The Gauntlet

We're fairly used to seeing unusual things during our Friday morning cycling group rides around Cairo, but this morning was a first. One of the 2 loops our group rides regularly takes us through the streets of a village called Mokkatam. There is a market area on the main drag that I have dubbed "The Gauntlet" because you need to have all of your antennae up and ready for anything when you pass through. We've had guys on scooters zoom up along side and pace us for a mile or so, weaving in an out. We've had kids run out, waving their arms and yelling hello, and we've had cars cut us off at intersections. But nothing like today.

This morning, as we approached "The Gauntlet", a man was sitting atop a beautiful horse on the median. We rode by as he was trying to get the horse down on to the road. A few seconds later I heard the unmistakable sound of a horse at full gallop coming up from behind. He tore passed on my right and I thought, "OK, we're showing off...I get it." Then I watched as this man ran his out of control stallion directly into the back of another cyclist 30 feet in front of me. I could not believe what I was seeing. He lined up directly behind the rider and was probably planning to pass him on the right, when a minibus pulled away from the curb closing the gap. The horse plowed right into the back of the cyclist giving him the mother of all pushes and then continued to run right on passed. Unbelievable.

We pulled over to make sure the rider was OK. Miraculously he had not fallen. Just as we continued on with our ride a small group of kids came running out from the side of the road and commenced target practice on my legs with any rock they could find. I've got a nice bruise blooming on the inside of my left knee. I turned and screamed, "NO! Shame!" in Arabic, it was all that came to me at the time. I don't understand why children from some cultures find it fun to throw rocks at innocent passers by. What does this say about their upbringing and what they are taught about respecting and caring for others? Growing up in up-state New York I know we threw a snowball at a car once or twice in the winter, but even that seemed like we were dancing a very fine line and we knew it was wrong. That was a machine. To throw a rock at a person with the intent to harm as a source of entertainment is just crazy to me.

We gave each other a quick look that said, "Let's get the hell out of here." and took off for the end of town. Just as we crossed the last intersection a fruit and vegetable vendor called out, "Welcome to Egypt!" Indeed.