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Rider Profile: Carlos Baez Aleman (Full Tour)




Nationality: Spanish

Age: 33



Favourite flavour PVM bar: All the chocolate ones

Occupation: Fashion designer – handbags and accessories

Where did you hear about TDA?

I read about it in a book – A Year of Adventures by Lonely Planet

Why did you want to sign up?

I always wanted to be in Africa and I needed a break from the rest of my life.  I like the idea of crossing the entire continent on a bike very much.

What do you miss most about home?

Maybe nothing!

Is there anything you wish you had brought with you that you didn’t?

My computer!

Is there anything just taking up space inside your locker?

No I have a lot of space still!

Posted February 28, 2012 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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Rider profile: Paul ten Brummelhuis – Khartoum to Nairobi




Age: 65

From: Holland

Profession: Lawyer

Where did you hear of TDA?

From a friend who did the tour six years ago.

Why are you taking part?

I did the first and last sections in 2010 with my daughter Anke who did the whole tour. I wanted to see some more of the tour and hope to do the other sections in the next few years.

How is your body holding up?

So far OK, thanks to the three months of training I did beforehand. I also skate four times a week when I’m at home but the heat of Sudan really got to me.

Best thing about your bike?

I have a rolholf hub which needs less maintenance.

What do you think of the food on tour?

It’s very tasty with lots of variety. The local food has been good to taste, it’s excellent.

What’s the biggest challenge of being on tour?

Communication has been a problem but hand signals will work wonders for anyone.

What is your impression of Africa so far?

It’s great, hot, scenic and friendly.

Posted February 26, 2012 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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Rider profile: Pal Fritsvold – The Gorge – Khartoum to Addis Ababa




Age: 37

From: Oslo, Norway

Profession: Electrical Engineer

Why are you here?

I did the Elephant Highway section in 2011 and wanted to come back for more, this time with a little more excitement and more climbing because I like hills. Also, this section sounded more exotic and it’s my first time in Sudan and Ethiopia.

What has been the biggest challenge so far?

The heat. The first few days in Sudan I just couldn’t keep myself hydrated.

How cold was it in Oslo when you left?

-20 degrees

What do you miss most about home?

Skiing. I do cross-country skiing every day when I’m home and I’m missing out on the ski season now, but there will still be snow when I get back.

What would you have brought with you?

A good solar charger. The one I brought doesn’t work properly.

Posted February 25, 2012 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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WTF is Teff?




Tour de France has fields of Sunflowers; Tour d’Afrique has fields of Teff

It is a well-known image for cycling enthusiasts:  The pro peloton of the Tour de France riding by big fields of sunflowers in full bloom.  On the Tour d’Afrique fields of sunflowers are rare, instead riders cycle past huge fields of Teff, the staple grain of Ethiopia. 

Tef, the tiny grain from which the national food Injera is made, is grown all over the country.  When the tour passes through in February the harvest is in full swing and fields are dotted with large heaps of tef, piled high and awaiting winnowing.  Once the tiny seeds are beaten from the stalk men and women both gather then in large, shallow wicker baskets and toss the contents into the air much like you would flip a pancake in a pan.  The heavier tef falls back into the basket while the lighter chaff and dust is blown away by the wind. 



The first week in Ethiopia has been a highlight of the tour for many riders.  The hilly terrain has proved challenging but also beautiful and adds variety to each day’s cycling.  Unlike previous year, the riders have not had much trouble with children throwing stones at them as they ride.  The main reason for that may be the attitude of the riders themselves.  They have gone out of their way to be pleasant and smile and wave at the children as they ride past them, alleviating the need for the kids to get attention by throwing stones. 



Unfortunately riders have not been able to avoid another common mishap in Ethiopia, illness.  Many riders have fallen ill but the gastro-intestinal illness only lasts a few days and everyone has been dealing with it well.  Even our own chef, Jon Shepheard has fallen victim.  Fortunately Njabula, our driver, who is also a cook has stepped up and filled in as head chef while Jon has taken time to rest and recover.  A tour like this runs on its belly and Njabula has made sure it keeps running well. 

Posted February 24, 2012 by Paul McManus
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Cinelli Test Ride




Tour mechanic, Douglas Percival set a new staff record for the Blue Nile Gorge time trial when he completed the epic 20km climb in 1:24:30, finishing third overall.

