The tenth Tour d’Afrique, the longest timed stage race in the world, came to a conclusion on Saturday when 37 full tour riders crossed the finish line on a picture perfect day in Cape Town. The race started on 14 January when 43 cyclists set off from the Pyramids of Giza in Cairo.

Though the majority of the participants entered as expedition riders, simply there for the experience and to see Africa, 27 registered as racers and competed for a stage win at some point in the race. Six women and 11 men notched up at least one stage win during the race with the eight sections being split between three men and three women.


Top Men Racers: Raffael Schrof, Christian Sailer, Bryce Walsh

In one of the closest finishes yet in the tour’s ten year existence the two top men were only separated by two hours. These cyclists pushed each other to the limit on every race day and records were broken in every important time trial and significant day, including the climb up the Blue Nile Gorge and the longest day on tour (207km). Though German Raffael Schrof won six of the eight sections up for grabs, Christian Sailer from Switzerland built up a substantial lead in the one section he claimed when Schrof suffered mechanical and health issues. This proved to be too big a gap to make up in the end and Schrof could only come within two hours of Sailer’s finish time.


Top Women Racers: Jen Davenport, Femke Nelissen, Esther Borg

In the women’s race things were more relaxed and Femke Nelissen from the Netherlands dominated the race from beginning to end to take the overall victory.



Participants were overwhelmed by the welcome they received at the finish line and tears of joy were aplenty as they were reunited with loved ones after four months on the road. After the official medal ceremony everyone had a couple of hours to get rid of as much dirt as possible before heading to the final TdA celebration of this year.

Champagne was flowing and tunes pumping and the dancing continued until the early hours of the morning as Cape Town lived up to its reputation as one of the best party spots in South Africa. Despite feeling a little worse for wear on Sunday everyone agreed that it was a fitting end to what has been an absolutely incredible and unforgettable trip.

Overall winners



Men

1.    Christian Sailer (Switzerland)        348:05:59   
2.    Raffael Schrof (Germany)            350:13:47
3.    Bryce Walsh (USA)                      365:52:32

Women

1.    Femke Nelissen (Netherlands)        514:54:34
2.    Jenny Davenport (United Kingdom) 572:59:48
3.    Esther Borg (Australia)                   588:56:51

Sectional winners

Pharaoh’s Delight: Raffael Schrof and Femke Nelissen
The Gorge: Raffael Schrof and Claar Schouwenaar
Meltdown Madness: Christian Sailer and Femke Nelissen
Masai Steppe: Raffael Schrof and Gizele Price
Malawi Gin: Raffael Schrof and Gizele Price
Zambezi Zone: Raffael Schrof and Gizele Price
Elephant Highway: Adam Lister and Femke Nelissen
Diamond Coast: Raffael Schrof and Femke Nelissen

EFI Riders 2012



Carlos Aleman (Spain)
Esther Borg (Australia)
Alaric Britz (Namibia)
Jenny Davenport (United Kingdom)
Herman de Grave (Netherlands)
Jana Dumas (Canada)
Alan Emerton (South Africa)
Adam Lister (Canada)
Jurgen Meijer (Netherlands)
Marita Reilly (Ireland)
Christian Sailer (Switzerland)
Miguel Teixeira (South Africa)
Bryce Walsh (United States of America)

  -- Catharina Robbertze

The sight of Table Mountain in the distance hasn’t been as sweet for such a big group of people in a long time.

After four months of ranting about the beauty of Africa I know I’ll be repeating myself when I try to tell you how beautiful this sight was so I’ll keep it short: Combine Cape Town, champagne weather, euphoria and a few glasses of bubbly and that should give you an idea of how we experienced our arrival in the Mother City of South Africa.



