All you need for 4 months in Africa.
My race plate.
Riding into the unknown.
Riding out of Cairo.
Riding along the Red Sea... for 170km.
Old, bombed out tank.,
Desesrt camp #3 before the sand storm.
Mountains beyond the sand, before Luxor.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Luxor, the land of the most annoying sales people in the world.
So, I arrived in Luxor today after a "short" 100km ride. I was making good time, and finished in a little over 3 hours. I am bordering on calling myself a cyclist. Anyway, I arrived, set up my tent and went out for a solo tour of the city. I saw the Luxor temple, which was pretty neat. I haven't gone in yet, but I plan to. I had too much walking to do. I visited the market and then it went downhill. The shop owners hassle the heck out of you., They all want you to come into the store to give you a "special price, my friend". I didn't buy anything, but there are a lot of trinkets to see. I have my first full rest day tomorrow, so I will finish my shopping, do some laundry (for the first time) and have a shower! The people here are very pushy, and not nearly as nice as in Cairo, but I sort of expected it. It's a huge tourist town. The ride here was very eventful. I a lot of children on the side of the road waving and asking for money. I actually got hit by a stick wielded by one of said children today, and was pretty annoyed. I guess it's good practice for Ethiopia, where stones are thrown with high frequency.
I have met some very nice people here on the tour, and am meeting more as I ride past different groups. The group is so diverse, with people from Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Norway, Holland, Trinidad, South Africa, Egypt, and the UK. I have had a few requests foir information on the daily routine and food, so here we go:
0530: Wake up, freeze, pack up gear and freeze.
0600: Breakfast. Usually oats, bananas, pitas, instant coffee (which offends me), peanut butter, jam and sometimes hard boiled eggs.
0700: Start cycling. Freeze some more. Watch the sun rise over the desert and get chased by dogs.
0900: Stop for a first snack and apply some chamois cream.
1100: Stop for lunch. Usually some sort of pita sandwich that I fill with salami, veggies, PB, jam, cream cheese, regular cheese and an orange. Also refill 3L of water and 1L of orange drink for some salt.
1145: Resume cycling. Hate life and all that accompanies it. Wish the ride was over.
1500-1600: Finish riding. Sob about the pain in my ass cheeks. Set up tent and unpack gear. Have a post ride soup. Always vegetarian. Break out in vaginas due to lack of dead animal.
1630: Clean my bike like I'd clean a rifle. It's the only tool I have, so it's staying in good shape.
1715: Rider meeting. We get briefed on the next day's activities.
1730: Eat dinner. The food varies, but here are some examples: Mashed potatoes with meat spaghetti sauce/chicken cous-cous stir fry/spaghetti and BBQ'd chicken/Fish and veggie pasta.
1800-1900: Complain about the pain in my ass. Listen to others do the same. Have a tea.
1900: Bed. Instantly fall asleep.
So, I complain about my ass pain, but it's actually not too bad. I have had no chafing, which is lucky, because a lot of people have. It's just sore from sitting on it for 7 hours. And the rides are usually pleasant. The desert gets a little boring to look at, but we've passed mountain and ocean, so it gets better. So, I'll post some pics and satisfy your appetites.
I have met some very nice people here on the tour, and am meeting more as I ride past different groups. The group is so diverse, with people from Canada, US, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Norway, Holland, Trinidad, South Africa, Egypt, and the UK. I have had a few requests foir information on the daily routine and food, so here we go:
0530: Wake up, freeze, pack up gear and freeze.
0600: Breakfast. Usually oats, bananas, pitas, instant coffee (which offends me), peanut butter, jam and sometimes hard boiled eggs.
0700: Start cycling. Freeze some more. Watch the sun rise over the desert and get chased by dogs.
0900: Stop for a first snack and apply some chamois cream.
1100: Stop for lunch. Usually some sort of pita sandwich that I fill with salami, veggies, PB, jam, cream cheese, regular cheese and an orange. Also refill 3L of water and 1L of orange drink for some salt.