He reports back on taking on one of the toughest sections of the tour on one the custom-made Cinelli TdA bikes.

Riding the large Cinelli Cyclocross bike on an uphill time trial was a good experience.

I removed the knobbly tyres for the race and replaced them with some Schwalbe slicks. I am 6ft2 so found I have to ride the seat post almost above the maximum mark. The 120mm stem allows for a comfortable reach to the bars. A larger width bar like a 31.8mm could possibly be comfier on the hands and perhaps a wider bar too.

The frame is super stiff which I enjoy. When you stand during a climb or in a spring there is no rear end flex when under power. Many times I’ve ridden aluminium frames and had trouble with flex so this was a nice surprise. The frame has a steep head tube angle which was great for the climb. Descending and when standing and sprinting whilst holding in the drops is twitchy at times (perhaps a wider bar would also improve that).

For general cruising on the flats and rolling hills the wheels were great, they roll well and are a good weight – they are not carbon light but strong and do not flex either.

Sadly there is only one water bottle cage mount - two would be good especially when wanting to tour with this bike. All the components are midrange which as a bike mechanic I feel is a good choice. They’re slightly heavier than top end equipment but reliable and easy to service and that’s what you need when on the road away from the luxuries of a bike shop and the perfect workshop.

All-round it’s a great ride capable of doing different terrains and proving to be very reliable.


   -- Douglas Percival

Posted February 24, 2012 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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Rider profile: Zoe Balmforth – The Gorge – Khartoum to Addis Ababa




Nationality: English

Age: 35



Favourite flavour of PVM bar:

They’re all disgusting!  If I was pushed I would say caramel nut, but I only eat them in times of extreme need!

Occupation:

I work for a company doing communications in development of DNA but I’m really a Zoologist.

Why are you doing this?

Because I love Africa, love cycling and have never done them both together at the same time.  I love anything that pushes me and this has pushed me to the absolute limit!

Where did you hear about TDA?

I googled “cycling Africa” and it popped up.  I was signed up to do the full tour but then I got a new job and it wasn’t possible.  Now I will be saving so I can do the whole thing.

What do you like most about the tour?

I like seeing new places and exploring new cultures.  I love being nomadic and moving every day.  I love the camaraderie, they’re a brilliant group of people, always looking out for each other.  I also love being challenged.

What do you like least?

In Sudan… the heat.  My body can’t deal with the heat and it was the most soul destroying thing ever!

What do you miss most about home?

Having clean hair!

Is there anything that you wish you brought with you that you didn’t bring?

A front suspension fork for that unpaved stretch in Sudan.

Is there anything that’s just taking up space in your locker?

I brought too much warm stuff - I thought Ethiopia would be much colder.

Posted February 24, 2012 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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V-Day dinner on the TDA/Romance on the Road




Valentine's day menu:

Baked potato gratin
Warm beet salad with grilled red onion
Mint roasted carrots

For potato gratin - 

20 kg potatoes, cut into big cubes
1 kg melted butter
5 heads of garlic, seperated into cloves and smashed with back of knife
salt and pepper
3 kg cheddar cheese, grated
300 g. dehydrated onion to garnish

Toss potatoes in large bowl with butter, garlic, salt and pepper, something 2 people could do together because it is quite heavy to toss. Line 2 hotel pans with heavy tin foil and pour potato mixture inside, cover top tightly with foil. Place on braai ( dump about 10 kgs of charcoal on the ground with some fuel,light, place grill over top ) and let bake about 2 hours. Once potatoes are soft open foil on top and cover with grated cheese and dehydrated onion. Very good stuff.



For beet salad -

15 kg red beets, boiled peeled and sliced
3 kg grilled red onion, sliced, seasoned and grilled
1 L red vinegar
1/2 L olive oil
salt to taste
sugar to taste

Once the beets and red onions are ready just make a vinaigrette out of the remaining ingredients and toss everything together. Being conscious of the fact that beets are full of dye and what goes in red comes out red will save many concerns for the medical staff!

