Our bikers conquered the first 79km in Ghana's heat

As the hikers set their alarm clocks for 5:30 in the morning to commence their second hike, the bikers officially kicked off their journey today. They faced a 79km ride, commencing with a boat trip across the Akosombo River, immediately followed by a challenging ascent. This is why we set off at 7:30 in the morning, ensuring an early start to avoid the intense heat at the beginning of the trail.

After overcoming the initial steep hill and enjoying some beautiful single-track kilometers, the majority of the day unfolded on expansive orange gravel paths. This terrain led to both bikes and bikers being completely coated in an orange layer upon reaching the hotel. However, prior to this, the entire group received tremendous encouragement from the incredibly friendly people lining the roads. In every small village we traversed, the people gathered at the roadside, cheering enthusiastically for our bikers.

Another noteworthy sight encountered every few hundred meters were termite mounds, and these weren't your typical small mounds; they were truly impressive structures standing meters high. Besides termites, encounters with wild animals were relatively sparse today, aside from a few birds of prey that saw our drone as their potential catch of the day (fortunately, they didn't succeed in their plan).

Following a well-deserved lunch break around 11:00, the bikers resumed their journey for the second half of the stage, featuring additional kilometers of fantastic single-track trails. After his, the only remaining challenge was a lengthy straight path leading to the finish line in Ho, culminating in a demanding climb at the very end. That’s why a few individuals opted to board the bus for the final stretch of the day, preserving their energy for the upcoming days.

Due to the exhaustion from today's challenging course in temperatures reaching 36 degrees, tomorrow's track will be considerably shorter, spanning 44km with a departure in the afternoon. This allows everyone to enjoy a well-deserved rest following today's demanding ride.

The hikers, on the other hand, had a packed schedule today. They commenced their day with an early morning hike out of the Shai Hills Natural Reserve, where they had spent the night. Upon reaching the park exit, their vans awaited to transport them to Amedzofe, the highest village in Ghana. Two distinct 3km trails were scheduled there: one leading to Ote Falls and the other winding through indigenous forest. Although we haven't received any footage yet, we will promptly update the picture gallery below as soon as we do.