1145: Resume cycling. Hate life and all that accompanies it. Wish the ride was over.
1500-1600: Finish riding. Sob about the pain in my ass cheeks. Set up tent and unpack gear. Have a post ride soup. Always vegetarian. Break out in vaginas due to lack of dead animal.
1630: Clean my bike like I'd clean a rifle. It's the only tool I have, so it's staying in good shape.
1715: Rider meeting. We get briefed on the next day's activities.
1730: Eat dinner. The food varies, but here are some examples: Mashed potatoes with meat spaghetti sauce/chicken cous-cous stir fry/spaghetti and BBQ'd chicken/Fish and veggie pasta.
1800-1900: Complain about the pain in my ass. Listen to others do the same. Have a tea.
1900: Bed. Instantly fall asleep.
So, I complain about my ass pain, but it's actually not too bad. I have had no chafing, which is lucky, because a lot of people have. It's just sore from sitting on it for 7 hours. And the rides are usually pleasant. The desert gets a little boring to look at, but we've passed mountain and ocean, so it gets better. So, I'll post some pics and satisfy your appetites.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Determination>Training
So, I have just completed my 4th day of cycling. At present time, my odometer is up to 540km. With 170 of that being in one day. And it was a 170kms into a headwind. That was a tough day, but what can I say, I'm durable. Anyway, I made it out of Cairo ok, and went past the pyramids, which are very impressive. It's wild to think that they are almost 5000 years old! Our engineers now can't even make a building last 100 years. The first day of cycling (135km) was alright, a few ups and downs, but nothing I can't handle. The second day (173km) was tough. We cycled along the Red Sea for most of the day, which gave us some brutal head winds. There was a lot see. I'll post some pictures when I get a chance, but my camera transfer gear is locked away in a truck until the 21st. The third day was not as bad. Another 130 or 135km. We went past some more desert. Then some more. And then... Some more. A lot of sand. I have been pretty meticulous with cleaning my bike though. I'm trying to ride EFI (every f**king ich) which means you don't get picked up by the truck at all, so I want my bike to last as long as possible. Today was the 4th day. It was an "easy" 95km. I say easy with quotes because I never thought I would say cycling alomst 100km was easy.
We've had a few hickups along the road already. Someone showed up with no bike because someone at the Madrid airport stole it. And no, it was not lost, it was stolen. Too bad, because his bike cost him $5000. There was a rim broken in transport for another poor guy. Also (mom, don't freak) one of our riders was hit by a semi as we cycled along the red sea. He is ok, just a little bit of a bent bike and a broken rim. And last night (night 3), we endured a sand storm. It was pretty miserable. It was the worst the staff has seen since the company started the tour. My tent blew over just as it started raining. However, I possess a Gore-tex sleeping bag cover, so I just left the tent down on top of me and went back to bed. I did wake up with a smile on my face, though, because I had just weathered a sandstorm and was ok. How many people can say that? My tent did have enough sand in it to make my own beach though. Also, my nice clean bike was buried in my beach.
Some people have commented that it's cold in Ottawa. I believe you, but it is also f**king cold here. I end up wearing most of the clothes that I have until the sun comes up and even then I'm only warm if I'm biking. I had the impression it was supposed to be hot here. So, if anyone tells you the desert is hot and dry, they are lying. It's cold and wet (has rained twice). I didn't even bring my sweats :(
To Paul: I would have thanked you for that stuff, but I haven't had a flat yet. Or a shower for that matter. I plan on it tonight. We're staying on a hotel beach and the tour has rented 4 rooms we can use to crap and shower. I'm not gonna stay in the hotel though, cause I'm a cheap bastard. We have two more days of cycling through the desert until we hit Luxor, a large tourist town where I can do laundry, shower and sleep in a bed with a pillow. If I rent a room.
A couple of side notes: 1. The locals in Egypt are very supportive of the tour. They always drive past and honk and give us a wave or a thumbs up or something. It's very cool. I also got mobbed by about 10 young women (about 11 or 12 years old) while I was eating lunch one day wanting to take their picture with me.