For mint roasted carrots -

10 kg carrots, peeled and cubed
1/2 L olive oil
200 g local dried sweet mint
salt to taste

Another one for the grill! Just toss everything together in a bowl and wrap tightly in foil, place on grill for about an hour or until carrots are tender. I love doing all vegetarian meals when possible and this one was by far my favourite.


   --- Chef Jon

Posted February 23, 2012 by Guest Author
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End of The Gorge




The convoy into Addis Ababa, marking the end of one of the toughest sections of the tour, brought with it a welcome rest day. As with all convoys, this one was a good introduction to the city and where the Cairo convoy was chaotic (as Egypt is) and the Sudanese one a little calmer under accompaniment from armed guards (as Sudan proved to be), this one went by without permission or incident and riders were greeted with friendliness all along the route (as Ethiopia has been doing for most of the time).



The end of a section on TdA always means happiness with a twinge of sadness as riders get to tick of another part of their journey but the inevitable goodbyes that come with it mean several people are left with a feeling of emptiness. The Gorge sectionals had just become an integral part of the group and saying goodbye to the ladies’ winner of the section Claar Schouwenaar, new time trial record holder Pal Fritsvold as well as Zoe Balmforth and Jo Beunders was no easy task. However, the show must go on and the rest of Ethiopia and Northern Kenya need to be conquered with another couple of new faces joining our ranks for the Meltdown Madness section.



Riders have now travelled through more than half of Ethiopia and though the days seem to be long, the weeks are flying by and the thought that we are approaching the halfway mark of the tour is becoming more of a reality every day. In less than a week another border crossing awaits with a new culture and new landscapes to greet us every day. It’s time to change tyres again and get ready for a whole lot of offroad cycling in the next few weeks. While some are eagerly anticipating the awaiting gravel some are dreading it and things are about to get interesting again.


   -- Catharina Robbertze

Posted February 23, 2012 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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Conquering the Blue Nile Gorge




Halfway through Ethiopia and the tour has reached the highest point it will be at throughout the entire journey.

The past five days have been a tough stretch for riders with a 100mile day, cycling at about 3000m above sea level for several days and the threat of being pelted with stones ever present. Add to that the continuous bouts of diarrhea and gastro that have been circulating among participants and Ethiopia will certainly be counted as one of the toughest countries on the trip so far.



However, the bigger the challenge, the more memorable the conquering and doing this in a setting as spectacular as Ethiopia means this stretch will also be one of the highlights to stand out upon arrival in Cape Town and for a long time after.



Amongst all of these challenges, the biggest one was probably climbing the Blue Nile Gorge. Riders climbed approximately 2500m in 20km, following switchback after switchback. Pal Fritsvold from Norway showed everyone how it should be done as he made it to the top in 1:17:58, more than a minute faster than the previous record. His accomplishment though was not the only one of the day and every person who made it to the top, whether they were pedalling in their granny gear or pushing their bike for long stretches can give themselves a tap on the shoulder and go back home with the achievement of conquering the Blue Nile Gorge, one of the toughest climbs out there.


   -- Catharina Robbertze

Posted February 22, 2012 by Guest Author
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Rider profile: Jo Beunders – The Gorge – Khartoum to Addis Ababa




Age: 61

From: Holland

Profession:

Family Doctor Brother in law, Paul told me about it after he had done a part of it two years ago with his daughter, Anke. I’ve known about it for two years and have been thinking about doing it ever since.

Why are you doing TDA and this section in particular?

I’ve been for at least cycling years and love riding long distances. This section fit in with the holidays I had available.

Is it what you expected?

It’s harder than I thought, mostly because of the extreme temperatures. I went from 0 degrees in Holland to 40 degrees in Sudan.

Is it your first time in Africa?

It’s my first time in Sudan and Ethiopia. I worked in Kenya years ago, but I don’t remember it being as warm there as it was in Sudan.

What kind of training did you?

I cycled about 40km twice per week.

What do you miss from home?

Nothing, it’s good to be away from my business for a bit.

Will you come back to do other sections in future?

You never know.

What do you like most about the tour so far?

The cycling has been superb. Even though I really liked Sudan, I like Ethiopia better. The culture, agricultural fields and their way of life is really interesting.

What do you like most about your bike?

It’s a bit heavier so it goes faster downhill.

Posted February 20, 2012 by Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
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