What made it so much more special though was the presence of loved ones and after four months on the road quite a few tears were shed when old faces were seen for the first time. There were hugs, kisses, smiles and shouts of joy. But deep inside there was also a little bit of sadness as we all realised this was the end of our time together. Our family of almost 60 people has been broken up and though some of us may see each other again back home or keep in contact via e-mail we will not get to fight over who gets breakfast first, who ate the most at lunch or who should do the dishes tonight. No more giggling in the morning with whoever is sitting next to you or pitching the tent of a friend with diarrhea.



We have had good times and bad times. Laughed together, cried together and gossiped together and now it is time to face the real world again.



Will we survive? Of course! Africa eats the weak, and we all survived this. Watch out world, we’re heading back out there, leaner and meaner than before and ready for whatever you may want to throw at us.


   -- Catharina Robbertze

Today, while having our second last dinner, after the last day of racing, in our final week of this glorious TdA circus we were treated to a spectacular African sunset once again.

As often happens when the sun disappears behind the horizon and a fair bit of staring takes place, one starts to think. About everything. And these thoughts usually become deeper the longer the sunset lasts. Personally they usually range from: “Why does the air look pink when the sun sets?” to “What did I have for dinner last night?” to “What is the meaning of life?” (These questions are usually in direct relation to the amount of red wine being consumed as well.)



Today was no different and as the sun is also setting on a trip of a lifetime for most of us the thoughts running through our minds were mostly related to the memories collected during the past four months…

Setting off from the shade of the Pyramids in freezing temperatures.

The craziest, dirtiest and most memorable ferry crossing ever.
 
Scorching days in Sudan and being invited into strangers’ homes for tea.

Travelling back in time to Ethiopia.

Ethiopian coffee and juice.

Tanzanian hospitality, friendliness and parties.

The sight of the glorious Victoria Falls.

The silence falling over camp when an elephant strolled into camp.

The beauty of desolation of Namibia.

Friendships made.

I can go on but I don’t want to bore you. But it all boils down to one thing. Something which I have often wondered during the past four months and which, after some deliberation with my colleagues, I realised they also wonder about:

“What did I do to deserve this?”

  -- Catharina Robbertze

Tour d’Afrique Finish Line/ Accommodation/Dinner Saturday May 12^th  2012   

Finish Line

The Cape Town Hotel School Restaurant

Between 13:30 and 14:00 The official TDA 2012 Finish Line will take place at The Cape Town Hotel School Restaurant next to the Waterfront in Cape Town. This will be followed by an official welcome, a medal ceremony, and an announcement of the race winners.  

Family and friends of riders who would like to attend should contact Theresa Brown so they may be put on the guest list:

See the location here. 

E-Mail: Theresa@tourdafrique.com
T: +27 83 526 5145 

Accommodation

The Breakwater Lodge Portswood Road, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town

The TDA cyclists will be staying at the Breakwater Lodge, Waterfront,  just a few  minutes away from the Finish Line.

Celebration Dinner

The Cape Town Hotel School Restaurant

Cape Town Hotel School Restaurant Beach Road • Mouille Point

Tel: 021 440 5736

Scheduled for 19:00

The final celebration dinner will take place at the Cape Town Hotel School Restaurant situated near the Waterfront – one minute away from the Breakwater Lodge.

Have a look at the link http://active.cput.ac.za/CTHS/public/index.asp?pageid=801

There will be a full cash bar available. Family and friends who would like to attend will need to pay R165-00 each on arrival.   Due to limited space, booking is essential.

Please contact Theresa Brown:

E-Mail: Theresa@tourdafrique.com
T: +27 83 526 5145

It’s over. It’s strange to wake up and not be on the Tour d’Afrique 2011 anymore, and it will probably take a long time for everyone to really get back to the “real world”. That is, off course, for those who are really going back to their normal lives. Some decided to stay in Cape Town for a while; many decided they want to restart their lives in a completely different way now. Couples are formed, skills are discovered, professional links get established, and much more happens on the road and inside the Tour d’Afrique nomadic little world. Also, putting your whole life on standby back home and stepping away from everything for 4 months is a wonderful opportunity to think about your life and happiness and decide what you really want to do about it from here on in.

