Tour d'Afrique - Cairo to Cape Town by Bike

For those in the National Capital area, you can pick-up your FREE copy of Ottawa Outdoors magazine (Check out their site at http://www.ottawaoutdoors.ca/) at a number of locations around the region (including Bushtukah of course!). If you flip to page 35 you will find a great write-up previewing what is to come. They have highlighted a great picture taken by female winner Joan Lowrens during last year's tour of some of the tough riding conditions I will face. What a great picture Joan!

I have been continuing on the preparations, running between embassies to make sure I have all of my visas valid during the proper times, making sure I have enough resources to keep my digital camera happily snapping away en route, and of course continuing to acquire more and more bike parts. I am prepared to mangle and pulverize a good deal of metal.

I have also prepared the most important piece of my bike set-up: my new stem-mounted motivational message. It formerly read: "PUSH! Come Monday you will wish you had!!" This was a great reminder during races that no matter how good/bad I was feeling, how far in front/far behind we were, or how stuffed/starving I was, I was always able to push harder. This creates a very satisfying, yet stiff feeling at work on Monday morning. In so many ways this is not appropriate for this tour, so it now reads: "Remember: You're in AFRICA!!! Enjoy it!" Even the most spectacular journeys have their down moments. This is a good way to remind myself that this is a very special experience and this reminder will bring smiles to my hardships.

Less than one month to go before my January 8th departure!