Post crash update.

No photos for this one.  Went to see the dental surgeon who wired up my teeth today.  Have to go back on the 8th June for a check up.  Body is pretty sore, but hopefully get back onto the old bike in 2 weeks.  The nice 10speed carbon fibre, durace bike is screwed.  Lets hope the guy who is the carer of the dog has some good insurance or money to pay for my teeth, bike and the car I smashed in the process.  Still waiting for the police to send the photo of the damage I caused to the car. 

NOT A GOOD DAY TODAY. SERIOUS CRASH.

I got up nice and early today to go for a ride up over the hills of the Illawarra.  After riding about 15kms I had a dog come out and tried to rip my leg apart.  As I tried to kick the dog I swerved onto the wrong side of the ride and had a head on collision with a car.

I smashed the windscreen and destroyed my 10speed carbon fibre bike.  My clothing was destroyed when the ambulance officer cut my clothing off.

photo taken at home after being cleaned up and released from hospital

Basically I'm slightly bruised and battered and will need some time to get better.  Going to see the dentist tomorrow to see if my teeth can be put back into place.

This is some of the donations I received from TDA cyclists to support Songo in Cape town.

Today I met up with cyclists from the eXsight Tandem Team.



Some of the mangled bikes destroyed when one of the trucks rolled over on a bend 3 days outside of Cape town.

I went for a ride with Josh today up Asquith and back into Wollongong.  We came across some of the cyclists who I've been raising money for.  I should have a figure by the end of the week of the total money raised for the purchase of tandems.

I would also like to thank Mr Scott DeMoss for his kind donation.

It's great to be back on the road bike, but will take some time to get use to the new dimensions.  Slightly different than the silver bullet that I no longer own.  To all the kind messages I've received since I got home, thank you all very much.

So like all crazy cyclists perhaps the next adventure should be Perth to Sydney.  Contact me if you're interested. 



Home again, safe and sound without the silver bullet.



Spending my last day in Africa with my lead out man Peter Lamond.  The shirts relate to the charities I've been supporting.



you travel 12,000ks from Cairo to Cape town now you have to do it all again to get home, Cape town to Sydney, Australia.

This is what we eat when given the opportunity.

The board at Sydney International Airport.

After 4 months of cycling through Africa, and celebrating the achievement at the
V & A Waterfront I spent the last day with Peter.  I stayed out at his home with
Viv his wife and 2 dogs and was treated like a king.  I had no doubt that that
would be the case because of the kind heartedness of both of them.

We had a great day down at Kalk Bay and driving around the spectacular
countryside of the Western Cape of South Africa. 

With a good night's sleep Viv took me out to the golf club to buy some presents
for the folks back home and then it was time to go to the Cape town
airport for my first leg to Johannesburg.

I had originally been scheduled to fly out at 12.45pm but this flight was
cancelled and I had to catch another flight at 2pm.  It was sad to say
goodbye to Peter and Viv, but I'm getting use to sad farewells with
my travelling.  I'm sure I'll see them again when I plan the next
ulimate cycle journey.  You'll have to stay tuned for the next journey. 

So I made it Johannesburg, checked in, bought some duty free stuff,
whether I really needed it or not, and jumped onboard the flying kangaroo to
 'take me home'. 

Graciella and Matt met me at the airport and it was so nice to see my family again, 
For some the time dragged on, but for me it flew.  I had 80 people around me
everyday to keep me company and this made the trip much more easier to cope with.

There will be more updates and photos coming, but I've been at home for
 about 3 hours now and I really need to sleep, I'm stuffed. 

A special mention goes to Luke Naish, Peter Lamond,
Mr Rodney Hilton Sanders, and many more, for being outstanding friends in my life.

The Silver Bullet @ my bicycle was donated to the Songo charity
in Cape town, South Africa.  This charity helps other young disadvantage
 children to get out on bikes and have some serious fun. 
I'm sure the bike will go to a good home.

Race Winner crashes.

Race winner and absolute gentleman, Mr Paul Wolfe.

After dominating the 2011 Tour D Afrique cycle race Mr Paul Wolfe when taking his gear out of the overland truck took a tumble and smashed his heel.  Paul is now laid up in the Hospital in Cape town awaiting an operation to pin his heal and then another 2 weeks to allow the swelling to go down.  Luke and I visited Paul and Christine Wolfe at the hospital yesterday.

Photos along the road to Cape town.

