Cape to Cairo 2010

Wooohhooo!! Cairo here we come.

We met at 8am for fuel etc before leaving. 2 friends of ours; Hilton Bennewith and Rowan Crowie will be riding up to Livingston, Zambia with us over the next 5 days.

Our route today was up to the Namibian border (700km) and we are spending the night at Felix Unite (a lodge with Chalets next to the Orange river…Nice)

 The ride initially was hampered by a fog reminiscent of London pea soup but after about 100km out of CT, it became mostly uneventful with long straight stretches that produced bouts of sleepiness for all of us as no-one got to bed much before 1am last night with last minute preps.

The surroundings once we got into Namaqualand however were stark and beautiful.

Dale and Rui…First pit stop just outside Clanwilliam.

Rowan Crowie on his mustard Hot Dog.

The wife fully dressed with some branding from some of the corporate sponsors that very kindly donated to Ma Afrika Tikkun.

Rowan…The first traffic casualty!!

Hilton Bennewith (looking seriously unimpressed) and his Beautiful machine.

Welcome to Namibia!

The last day has finally arrived. Running around getting last minute things completed and need to be on the bike to do so. The Cape has chosen today of all days for the heavens to open and I have got completely soaked.

Saying goodbye to friends and family.

33 hours to go. Last minute planning and feeling a little frantic at the thought that I still have things to do tomorrow!!

Last few days to go. Ticking all the items on the list to ensure that nothing has been forgotten. Getting very little sleep at the moment because of the amount of thoughts swirling around.

The wife is back from the shop sporting full “Cairo Regalia”..Will post new pictures shortly.

After 7 months of planning, training and preparing, I can barely believe that the day of departure has just about arrived. The sensation is a mixture of excitement and trepidation but mostly excitement!

Dale is packed and ready to go and his bike has the last of the suspension mods completed this week. Although we have done all we can and in good time, the Sudanese embassy came back today requesting additional information for our visa’s. This is the last outstanding visa required (and the most difficult one to obtain) however, we will be departing on the 30th as planned wether we have this back or not…Thank G_d for the second passports!!

6 Sleeps!!

8 Days to go and whilst the excitement builds, so does the trepidation; what have I forgotten? Will my family be okay? Will my business be okay? Have I done enough to ensure that the things involved in my daily life can continue unabated without me? These are but some of the questions and worries that go round and round in my head.

10pm and in the office trying to get through the last minute work requirements that will not leave me feeling like “Atlas shrugged”!

Ultimately, the only thing to do is to believe that I have done and prepared as best as I can and to simply commence the journey!

My bike is in the final throes of preparation. KTM Cape Town have been fantastic with their support and do not believe that “Katie” (my new wife for the next 2 months) would be up for the job unless these guys had really got stuck in and delivered as they have.

I laid out all the items from my list (clothes, spares, tools, tent, sleeping bag etc)  on my bed last night and could not picture how to cram so much crap into two 38L panniers and a topbox!  This is going to prove MOST interesting!!

6 Months of fitness and strength training have also REALLY paid off. I cannot imagine undertaking this trip with my fitness level of  November last year.

2 weeks to go.