2. People like riding is groups (a peleton) because it cuts down on wind resistance. I tried, and it sucks. You are so focused on not hitting the person in front of you, you miss all the scenery. I have seen way more than many people here because I've ridden solo every day. It gets lonely, but it makes you push yourself even harder. I remembered a quote as I was riding the 170km day: "The difference between impossible and possible is a man's determination" That helped me get through the day (all 9 hours of riding).
3. Today (day 4) we had a tail wind and I booked it down a hill and got up to 65km/h! What a rush!
4. Some non-serious thank yous: Squats, leg press, dieting, Gore-tex, tailwinds, sweatpants, pillows.
Anyway, my time here is running out, so I'll update again in Luxor if I get the chance! Dad, happy belated birthday!
Mother nature: 0, Danimal: 1.
We've had a few hickups along the road already. Someone showed up with no bike because someone at the Madrid airport stole it. And no, it was not lost, it was stolen. Too bad, because his bike cost him $5000. There was a rim broken in transport for another poor guy. Also (mom, don't freak) one of our riders was hit by a semi as we cycled along the red sea. He is ok, just a little bit of a bent bike and a broken rim. And last night (night 3), we endured a sand storm. It was pretty miserable. It was the worst the staff has seen since the company started the tour. My tent blew over just as it started raining. However, I possess a Gore-tex sleeping bag cover, so I just left the tent down on top of me and went back to bed. I did wake up with a smile on my face, though, because I had just weathered a sandstorm and was ok. How many people can say that? My tent did have enough sand in it to make my own beach though. Also, my nice clean bike was buried in my beach.
Some people have commented that it's cold in Ottawa. I believe you, but it is also f**king cold here. I end up wearing most of the clothes that I have until the sun comes up and even then I'm only warm if I'm biking. I had the impression it was supposed to be hot here. So, if anyone tells you the desert is hot and dry, they are lying. It's cold and wet (has rained twice). I didn't even bring my sweats :(
To Paul: I would have thanked you for that stuff, but I haven't had a flat yet. Or a shower for that matter. I plan on it tonight. We're staying on a hotel beach and the tour has rented 4 rooms we can use to crap and shower. I'm not gonna stay in the hotel though, cause I'm a cheap bastard. We have two more days of cycling through the desert until we hit Luxor, a large tourist town where I can do laundry, shower and sleep in a bed with a pillow. If I rent a room.
A couple of side notes: 1. The locals in Egypt are very supportive of the tour. They always drive past and honk and give us a wave or a thumbs up or something. It's very cool. I also got mobbed by about 10 young women (about 11 or 12 years old) while I was eating lunch one day wanting to take their picture with me.
2. People like riding is groups (a peleton) because it cuts down on wind resistance. I tried, and it sucks. You are so focused on not hitting the person in front of you, you miss all the scenery. I have seen way more than many people here because I've ridden solo every day. It gets lonely, but it makes you push yourself even harder. I remembered a quote as I was riding the 170km day: "The difference between impossible and possible is a man's determination" That helped me get through the day (all 9 hours of riding).
3. Today (day 4) we had a tail wind and I booked it down a hill and got up to 65km/h! What a rush!
4. Some non-serious thank yous: Squats, leg press, dieting, Gore-tex, tailwinds, sweatpants, pillows.
Anyway, my time here is running out, so I'll update again in Luxor if I get the chance! Dad, happy belated birthday!
Mother nature: 0, Danimal: 1.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Made it
So, I made it to Cairo. Just. All of my flights were dealyed. So I had to run from plane to plane, but I made it. Then I had a bus ride to the hotel. A "bus ride". More of a suicide run than anything else. Driving in Cairo is nuts. You have 3 lanes on the road, but 5 lanes of traffic. The car I was in has about 1 foot of personal space on all sides. I could barely see the car in front of me because we were tailgating so closely. And people are running in between cars. It's like real life frogger!