Our last night was unusual. After an long riders meeting where Tour Leader Sharita went over every detail about the finish line with everyone, an unexpected and fantastic sea food feast showed up in Kim’s kitchen. Many people stayed awake late celebrating with their friends - the last night and the last camping spot. A strange mix of anxiety, happiness, sadness, exhaustion and all kinds of intense feelings were in the air. People who had been serious and quiet and had gone to bed right after sunset for 4 months were now up drinking, laughing, zip-tying the sleeping ones inside their tents, hiding wheels, seats, helmets and everything they could find.

The last day on Tour was quite different from the previous TDA final days. Cape Town has just finished building a big network of cycle paths and our way into Cape Town would find us on one of its legs. Why not to throw a big event to receive the Tour d’Afrique riders and to promote the idea of using those cycle paths to commute in the city in a more fun, healthier and faster way than driving a car. We left the little spot by the beach where we had our last lunch as a big group.

There were cyclists from many different groups from Cape Town, TDA former riders and other people who learned about the event somehow and showed up ready for the “The Big Ride In”, as the event was named. No official numbers, but considering that our group was about  85 people and disappeared in the middle of that huge critical mass, I would say we rolled along Cape Town’s new cycle paths with at least 400 bicycles and a couple of dozen skateboards and roller blades. We entered the Green Park under applause for a long ceremony where the winners and EFIs received their medals and there was a final bike donation by TDA.

It’s been an amazing journey. It was hard, both for the riders and the staff, but it was the experience of a lifetime. It was challenging in many different ways. It was an especially hard TDA, but it was an especially good one. The group was fantastic. We got to really respect each of these individuals who decided to take part in this. I was sure to meet a bunch of very interesting people, and I certainly did.

The fact that so many TDA 2011 riders are registered or registering for other TDA tours is very rewarding for us. A few of the riders who were supposed to do only a short section of the Tour decided to keep going with us instead of going home, which is another rewarding fact. Others who did a long part of the Tour on previous editions and therefore knew what they were signing up for came back to finish the other half of the route with us in 2011.

What about coming back one day and repeating the same tour? “Would you do this all over again?” I asked a few riders on the end. “I don’t think so”, said most of them. “But would you ever recommend doing it to a good friend or a relative of yours?” “Hell yes!”    


    - Cristiano Werneck    

One of the tour support vehicles, subcontracted from Indada, had an accident today. The two crew (one Tanzanian and one South African) on board suffered non-life threatening injuries and are both doing OK. Thankfully, no cyclists were on the vehicle or in anyway involved in the crash. The Tour Leader and Indaba staff are assessing the damage and making arrangements for the baggage and equipment to be transferred to another vehicle and for the tour to continue as scheduled tomorrow.

Two days after crossing into South Africa the Tour d'Afrique trucks have arrived at Strandfontein, a quiet summer cottage resort along the Atlantic Ocean about 300 km north of our final destination of Cape Town.

The riders should start rolling in soon, after completing their last real tough day - a 164 km ride from the dorp of Garies to a campsite overlooking the waves of the Western Cape coast. Yesterday brought a challenge in the form of a cold and heavy morning dew that meant we rode in thick soup-like fog up to the lunch truck along the N7 and up and down the heather-strewn hillsides of Namakwaland before the sun broke through.

But nothing can stop the excitement now that the riders' (and staff's) goal of reaching Cape Town and completing this epic trans-Africa odyssey on two wheels is in sight. From here its only 2 more nights next to the roar of the Atlantic surf before Table Mountain looms in sight and we convoy for the final time with friends and family into one of the stunningly situated cities in the world.

Tour d’Afrique Finish Line and Arrival Ceremony
Cape Town – 14th May 2011


Photo courtesy Alastair Humphreys

Having cycled 12 000 km through 10 countries in 4 months, the heroes and heroines of the 2011 Tour d’Afrique Bicycle Expedition and Race will cycle into Cape Town and cross the official Finish Line on Saturday 14th May.