I'm the handsome guy on the left standing with the talented Mr Scot DeMoss.

Another recruit for the Rambor Professional Cycling Team, Mr Bastian.

My lead out man on the king of the mountain photo Mr Peter Lamond.

I thought I'd some photos during my 2nd rest day since leaving Victoria Falls Zambia 7 weeks ago.  I met many wonderful and interesting characters along the way, some are captured above.

Rambor Team member takes stage win.

Luke Naish of the Australian Rambor Cycling Team takes stage victory on the road to Cape town, South Africa.

 

Down on the beach with Luke and Andre, 30kms away from the finish line.

Rambor, my sponsor into Cape Town, South Africa.

Standing at the finish line.  Cape Town South Africa.

A photo paints a thousand words.

Group photo with all the cyclists from the 2011 tour.

I presented the Rambor shirt to 2 of the guys from Hilti.

Where it all started on the 15th January 2011.

9th May 2011.  Felix Unite, Namibia to Springbok, South Africa. 135kms

10^th Country of Tour.

Today is a very exciting day as we leave Namibia and enter the final country of our epic Cairo to Cape town journey.  We enter South Africa.

With a beautiful sunrise and plenty of food in the stomach we hit the road at 7.45am for the 13km ride to the South African border.  We had the Orange River and amazing mountains following us all the way to end what has been an incredible experience in Namibia.

The border process for both Namibia and South Africa was straight forward and not a lengthy wait at all.  To enter South Africa all we had to do was present our passport and it was stamped, no forms to fill out.

As soon we left the border post the road climbed through a mountain range for 8kms.  The rest of the morning to lunch was a 1100 metres of climbing in 65kms.  Lunch truck was at 78kms and I was really hungry by then.  The weather was beautiful, not hot and not too cool for riding.  Like usual Peter has a difficult time on the mountains but certainly makes up for it on the flats.  We just rode along chatting about everything and in no hurry to end the day.

The landscape once we got through the mountains was just like Egypt and parts of Sudan, very desolate, no villages, sandy, rocky plains and very little vegetation.  It’s so nice to be riding in a place where children don’t call out for money and you have a nice road to ride on.

Lunch stop was the usual event of sandwiches filled with eggs, cheese, tomato, nice sauces and fruit.  I can never criticise TDA for the way they have fed us over the past 4 months.

The afternoon went a lot quicker because of a strong tailwind.  We roared along the roads which had little traffic except for a police vehicle who was behind me as I hit warp speed in the tuck position down this long straight.  We just kept rolling along all afternoon with the sun warming our backs, it was just another magical day of riding in Africa.

We made it to the Campsite around 2.30pm, quickly put up Tent Hilton and found Rodney.  Rodney and I went for the 2km walk back into Springbok to find a sim card and buy some more food to eat before dinner.  The walk is so good after 135kms on the bike and it gives us a chance to chat as we didn’t ride with each other today.

When we got back to camp the sun was ready to sink behind the mountains which caused the temperature to drop immediately.  It’s time to put the warm jacket on in this place, socks and long pants. 

I did manage to get the new sim card with the assistance of Rodney’s passport and now can have contact with the outside world.  

So I finally made it to my 10^th country and am quite impressed with my effort.  We have another 5 days of serious riding before the goal is accomplished.  So it’s goodnight from Springbok, South Africa.  Tomorrow is a 125kms ride.  Should be a walk in the park.

 10^th May 2011. Springbok to Garies. 118kms. 4 months since leaving Australia.

Last night was so cold it was one of the coldest on tour.  We woke around 6.20am thanks to Luke, and found the fog was well and truly set in for the morning.  I had to put on my arm and leg warms thanks to Soto Engineering, a gortex jacket and my winter gloves to stay warm.  As soon we got out of camp my limps and nose were freezing.  The guy at the campsite said the temperature was down to 2 degrees and th fog should hang around for a couple of hours.

There’s one thing I don’t like and that’s riding in fog, especially when you have huge trucks roaring down on top of you.  We had to stay close and be vigilant at all times, sometimes we had to hit the dirt to prevent being road kill.  The majority of drivers were patient, but like always, there’s the idiot who doesn’t give a shit about a cyclist on their road.

For the first 2 hours we rode in fog and climbed mountain after mountain.  As soon as we descended to the base of one mountain we had another 2km climb in front of us.  This was the case for the first 70kms of the ride today.  I think I’m getting pretty good at climbing hills and should destroy Josh when I get back.