I have met a lot of nice people here (like Charles from Edmonton whose computer I am using). There are 60 full tour riders, 48 of which are male. Many are from North America, but there are a good chunk from Europe and some from Oceania. Nobody is what I expected. Everybody seems to be real people, not the hardcore cyclists I expected.
Anyway, back to Cairo. We went for a warm-up cucle today. I was supposed to be 40km, but ended up being 12. Traffic was too bad. I can not emphasize how RIDICULOUS the traffic is. There are no rules with these people. Each man for himself.
I've eaten at the hotel once, but it is really expensive. The food is really nice here! The food out in the city is way cheaper than the hotel, but a little iffy when it comes to safety. But, when in Rome...
We have a rider meeting tomorrow and then we set off Saturday for the first real day of cycling. I am stoked for this. Not even worried.
On a side note, I thought a lot about my preparation while I was on the plane. I feel like a little bit of a douche. I did not do nearly enough thanking. I got so involved in getting ready that I feel I forgot a lot of people. So, for those of you I missed: thank you. Thank you with the depths of my being. I could not have gotten nearly as far as I have without an excellent net of support. You guys have caught me when I stumbled more times than I can count. Mom and Dad, thank you for believing in me and helping me out with some stuff (mom = insurance, dad = flight). Kris, thank you for the help with the music. Nick, thanks for helping me escape my prep. Simon, thanks for the few bromance nights. Ian, thanks for ther medical advice and almost getting me some meds. And Jenn. Thank you for everything. Thank you for convicing me I can do this and helping me every step of the way. Thanks for the helpful Christmas gifts and birthday gifts. Thanks for just being you.
So, thank you everyone. You will not be forgotten. I will do my best to keep everyone updated, but I don't have a computer.
Until next time, when I have clocked a few hundred kilometers on my legs,
Daniel
I have met a lot of nice people here (like Charles from Edmonton whose computer I am using). There are 60 full tour riders, 48 of which are male. Many are from North America, but there are a good chunk from Europe and some from Oceania. Nobody is what I expected. Everybody seems to be real people, not the hardcore cyclists I expected.
Anyway, back to Cairo. We went for a warm-up cucle today. I was supposed to be 40km, but ended up being 12. Traffic was too bad. I can not emphasize how RIDICULOUS the traffic is. There are no rules with these people. Each man for himself.
I've eaten at the hotel once, but it is really expensive. The food is really nice here! The food out in the city is way cheaper than the hotel, but a little iffy when it comes to safety. But, when in Rome...
We have a rider meeting tomorrow and then we set off Saturday for the first real day of cycling. I am stoked for this. Not even worried.
On a side note, I thought a lot about my preparation while I was on the plane. I feel like a little bit of a douche. I did not do nearly enough thanking. I got so involved in getting ready that I feel I forgot a lot of people. So, for those of you I missed: thank you. Thank you with the depths of my being. I could not have gotten nearly as far as I have without an excellent net of support. You guys have caught me when I stumbled more times than I can count. Mom and Dad, thank you for believing in me and helping me out with some stuff (mom = insurance, dad = flight). Kris, thank you for the help with the music. Nick, thanks for helping me escape my prep. Simon, thanks for the few bromance nights. Ian, thanks for ther medical advice and almost getting me some meds. And Jenn. Thank you for everything. Thank you for convicing me I can do this and helping me every step of the way. Thanks for the helpful Christmas gifts and birthday gifts. Thanks for just being you.
So, thank you everyone. You will not be forgotten. I will do my best to keep everyone updated, but I don't have a computer.
Until next time, when I have clocked a few hundred kilometers on my legs,
Daniel
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Today is the day.
So, after almost a year of planning, training, saving, training, working, training and packing, the day has finally come! I am writing this at 0800 because I just couldn't sleep this morning. I woke up with a huge smile on my face and my heart trying to beat it's way out of my chest. Today I'm enjoying my last eggs and oatmeal breakfast before being subjected to the airplane food, which reminds me of heated-up IMPs.