For friends and family planning on being there to welcome the riders, there are a few ways to participate in the celebrations being planned for the big day.

The Big Ride In


Weather permitting, we’re hoping that thousands of Capetonians will answer The Big Ride In call to abandon their cars and get out on their bikes to celebrate the new cycling paths recently created by the City.  Those who do heed the call will use the new cycling paths from wherever they are and will converge at the Civic Centre at 12:45.  From here they will cycle with the Tour d’Afrique riders through the City to the official Finish Line at the Greenpoint EcoPark.  
If you’d like to participate as a cyclist, there are two meeting points you could join from:-

Meeting Point 1
If you’re up for cycling with the Tour d’Afrique riders on the final stage of their journey along the new cycle path to the Finish Line, you should plan to be at Kreefte Baai by no later than 11:45.

From: Kreefte Baai Beach, West Coast
To:  Greenpoint EcoPark, Cape Town
Start time:  12:00 sharp!
Distance: Approx 35km
Map to Kreefte Baai Beach

Contact:
If you’d like to participate from Meeting Point 1 at Kreefte Baai, please email your name, which Tour d’Afrique rider you are associated with as well as the number of people who will be cycling with you to Theresa@tourdafrique.com

Meeting Point 2
If you’d prefer a shorter ride, you can meet up with the Tour d’Afrique riders and local riders from all over Cape Town at the Plaza  at the Civic Centre. From here, you will cycle through the city to the Finish Line at the Greenpoint EcoPark. To be safe, you should plan to be at the Civic Centre by no later than 12:45

From: The Plaza, at the Civic Centre, Cape Town
To:  Greenpoint EcoPark, Cape Town
Start time: Between 12:45 and 13:00 (Timing is approximate)
Distance: Approximately 6 km.
Map to Civic Centre

If, after reading the info above and checking out the maps you have a specific query about other cycle path routes or meeting points, please email Andrew@benbikes.org.za for details.


The Finish Line


Greenpoint EcoPark, Cape Town
Start Time: 10:00
Finish Time: 17:00
Map of EcoPark

The beautiful new Greenpoint EcoPark is the venue for a day of fun and cycling celebration – and the place where the Tour d’Afrique riders will cross the official Finish Line between 13:15 and 13:45.

If you’re not up for taking part in The Big Ride In, mosey on down to the EcoPark from 10:00 am onwards.  Explore the beautiful space and be entertained by a variety of fun activities, live performances, interesting speakers and eco-exhibitors.

Light snacks, soft drinks and hot drinks will be on sale from the restaurant area, but you’re encouraged to bring your own picnic, cushions and blankets if you’re going to make a day of it. 

Please note that no alcohol is permitted in the EcoPark.

The Finish Line Position
In front of the Tour d'Afrique/Castle Light VIP Hospitality Tent
Between 13:15 – 13:45
Taking into account the weather and the speed of The Big Ride In, the Tour d’Afrique riders are expected to cross the official Finish Line anywhere between 13:15 and 13:45. The Finish Line is positioned in front of the Tour d'Afrique/Castle Light VIP Hospitality Tent.
Please see map for position of the Finish Line.

The Tour d’Afrique/Castle Light VIP Hospitality Tent
10:00 – 17:00
Thanks to the support of Castle Light, we've arranged a VIP Hospitality Tent for the riders, their family and friends, City and Embassy officials and the media. It’s the official Tour d’Afrique meet and greet hub for the day, a place to get to know others associated with the tour and enjoy a cup of coffee as well as a celebratory drink after the Medal Ceremony. 

If you’re a friend or family member of a Tour d’Afrique rider and would like to be included on the VIP Guest List, please email your name, which rider you’re associated with as well as the names of those who’ll be joining you to
Nancy Sida:  nancyjanesida@gmail.com
Apologies - but space is limited. First come first served basis.
You’ll receive a security sticker on arrival which will allow you access to the tent over the course of the day.
Please see map for position of VIP Tent.