We rolled into the lunch stop and for once there were heaps of cyclists sitting around chilling out.  Usually the cyclists quickly eat lunch and hit the road again.  I’m different, I came to Africa to spend all day out on the road.

After lunch we had only ridden 5kms and we decided to stop again for a coffee and biscuits which ended up being an hour break.  It was so nice just sitting in the sun thawing out on the verandah of the coffee shop.  By the time I was ready to get back on the bike I had taken off the arm and legs warmers and was ready to ride the final 45kms to Garies.

The rest of the ride was again long climbs but nothing serious.  I would take turns with Peter as to who was going lead up the hills.  When I get on the front I seem to lose Peter and have to wait at the top of the mountain.  Now I just let Peter lead from bottom to top, this way we can just chat away and try and conquer the world.

Just before Garies we had a 5km decent which Peter and I roared down like mad men.  The view was sensational all day looking out into the valleys and mountains.  The colours were spectacular today especially when the fog lifted and the sun hit the sides of the mountains.  It’s days like these that start really hard but end so rewarding.

We rolled into Garies around 2.30pm after 118km ride.  After a quick freezing cold shower it was up town for a nice coffee and a huge slice of chocolate cake with Andrea and Peter. So it’s now 5.15pm and soon dinner will be ready.  Tonight it’s an early night because we have a 165km ride tomorrow down to the ocean.  It’s been along time since I’ve seen an ocean, and Luke insists that I go for a swim to mark the occasion.  I’ll see how cold the water is before I commit myself.

Another wonderful day in Africa.  Goodnight from Garies, Northern Cape, South Africa.

11^th May 2011. Garies to Strandfontein. Western Cape South Africa. 162kms. 

I think everyone today was a little anxious about the length of the ride so close to the finish line.  I personally didn’t care as long as I took it easy the distance was going to bother me.  We had another really cold night but the morning was slightly better than yesterday.

Peter and I left the camp around 7.45am and just cruised along up and down mountains all morning.  The scenery was exactly the same as yesterday, and still little traffic to bother us.  We continued onto the lunch stop at the 85km mark, which was about 10kms along another dirt section for the day.  Today we had to navigate our way through more sandy/gravel road for 30kms.

As we approached lunch I could see Peter was getting very tired and struggling on the hills.  I should say that he’s EFI and has good reason to be tired.  Lunch was extra good today with cooked sausages on a roll with salad was just magic.  

We hit the dirt again and within 10 minutes Peter was behind.  I continued on and caught Christine and we then caught Peter Prince and Sarge.  We rode to a coke stop and once again devoured food like we hadn’t eaten in a month.  

The wind was getting stronger all morning and when we hit the dirt road just before lunch the wind had turned into a block headwind.  For the next 75kms we rode straight into the face of a strong wind with a brisk chill in it.

After the coke stop we got back on the road and made the final dash to Strandfontein on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean.  It’s been 4 months since I’ve seen the ocean, other than the swim I had in the Red Sea,  and cresting the hill and looking down into the ocean was pretty cool.  With the waves just like back at home, and the roar of the waves hitting the sand, I thought this could be any beach along the east coast of Australia.

I rolled down into the campsite around 4.15pm, which was pretty late for the day.  Quickly did some bike work, set up Tent Hilton, grabbed a cup of tea, and went for a walk to talk to some of the other cyclists.

It was a good day today, and I did finish feeling pretty good.  Tomorrow is a 77km ride to Eland’s Bay, with some rough stuff thrown in for good measure.  So it’s time to try and get some sleep with the waves pounding in front of my tent.

No internet access in this part of the world.

12^th May 2011. Strandfontein to Elands Bay. 78kms. Truck destroyed in crash.

Today was easy day on the tour.  We left camp and rode up the hill to have another breakfast at Leonies B & B.  Because she was open at 7.30am I decided to ring the bell and get the lazy sods out of bed to serve us.

About 8 cyclists sat down for nice coffee, crepes, and cheese cake before getting back on the road for the 78km ride to Elands Bay. The road was nice for about 2kms then we hit the dirt once again.  We had a rather smooth gravel/sandy road for about 30kms then hit the pavement.  The first stop of the day was lunch at 40kms.  Because of how much food I had for breakfast I decided a banana was more than enough to get me through to Lambert’s Bay about 30kms away.