Well. 12,000 km isn't that long, right...? I'm on a bike, I'm not even walking, or dragging a big-ass tire up a hill. I'm so excited for all the stuff I'm going to see. You can't really see anything from a bus or car or plane. There is just nothing quite like being outside and close to the ground, rolling along and smelling the smells and seeing the sights.
It's gonna be a nice change to get away from Ottawa for the winter. Here are some things I will miss though: My bed, all my friends, my parents, my brothers, unlimited coffee at my disposal, the gym/bodybuilding, a car, Kris' dog Lucy, my frying pan and associated plastic fork, microwave.
You know what I won't miss AT ALL?: Cell phone, e-mail, Blackberry zombies, winter, Facebook, a job, government workers, douchebag customers, explaining my story to everyone, and Viv.
Anyway, I'm out. Next time I post, it will be from some unknown land and I'll probably have some awesome pictures. So, finally, a shout out. Thanks: Jules for the tent, it's awesome. Kris for the music and memory cards. Bushtukah for all the help with my bike. Mom and Dad for all the support. Ian for almost getting me medical supplies. Dever for the med kit. Jenn for her everlasting support and confidence and many christmas gifts. My extended family for the kind Christmas gifts/donations. Anyone that gave money for my head shave. There are just too many people to list! Thank you everyone. I could not have gotten half as far as I have without you guys.
I'm out. See you on the flip side,
Daniel
Well. 12,000 km isn't that long, right...? I'm on a bike, I'm not even walking, or dragging a big-ass tire up a hill. I'm so excited for all the stuff I'm going to see. You can't really see anything from a bus or car or plane. There is just nothing quite like being outside and close to the ground, rolling along and smelling the smells and seeing the sights.
It's gonna be a nice change to get away from Ottawa for the winter. Here are some things I will miss though: My bed, all my friends, my parents, my brothers, unlimited coffee at my disposal, the gym/bodybuilding, a car, Kris' dog Lucy, my frying pan and associated plastic fork, microwave.
You know what I won't miss AT ALL?: Cell phone, e-mail, Blackberry zombies, winter, Facebook, a job, government workers, douchebag customers, explaining my story to everyone, and Viv.
Anyway, I'm out. Next time I post, it will be from some unknown land and I'll probably have some awesome pictures. So, finally, a shout out. Thanks: Jules for the tent, it's awesome. Kris for the music and memory cards. Bushtukah for all the help with my bike. Mom and Dad for all the support. Ian for almost getting me medical supplies. Dever for the med kit. Jenn for her everlasting support and confidence and many christmas gifts. My extended family for the kind Christmas gifts/donations. Anyone that gave money for my head shave. There are just too many people to list! Thank you everyone. I could not have gotten half as far as I have without you guys.
I'm out. See you on the flip side,
Daniel
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
T minus 7 days...
So it has all come down to this. One week left to pack, organize, verify equipment, pack and re-pack. It's cool to see how little stuff you need to pack for 4 months of exercise. As I stuff everything into little ZipLocs, my excitement builds. I finally get to use all this neat camping stuff!
I am very thankful for having a military background, as it gives me a little bit of knowledge about what I will actually need to pack. Also, it helps having learned how to pack in a hurry, in the darkness, with some sort of organization. So, I would like to thank my friend Julesfor the awesome tent she lent me. I set it up today in my living room and it's perfect. Exactly what I need. I'm slowly starting to strip my bike for the box and the long plane ride over.
So, I'll sign off here. I have officially punched my "blogger's V-card". Hopefully some people will read this. Until next time!
Daniel
I am very thankful for having a military background, as it gives me a little bit of knowledge about what I will actually need to pack. Also, it helps having learned how to pack in a hurry, in the darkness, with some sort of organization. So, I would like to thank my friend Julesfor the awesome tent she lent me. I set it up today in my living room and it's perfect. Exactly what I need. I'm slowly starting to strip my bike for the box and the long plane ride over.
So, I'll sign off here. I have officially punched my "blogger's V-card". Hopefully some people will read this. Until next time!
Daniel
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)