Sep 19, 20232 min read

KRT & QRT | Cycle Ghana 2023

Updated: Sep 20, 2023

Welcoming Day ...

KRT & QRT made its way to the Motherland. That's right, we were cycling in Africa! This was our second time taking an international trip as a club and by far one of the most humbling experiences of our lives. After 10 hours of flying (from New York to Ghana), we wasted no time. We hit the ground running as soon as we landed. Cycle Ghana's itinerary was loaded with things for us to do.

KRT & QRT Arrive in Accra, Ghana 🇬🇭

First Stop: Ridge Royal Hotel

Let's take a step back ... for those who aren't familiar with Cycle Ghana, lead by Kwesi, and its overall trip structure, there are three timeframes for you to choose from: 14 days, 10 days and 8 days. The group of folks there for 14-days arrive first. All options allow you, the cyclist, an opportunity to experience the authenticity of Ghanian culture and its people. Taisha, Rema, Melissa, Ron, Jay, Jody and Kwesi were apart of the first group of members to arrive in Ghana. Curran, Wendy, Tay, Kim (KD), and Adrian were apart of the second group. After meeting up with the first group of KRT/QRT members, we prepared ourselves for the journey that lied ahead.

At dinner, we were met with authentic Ghanian dishes made with fresh herbs & spices.

While dining at the restaurant directly next to the hotel, we broke bread (talked) and expressed just how happy we were to be there.The food ... we can't forget about the food and how delicious it was! We feasted on Ghanian jollof rice, a chicken dish, salad and some of the best homemade, all natural pineapple juice. Dinner was flavorful and the perfect balance for cyclists!

📍Cape Coast - Takoradi - Axim

Drippin' in our recently released, KRT Sunshine and QRT Sunshine jerseys, we cycled 50+ miles through some of Ghana's most historic sites. Our first stop was to the Cape Coast Castle, one of about 40 slave castles built on the Gold Coast of West Africa. It's a castle, indeed, but not like the ones we read about in fairytales. It was a slave-trade outpost during the late 17th and early 19th centuries. During this time, millions of Africans were forced onto slave ships bound for the United States. Our tour guide, leaving no detail untold, watched us as we tried to wrap our heads around the experience. The feelings we felt, in that moment, will never be forgotten.

Here we are visiting the Cape Coast Castle and learning about the history of the site.

After visiting the Cape Coast Castle, we rode our bikes for a while longer. The riding conditions were suitable for a road bike but gravel bikes would have been great during several parts of the route too. There were many sections consisting of bumpy, unpaved roads along the route. It wasn't a big deal. We were escorted by police vehicles, ambulance trucks and ride leaders of the Gladiators Cycling Club (Ghana). We felt safe and well-supported during our fifty-two mile bike ride.