Because I was riding with Luke, Scott and Paul Spencer it took us very little time to cover the distance.  For lunch we went to a really nice restaurant down at the wharf called Isabella’s.  The food was great and set in an interesting atmosphere.  The floor was made of crushed sea shells.  NO expense saved in this place.  We just sat down and looked out into the harbour which had one vessel in it.

The next part of the trip was a ride beside the rail line to Eland’s Bay, the finish line for the day. The most interesting thing on tour today is one of the TDA trucks overturned and was completely destroyed in an accident.  I don’t have all the information on how the accident happened, other than to say, the inside where all the lockers are, were completely destroyed.  When we got back to the hotel we found all our gear spread out and had to find our belongings.  I found all my gear and now have to wait for another truck from Cape town to come up so we have a place to put our gear.  I think we have a shit fight on our hands.  I’m sure the TDA staff will do a great job fixing the problem.

So tonight is our 2^nd last night camping and tomorrow is a 144km ride, than a simple 90kms into Cape town on Saturday.  So I need to go and get all my gear sorted out.  So once again it’s goodbye from Eland’s Bay, Western Cape, South Africa.

13^th May 2011. Eland’s Bay to Yzerfontein. 145kms with the fast guys. 1 more day to complete the ultimate cycle journey on earth.

Today is different to all the rest.  Today is the penultimate day of the ultimate cycle journey on earth.  I left with Luke, Scott, Paul, Jorge and Adam, the fast guys of the tour.  I rode with them to the coffee stop at 50kms and didn’t do much at all.

The road took us from Eland’s Bay which is a beautiful little town situated on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean.  The road went from pavement straight to a dusty, gravel road for the next 30kms. I managed to stay with the fast guys all morning but suffered big time.  The road travelled right next to the shoreline for many kms and it was so spectacular meandering around the Rocky Mountains that were towering above us.  We had such a cool ride this morning.  We could see the locals in their small wooden boats fishing so close to shore we could call out to them and wave as we continued our way to Cape town.

The first top was the usual coffee and cake at the 50km mark.  We stopped for about 30minutes before the racers got the urge to get back on the bikes for the final 20km push to lunch.  From this point on I did my share of the work at the front of the bunch all the way to lunch.

The rest of the ride was at warp speed for the remaining 70kms to complete the day.  We took about 2 hours 15mins to cover the distance and man my legs were gone on the last hill.  I managed to do the work until 10kms to go and I had had enough.  I sat on the back of the bunch and just hung in there.

The town we’re staying at is right on the ocean and a special place to stay in the tent for the final time of this journey.  To think I won’t have to put this shitty tent every again or sleep in my sleeping bag.  I won’t have to get damp clothes out of my bag and put them on each morning.  I’m going home to clean clothes and the family.

Tonight we had a fantastic meal of seafood of the highest quality.  Everyone was in high spirits and drinking plenty all evening.  I’m sure there’s going to be some sick cyclists on the road in the morning for the final 90km push to Cape Town.

TDA has plenty of things organised for tomorrow with the ride into Cape Town and being joined by local cyclists where we will ride the final 20kms along the new cycleway into ECO Park.  I’m sure tomorrow will be a fantastic day that I will remember for a long time.  So now I’ve got to get some sleep and enjoy the final day of the ultimate cycle journey on earth.

Bring on Cape town. 14^th May 2011.  90kms to end the ultimate cycle journey on earth.

It’s been said many times before, but, all good things must come to an end and so does my time in Africa.

With an early rise this was going to be one of the most exhilarating days on bike for quite some time.  We hit the road around 7.45am for a leisurely 60km ride to lunch.  I felt so strong with the new cycling shoes I was given by Patrick.  My old shoes had died about 6 weeks ago and I managed to nurse them to the end against all odds.

I rode with my good friend Lindsay from New Zealand.  We just took our time chatting about conquering the world when we get home and whether we would do a bicycle trip of this magnitude if given the chance again.

At the 50km mark I finally got the first puncture of the trip.  At the 52km mark I got my 2^nd puncture of the trip.  Talk about getting pissed off.  That’s an Aussie for term for being annoyed. I got a spare tire from Peter and his son Simon and was on my way to meet the rest of the cyclists down on the beach.

