folks all.
I learned along the way that Ganta promised to be a bustling, triple-border town, with round-the-clock electricity (!), an active nightlife, and all the amenities. I also learned that the final 70km to Ganta would be on a well-maintained, butter-smooth paved highway. It was some serious motivation to get me through five rainy, difficult riding days.
—jim