The Medal Ceremony
At the Amphitheatre
Between 14:00 – 15:30
Around 30 minutes after the riders have crossed the Finish Line, they’ll take the stage at the Amphitheatre, where they’ll be greeted by the people of Cape Town, the Minister of Transport, The Deputy Mayor, City and Embassy officials. Riders will be presented with their full tour and EFI medals. The winners of the race will be announced and the final Tour d’Afrique Foundation Bicycle Donation will take place.

While there is seating space around the Amphitheatre, it’s limited. We advise that you bring a cushion or blanket to sit on.
Please see map for position of Amphitheatre

The Quickie Celebration!
In the Tour d'Afrique/Castle Light VIP Hospitality Tent
Between 15:30 – 16:30
After the Medal Ceremony, all Tour d’Afrique VIP’s on the Guest List are invited back to the VIP Tent for celebratory glass of cheer and snacks. (A small amount of alcohol is allowed in the VIP tent only!)
Please see map for VIP tent

The Parking Situation
For those cycling to the event, a bike park area with a ticketed security system will be in place at the EcoPark.
For those driving to the event, please make sure you park in the public parking area off Vlei Road - which is in between the EcoPark and the soccer stadium. 
Please check the map for details.

The Accommodation

The Ritz Hotel
From 16:30 onwards
Map to The Ritz Hotel
After the celebrations at the EcoPark, the riders will make their way to The Ritz Hotel which is about 1 km down the road from the EcoPark. They’ll park their bikes, check in, grab their bags from the trucks and freshen up for the Awards Dinner.

For family and friends who would like to stay in the same hotel, please contact:

Bronwyn Du Toit
E-mail: ritz-2@africanskyhotels.com
http://www.africanskyhotels.com/hotels/cape-town-ritz-hotel
Tel:  +27 (0) 21 439 6010
Fax: +27 (0) 21 434 0809

Special Tour d'Afrique Rates for Riders, Family and Friends:
    
Excluding breakfast and taxes
R 450 (US$ 65) per single room per night
R300.00 (US$ 44) per person sharing double room per night

Breakfast is an extra R50.

The let- your -hair -down- dinner celebration!

Venue: Atlantic Imbizo, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town
Time: 19:00 for 19:30
Cost per person:  R185.00. Pay at door on arrival.
Please bring exact change.
Map to Atlantic Imbizo (General position)
Map to Atlantic Imbizo (More detailed)

We’re planning a free-grazing, eat-as-much-as-you-like, floating buffet dinner for the starving riders!  It’s a casual, social, cocktail style event – not a stuffy, sit down affair!  We’ll be treated to a slide show of the tour, fun prizes, lots of laughs and an evening of chilled Cape Town rhythms overlooking Cape Town’s magnificent waterfront.  If you’re a friend or family member of a Tour d’Afrique rider and would like attend the occasion, please email your name, which rider you’re associated with as well as the names of those who’ll be joining you to Nancy Sida:  nancyjanesida@gmail.com
Apologies – but space is limited.
First come, first served basis.

The Transport:
Minibus taxis will be outside The Ritz Hotel from 18:45 to shuttle Tour d’Afrique riders and their family and friends staying at the hotel to the dinner venue.  They will shuttle everyone back to the hotel at the end of the evening.

We look forward to welcoming you on the day!

Our Partners
Tour d’Afrique is delighted to be associated with the Bicycling Empowerment Network, the National Cycling Academy of South Africa and the City of Cape Town in the planning of The Big Ride In and the celebration of cycling and non-motorized transport at the EcoPark.

Our Sponsors
We’d also like to thank our sponsors:
The Cape Argus, The Andrew Roberts Memorial Trust, Castle Light, Jacobs Coffee, Coca Cola, Pick ‘n Pay, Nederburg and Squirt for their generous support once again.

A physically and mentally exhausting 120-day journey from Egypt to South Africa has finally come to an end for a group of adventurous souls from all over the world.