We arrived at the beach to find about 200 cyclists waiting to join in on the convey for the final 30kms into the majestic city of Cape Town, South Africa.  After eating more cheese, cakes, fruit and drinks we went down to the beach for some photos to complete a smashing morning.  We couldn’t see Table Mountain behind us because of all the fog that was still sitting on the mountain.  

At 12pm we got back on the road with full Police escort for the ride into town and along the new cycleway that led through the heart of the city and close to the V & A Waterfront.  When I turned around to see the number of cyclists trailing I was stunned.  There were hundreds of cyclists riding with us to welcome us into their beautiful city.  It was a really touching moment as we rode through the city with people calling out and clapping us on our arrival.  We stopped out the front of the city office and once again for some speeches and headed off for the remaining 6km journey to the new Eco Park.

We did a ride through the heart of the city with Police stopping the traffic whilst hundreds of cyclists coming up to us and wanting to chat about our journey or wanting photos.  I must be famous with all the photos I’ve had taken of me this trip.

So there we were, 80 intrepid cyclists waiting at the front of Eco Park Green Point to be given the go ahead to enter this complex and be greeted by family, friends and cyclists from all over the Cape.  It was just amazing, with flags from all over the world, a band playing and people lining the path as we entered, cheering and clapping.  Perhaps it was a big deal, perhaps I’ve achieved something special in life.  Not people are given the chance to ride a bicycle from Cairo to Cape town, I was, and I will cherish today and the other 119 days of pain and happiness for the rest of my life.  

Once everyone had gone about with their hugs and kisses it was time for formalities.  We all had to get behind our country flag and mark behind the band that led us up onto the stage to be greeted by the public.  This was so moving, I could see the people in the crowd clapping and standing tall as we enter the stage.

After the speeches it was time to receive our medals for completing the longest cycle tour in the world.  To have the medal placed over my head and to rest on my chest was acknowledgement that I had completed the ultimate cycle journey on earth.

Everyone got presented their medals and so did the winners and EFI cyclists.  With a quick bite we rushed back to the Ritz Hotel for a hot shower, to warm up a bit. 

We all went down to the V & A Waterfront for the final night out as a group and celebrate the end of the tour.  It was a great night to see and speak to some of my friends, some that I will never see again.  That’s life.  

I still have a lot of work to do with collecting donations for the Songo charity here in Cape Town and get all my gear ready.  So for now I’ve got to go and do more work.

ARRIVED IN CAPETOWN :Capetown to Cairo 2011 comes to a close.

Hi All,

I have just recieved a text from dad and he has completed his journey Cairo to Capetown 2011. He is feeling very good and is looking foward to celebrating this huge achievement.

A full update to come soon.

The Day Has Arrived !!!!!!!!!!

Today is the day that i get ready for the ride of my lifetime, the final 90kms into Capetown.Today will complete a 4 month bicycle journey from Cairo to Capetown 2011. See you all at the finish line.


NEWS JUST IN : 14th May 8pm , dad is 30kms away from the finish line, feels great and is looking foward to the big ride into Capetown and the celebrations that await him.

Today 145kms , Tomorrow Capetown.

13th May 2011

Today i rode 145kms with the fast guys through sand and gravel and even at a fast pace i still managed to hang in there.Rode along spectacular coastline all morning before we stopped for coffee and cake before lunch. Today went really fast as we were riding at such fast pace.After lunch we hit pavement & hit top speed for the 70kms to finish the day.My legs were really sore at the end of the day.

Tomorrow is the big day to end the journey of a lifetime. Capetown is 90kms away. Big celebrations planned at the end. A fantastic day looms.

2 days to capetown, Tour truck destroyed in crash.

12th May 2011

Today a tour truck was destroyed in a crash, one of the trucks overturned and landed on its roof. No one was seriously injured in the accident, We rode 78kms today along the coast and then followed the train line. A great ride today, it was very overcast but no rain thankfully.145kms tomorrow. Only 2 days till we reach capetown. BRING IT ON.

3 days to go on the road to Capetown

Hi All, Blogger has been down for the past 2 days so i apologise for late entrys.

11th May 2011

Today has been 165km of mountains & headwind all day.Started from Garies and ended at strandfontein on the beach of the Atlantic Ocean. It was a very hard day and was extremely cold at the start.It warmed up after 2 hours and it was beautifull and sunny for the remainder of the day.After lunch we had 39kms of gravel,sandy roads to make the day harder.It was nice to reach the west coast of africa after 4 months.78kms of dirt tomorrow. Getting closer to capetown.

