For starters, baiskeli is Swahili for bicycle of any type and swara is Swahili for gazelle and or antelope.
Now, on 9th February 2020, the biking crew embarked on a biking adventure of Swara plains, located in Athi River, Machakos county. It is about an hour’s drive from Nairobi. Basically, there were three categories, 15km, 25km and 40km tracks based on your level of experience with bike riding and the energy you have for the day. In any case, the rides we do are for the most part for leisure but one is free to make it a time trial if they choose to.
About the track; this is probably the best track yet I have ridden on. The dirt road is wide enough to allow a smooth overtake, there is less corrugation and those patches with gravel do not pose a puncture danger to your bike tyres. There are smooth ascends and descends, making it the best track even for a beginner rider. There is also plenty of open spaces covered with hip-tall grass on both sides and scattered shrubs on either side. It is worthy to note that this track is weather-dependent; can be a tough ride in wet weather because of the soil type.
This ride is sometimes called Bike in the Wild as there is a chance you will come across herbivorous wild animals as you ride your way. These include zebras, wildebeests, and giraffes. You can also see ostriches. The animals tend to be shy and would constantly run away from the approaching bikers.
All in all, it is a good ride with all the scenery, large open spaces and wild animals. Should you be a photographer and a birding enthusiast or professional, this area is a good place to be. Here is a video I shot while biking. Kindly note that I do not have a head or bike-mounted camera but had to improvise by riding with the left hand while shooting with the right hand using my smartphone.