Tired, sore, and weathered from sand and sun, 55 cyclists have completed their 12-thousand kilometre mission ― riding Africa from top to bottom on the seat of a bicycle in just four months.  

Stuart Briggs, 27, of Australia took this year’s win for the men with a time of 398:26 hours, while 25-year-old Gisela Gartmair of Germany cycled her way to the top of the podium with a time of 404:34 in the women’s division. South African Jethro De Decker, 27, took second in the men’s race with a time of 414:11, with American Tim Thomas, 40, taking the third place spot with 418:09. Two Canadian women took second and third in the race; Juliana Austin-Olsen, 39, won silver with a time of 452:38, while Jennifer Crake, 40, took home the bronze with a time of 531:33.

13 more TdA participants, including 11 racers and 2 expedition riders, have also been inducted into the EFI Club having ridden Every F*cking Inch from Cairo to Cape Town. They are: Rod Atkinson, Juliana Austin-Olsen, Jason Becker, Hartmut Boegel, Stuart Briggs, Gerard Coniel, Jethro de Decker, Simon Francis, Gisela Gartmair, Paul Porter, Sunil Shah, Frans Smit, and Daniel Spasojevic.

What some of the riders had to say about finishing:

Stuart Briggs "The feeling of being finished is pretty surreal. These were some of the simplest days of my life, riding from one camp to another, enjoying the day. Now it's back to the reality, back to the real world."  

Jethro De Decker “The tour might be over but the adventure is about to begin.  Tour d’Afrique was north to south, Freedom challenge completes the journey from east to west.  Only this time I’m going to do it one better and win this race!”  

Tim Thomas  “The arrival ceremony in Cape Town super-ceded the race. Crossing the finish line and watching everyone soak up the experience was amazing”   

Gisela Gartmair  “Winning Tour d’Afrique is a tremendous honour, pushing myself harder every day, harder than I ever thought possible.  Some days were extremely difficult and I wondered if I could still get EFI. I came to the Tour d’Afrique knowing that I could do well but I had no idea that I could win.  I loved being able to ride with the men and found each ride more challenging and interesting than the last.”  

Eric Olverson:  “It seems like a lifetime of emotions and experiences have been packed into four months; I’ll need time to work it all out inside.  I’ll tell you what,  though, the sight of the ocean and Table Mountain today is the nicest sight I’ve seen in four months.”

Michelle Sephton "It's bitter sweet to be finished with the tour; I will always remember the challenges. I’m very glad to be home; it was beautiful to cycle into Cape Town."  

Andre Van Eeden It's bitter sweet for me as well. It was a great experience that I would never do again!"  

Jason Becker “Wow.  It’s amazing to me that after two years of dreaming about this, and planning for it, and training for it and picturing how I felt in Cairo, thinking, ‘can I do this or not?’ and now to be standing here at the base of Table Mountain and realizing that I rode every inch of it – it’s kind of a testament to what you can do if you put your mind to it. I don’t think I’ll ever look at a world map again without thinking of this trip and how big it was. Every morning when I stretch I look at the map of Africa on the truck and it’s amazing to look at that line and think I did all that on a bike. “

Congratulations to all the heroes and heroines of TDA 2010!  You're champions, one and all!

How do you describe the best/worst/most intense 4 months of your life?  I’ve been asked to write up a little thing about the Tour D’Afrique, a four month-long bike ride from the top of Africa to the bottom.   Ever since I was a boy I’ve dreamed of going to Egypt.  Pictures of pyramids and mummies and The Sphinx captured my imagination.  Now not only was I going, I was going to begin a huge journey there.  On a chilly January morning, myself and about 60 other riders were taking off on the adventure of a lifetime.  Bicycling from Cairo to Cape Town seemed like a good idea at the time.  How hard can it be to ride a bike down a continent?  Why do I do things like this?