2 down 4 to go.

Today their has been terrible fog for the first 2 hours of the day. It was a extremely cold day today and it finally warmed up a bit when we reached our lunch stop.Their has been many mountains to climb today with more magical scenery for 118km going up or down. After lunch it was like a warm winters day back home ( although i know you all are experiencing terribly cold weather at the moment). I am still very healthy and i feel really good but my body needs a rest. Bring on capetown in 4 days. 165km tomorrow.

Nambibia to South Africa.

Hi All

Here is a quick update of dads progress.

Today we did 135km and it was a 13km ride to the border. Once we got to the border it didnt take as long as i had expected with it being a quick process. The 1st 8kms of today was all climbing then rolling hills to the 75km lunch stop. Landscape is so lunar out here. We only passed 1 town all day. Their was a strong tailwind after lunch with more hills that followed for the rest of the afternoon.. Climbed 1500metres to day. Reached town of springbok to finish a super day.

Photos of the past 5 days in the wilderness of the Namibian Desert.

Major sponsor of Cairo to Capetown 2011. Windhoek to Cape town.

As the caption reads, 6 more days to Cape town.

3 members of the Rambor Professional Cycling Team.  Luke, Peter and myself of course.

Get out of the mud Christina you dirty girl.  Bad handling skills.

Chasing Luke through the only town on our way to Felix Unite. Desert riding at it's best.

I always love to have my face on my own website. 

Peter and myself stopping on the gravel roads of the Namibian Desert.

That's Christian the communications man for the tour.  Note the river in the background, no trucks could get through and we had to take the railway line.

The Namibian Desert. Absolutely brilliant

5 days of magical riding in the desert of Namibia.

3^rd May 2011. Sesriem to Betta. 140kms.

After a nice rest day and visiting the canyon I was ready to get back on the bike.Breakfast has now changed from 5.15am to 6.am, now that’s getting more sensible.  We headed out of camp around 6.45am for the long ride on the dirt, sand and corrugated roads of the Namibrand Reserve Namibia.  I only saw one springbok today although there were signs indicating giraffe, zebra and eland.  I couldn’t see a thing.

I rode with Peter for the whole day and it was a difficult day.  With a fierce headwind for a good part of the morning coupled with horrendous roads, I knew this was going to be a difficult day.  Each time we turned around a corner that was surrounded by spectacular mountains we could see the road going for miles into the distance.  We didn’t have to climb any major hills today, mainly flat was the order of the day.

It was so tough rolling along at stages with a tailwind over the corrugated gravel roads, just finding the correct line to take would take us from one side of the road to the other.  It didn’t matter what side of the road we took at times, we were belted and belted by the corrugations.  They can really do your head in at times.  I pushed on with Peter behind at all times.  The sun was out and the plains were spectacular to see, with the grass a beautiful brownish green which went all the way to the base of the mountain.  We were surrounded by mountains and vast plains all day and the colours of each mountain had it's own identity.  We had a hard a ride today but it was rewarding in the end.

The lunch stop was at 78kms and it was a rewarding break from the heat of the sun.  It was getting so hot today and lunch was a perfect to relax and cool down for a short time.  By lunch there was a lot of people who were very tired already.  I think the next 5 days is going to cause some carnage amongst the riders.  We have some serious long days on some of the toughest roads of Namibia to come this week, so rest is very important at the end of a long day.

After lunch we climbed a nice hill, crested to a vista of yet another beautiful plain that went for ever into the distance. We continued on for another 35kms to the refresh stop.  Because it was so hot today and the conditions were so tough the tour had a refresh stop to make sure we all enough water to get to camp at the 140km mark.  I should say that at stages our speed was 13-15kph into a howling headwind, slight uphill and corrugations.

Towards the later part of the day the road flattened out and the wind was now behind us.  We were cruising at a good speed and the finish flag was now in the distance.  We rolled into a camp which was situated behind a petrol station in the town of Betta.  I don’t think this place would even be on the map.

So I got my tent up, need to fix a slight leak in the mattress and eat dinner.  I think I’ll have a good nights’ sleep for tomorrow is a MANDO day which is 150km of more dirt, sand, corrugations.  Just bring it on.

4^th May 2011. MANDO DAY. Betta to konkiep lapa.153kms.

Well what a Mando Day. Today we all got up around 5.15am to get ready for what was to be a very difficult day.  We rolled out of camp after a light breakfast around 6.45am with of course Peter Lamond.

