If you are in or around New York this weekend stop in at the
Bike Expo New York and meet the founder of Tour d'Afrique, Henry Gold. Learn about our expeditions planned for 2012 and 2013, including the recently announced
La Ruta Maya- The Doomsday Ride.
Outside Magazine is running a poll on their website to determine the World's Toughest Race between Leadville, RAAM, the Tour de France & our own Tour d'Afrique.
We encourage all our supporters to go
online and vote for us!
Tour d’Afrique had a booth at the 3 day Toronto International Bicycle Show this past weekend which attracted an estimated 8000-10000 visitors. We tracked our activity, which included 148 meaningful conversations, 500-600 brochures handed out, and 81 opt ins for the monthly e-newsletter. Everyone who signed up for the e-newsletter was entered in a draw for a free copy of the 10th Anniversary of the TdA Book and a Buy a Bike for Africa t-shirt. This morning Henry drew the winner’s name out of a Cinelli hat and he is Michael Sienko, a 20 year Polish Canadian who bought his first road bike last year and spent 45 minutes at the booth on Sunday afternoon in awe of what we do and trying to figure out how to get the $ together to do TdA –a most worthy recipient indeed!
Thousands of Bikes waiting for the Show to Open on Friday Morning Most of the bike shop dealers were intent on getting rid of last year’s leftover stock at supposedly discounted prices, while manufacturers displayed their newest products and gadgets, cycling clubs, tour companies and energy food providers wooed potential customers and the public hunted for bargains to kick off the new cycling season.
What would you rather spend $12,000 on? This 2 wheeled “status symbol” OR your entry fee on the Tour d’Afrique – a 4 month and 12,000 km trans-continental adventure of a lifetime!All in all the show proved to be a very worthwhile weekend that we reckon will get us several future customers, maybe more!
Lonely Planet writer Tom Hall
reviews 10:Celebrating Ten Years of the Tour d'Afrique Bicycle Race & Expedition.
You can also read about his experience in getting lost in Botswana on the Tour d'Afrique in 2009
here.
Well the first week of cycling is complete. It was great exploration of the Lake district in northern Patagonia. But I must admit that I have been a little spoiled in the past few years of vehicle supported cycle tours working with Tour d’Afrique! Pushing all that gear up hills is tougher than I remember - or perhaps I am just older and outta shape.
Getting to Barilcohe was a convoluted series of planes and taxis and no one seems to cater to travel with a bike in a box anymore. You try to reduce fuel consumption and people just charge you more money for it. But we made it, even though US homeland security ripped open both bike boxes and did a horrible job of resealing them. We´re just lucky none of the loose parts fell out.
We spent one night in Buenos Aires in transit. I can’t wait to spend more time there on our way home as it is truly an amazing city. In Bariloche we took a couple days to assemble the bikes, unpack, repack gather supplies and do a little shakedown trip along Lagos Nahuel Huapi. Our tour started with a series of short rides on really bad roads, but it was broken up with some incredible ferry crossings - snow capped volcanoes looming overhead. There was one section of road where the surface was so soft it was nearly impossible to climb. I was so excited to get to the top of the 4km climb and begin the 8km descent that I let go of the brakes only to blow a my first flat 1km into it. My turn to buy the beer.
We have now entered Chile and are bunked out in the town of Puerto Varas. From here we are getting off the saddle and grabbing a paddle. This is where we begin a one week sea kayaking trip through Pumalim Park, paddle across hot springs, around erupting volcanoes and through sea lion colonies. Which all sounds great except for the weather forecast which is calling for rain from tomorrow until
next Wednesday. Soggy!
All of us here at Tour d'Afrique Ltd wish you and yours a happy and safe Holiday Season!!
Gadling reviewer
Kraig Becker loves our 10th Anniversary Book!
Buy it now.
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Adventure Blog loves our new book. You will too.
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