Earlier today another rider and I were discussing the fact that we only have 747 more kilometres to go.  This used to seem like a pretty big number to me.  Now I’m not even remotely fazed by it.  It almost seems too easy; is there a catch somewhere?  There always is.  We’ve ridden over every type of terrain imaginable: sand, loosely packed gravel, corrugated dirt roads, lava rocks, and occasionally even paved roads in good repair.  We’ve ridden on bright sunny days, horrendous thunderstorms, bitter cold mornings, and I even got hailed on once (hail? Aren’t I in friggin’ Africa?).  We’ve ridden through the deserts of Sudan where there wasn’t another soul on the road (I was listening to my ipod one day and forgot about the folks on the lunch truck that drove by; they had a good laugh at my expense when they caught me dancing whilst riding).  We’ve ridden through Ethiopia where each and every child in every single village expects you to smile and wave at them (they’ll pelt you with rocks whether you wave or not).  We’ve ridden past the pyramids of Egypt, the waterfalls in Malawi (life doesn’t get much better than getting off the bike and soaking yourself under a waterfall on a blisteringly hot day), and the barren wasteland that seems to compose most of Botswana.  We’ve seen elephants, zebra, giraffe, springbok, and an entire barrel full of monkeys.  We’ve met starving children in Zambia (I tried to give them my broccoli... Mom, they didn’t want it either).  We’ve gotten rides in tuk tuks, cabs, backs of pickup trucks, matatus,  the odd dump truck, and a few guys even rode camels for a bit.  We bungee jumped from Victoria Falls (well I didn’t, I’m far too much of a coward to do something like that), climbed Kilimanjaro, visited monasteries in Ethiopia, went swimming in the Nile (never try to skip a stone when you’re wearing your keys around your wrist; swimming isn’t always just for fun) . We went on safari at the Ngorogoro Crater, and stayed in tiny villages where everyone who lived there was at least distantly related.   We went from huge cities where no one noticed us, to small towns where all the people would come out and watch us stop and drink Fanta, and rode through the suburbs of Nairobi which look identical to suburbs everywhere.  We’ve suffered from diarrhea, saddle sores, broken bones, back pain, leg cramps, and daily exhaustion.  We’ve complained about poor service in restaurants, long days, each other, people watching your every move, each other, overly inquisitive children, mobs of unruly boys, and each other.  Yet each day we’re up and ready to start again.  Every day on this trip has brought some new adventure, which is kind of amazing since every day is fairly similar:  wake up far too early, eat breakfast, ride your bike a ridiculously long distance, eat lunch, ride even further, eat dinner, then go to bed. 

The one thing that has made this trip truly unforgettable is the people, individuals from 20 or so countries with nothing in common other than being idiotic enough to sign up for a trip like this.  It sounds like the tag line to a bad reality show.  People that you normally wouldn’t acknowledge if you passed them on the street suddenly become you’re best friend.  I now know more about many people on this trip than their own relatives do.  When you have a 6 hour day ahead of you, with nothing to occupy your time other than pedal and repeat, you start talking to folks quite a bit.  You discover their dreams and aspirations.  You discuss what really matters, because there is no TV.  You also discuss your favourite episode of MASH and why Dick Sergent was better than Dick York.  These are people and conversations that will stick with you for life.  However, these same people wouldn’t recognize you if you were to get a different shirt, because they only know you in the three you wear every day. 

I’ve been asked if I’d do this trip again, the answer never varies, “Not in a million years!”  However would I recommend this trip to others, without a moment’s hesitation.  This trip will make you appreciate what you have at home.  It’ll also make you realize what your life has been lacking.  It will make you weep with both joy and sorrow (occasionally at the same time).  You will feel more alive than you’ve ever felt, often when wishing you were dead.  You will be ecstatic to crawl into your tent every night and eating oatmeal in the morning will be the best thing you’ve ever tasted.  You will never want to go home, but miss it with all your heart.  I could never do this again, but in my head, and for the rest of my life I will be doing it daily. 

   -- Dave Arman