When we receive the rider briefing each evening, we’re told about the road conditions whether it’s sandy, gravel or corrugated.  The first part of the day was rather nice gravel passing through mountains and beautiful untouched countryside.  The ride to lunch was simply amazing with a road that travelled through the mountain for at 50kms was just so stunning to be in.  We had plenty of climbing to do today, around 900metres, but really in this part of the world it was simple work.

Each time we reached the top of a climb we would be greeted with a road that twist around another mountain pass in front of us.  We did this for 4hours until we reached the lunch truck at 80kms.  I wasn’t tired at all, surprisingly. 

With 2 huge sandwiches devoured in 30 minutes it was time to fill up the water bottles and hit the gravel road once again.  I’m now using my camelback (backpack full of water) because one of my bottle holders broke on the silver bullet.  This old bike is just about screwed.

The next stop for the day was at the town of Helmeringhausen 25kms after lunch.  The road was much favourable now with a downhill until the town it took only 45minutes to do the distance on a really nice hard gravel road.  We had about 10 cars pass us today. We stopped in this little town which did have a hotel but it was having renovations done to it, so we decided to stop at the local store for a nice coke and of course a chocolate ice cream.  I don’t think eating this rubbish will harm me with all the riding I’m doing.

The next 50kms was a fast wind assisted ride into camp.  We had a great surface to ride on, and it was basically flat.  The only problem I did have was the back tyre on my bike wasn’t on properly which caused the wheel to bump every revolution.  On the rough road you didn’t notice it, but on the smooth dirt it was a pain in the ass.

As soon I got to camp I was greeted by Mr Rodney Hilton Sanders who had booked a small room for Luke and I for the night.  It costs around $12 AUS and it’s pretty good, and at least I won’t get wet from the huge storm that’s coming my way.  As I sit in my dog house I can hear the thunder and light rain.

Luke hasn’t shown up yet, I’m told he’s gone for an extended ride with Bastion to see some friends.  It’s now black outside and I don’t think it would be a good idea to be out on the bike in this weather or on these roads without lights.  It maybe the case that I have the room all to myself tonight.

So it’s put the iPod on and listen to some music and not have to worry about pulling down the tent at 5.30am tomorrow morning.  

Tomorrow is a 125km ride, the first 30 is good gravel and the rest is paved.  How cool?

5^th May 2011.  Konkiep lapa to Fish River Camp.  125km.

I’m so glad I took up the room that Rodney got for me and Luke last night.  Luke didn’t show up and nor did Bastion, I think I’ll probably see them later on tonight.  It rained all night with plenty of tents being flooded, not Tent Hilton, that that packed away where it belongs on the truck. So I had a good night with my new room buddy, Liam.  Liam is a really nice young bloke and a strong rider.  I got up to pouring rain, got dressed, put on my wet weather cycling gear, had my breakfast and hit the road.  Man, I hit the road.

As soon as we turned out of camp it was like hitting a road with my brakes on.  The road for the 1^st 30kms was all mud.  We travelled in the pouring rain slipping and sliding all over the road.  I kept passing people who looked like drowned rats waiting for the truck to come along so they could put their bikes on the truck.  They had had enough for one day.  It was pouring down as I struggled to keep the silver bullet in a straight line.  I didn’t care that I was covered in mud from head to toe, I just wanted to prove to myself that I could take on the challenge and succeed. It was so hard to keep focus on the road ahead.  As the trucks passed and threw out water all over me, I quickly tried to follow the tyre tracks that that they had left behind. This was the best line to take as the trucks had just compacted the sand for a short while.

To see the tar and the township at the 30km mark was a good feeling.  I was drenched to the bone and looked like a kid who had just come in from playing in the mud, but I didn’t care one bit.  All the cyclists stopped at the local shop and made such a mess while ordering coffee and pies.  The water and mud dripped off us and onto the nice clean floor.  All I can say is so what, I wasn’t in the mood to offer an apology, I was cold and wet and still had another 40kms to go before I would reach the lunch truck.

Today I rode on my own and it was a good experience to watch Namibia go bye and just dream about anything I wanted, this way my time to be on my own and reflect at times on the incredible journey I’ve undertaken and nearly accomplished.

With the assistance of a strong side/tail wind I made it to lunch by 10.30am.  With a quick lunch, I was back on the bike to complete the 125km challenge.  The rest of the day was at times a strong headwind with long climbs.  The surrounding mountains were once again simply stunning.  If I was a geologist I would be in heaven in this part of the world.  I could see layers of rock on each mountain that was so close to the road was just amazing.  

As we got about 20kms away from camp we crested through the mountain range to yet another incredible sight of the Namibian plains.  We roared down the mountain and within no time we were off the road and on the dirt for the final 2kms to the hotel on the Fish River. We got a room for 4 of us in this hotel that looks like a castle.  The room is really spacious with a loft for 2 of the guys to use.  I’m sleeping downstairs.

So I got to have a nice hot shower and put some dry clean (NOT) clothes on and soon we’ll be called for the rider meeting than dinner.  I’m having a ball and so happy to be challenged the way I was challenged today and survive where many stopped.

Tomorrow is 108kms on dirt road, no pavement and I hope the road dries out from all the rain this place is receiving.  The rainfall in Namibia is 4 times greater so far this year than any other year since recordings have been taken. Now that’s a lot of rain.  

I’ve got 2 more hard days of riding before we reach Felix Unit and a well deserved rest day.

6th May 2011. Seeheim Hotel to Canon Roadhouse Hotel. 95kms.

Thank God we didn’t get any rain last night otherwise we would have been in a lot of trouble. Both Peter and I left the hotel around 7am t take some photos and commence the ride to the roadhouse lodge.

The road was just like yesterday other than with no rain. The roads were still muddy in places with gravel and sand and although it was tiresome by the end of the day, we did manage to get into camp by 1pm.

The lunch truck and all the vehicles had t take a detour due to Fish River breaking it’s banks.  We had to backtrack and go over the railway bridge to get through.  The scenery was the same as yesterday with mountains following us all the way to the camp.

Tomorrow we have a MANDO day of 170kms of more gravel and sand on our way to Felix Unit a campsite which Peter says is quite impressive.  Luke and I have a cabin at the place so I’ll get a chance to do my washing for the last time this holiday.  Not that I need to clean my clothes after hundreds of kms each week.

The racers are just about ready to call it quits and as the first 3 places are just about set in concrete.  The race will continue of course, but this will allow other riders who are not as fast to have the chance to win a stage.  Even though I wouldn’t class myself as a racer I’m so happy to have secured a stage win on this tour.

So once again the campsite we’re staying in is pretty cool with mountains surrounding the campsite and tents placed side by side. If this happened at a campsite in Australia all hell would break loose.  We actually sleep about 1 metre away from each other, so we can hear people snore, fart, burp and anything else that could possibly occur in ones tent.

So its goodnight once again as we get closer to South Africa in 3 days time.

7^th May 2011.  Canon roadhouse to Felix Unite Campsite on the Orange River, Namibia. 175kms.

Today both Peter and I had decided to get ready nice and early for the long day ahead.  I woke at around 5.10am giving me plenty of time to pack Tent Hilton, have breakfast and be on the road by 6.30am.

We rolled out onto the dirt road for yet another day of fine conditions.  The road was a nice surface of gravel and sand mixed together.  The first 13kms was backtracking from yesterday over some really fast surface.  We then turned off and commenced a section of spectacular countryside.  With rolling hills and some decent climbs we meandered our way through mountains of the Namibian Desert to come eventually come out to a ridge that led 10kms downhill to the lunch truck at the 85km mark.

Although I had started to ride with Peter at the beginning of the day I left Peter around the 40km mark and decided to push on through the mountains.  

I met up with young Andrea and rode with him to the 60km when he decided to stop for a pee break and one of those PVM bars.  We get a box of PVM bars during each section to help us along the way.  I don’t mind them actually, although plenty of cyclists are not keen on them at all.  

I rolled into the lunch stop at 10.30am which was a pretty good time considering the mountain we had to go through.  I should mention that some sections before lunch were really corrugated to pieces and deep sandy patches due to the enormous amount of rain in the past few weeks.

The scenery was once again simply stunning.  Now we had the mountains to the west of us all day.  They were like an orangey brownish colour like iron ore although I know nothing about geology.  I met up with Luke at the lunch stop and he waited for me to have something to eat so we could ride the remaining 85kms together.  This meant I was going to be in serious pain for the next 3 hours.

The ride out of lunch would take us through the sandy deserts for the next 50kms before we finally hit pavement for the first time in quite a while. 

The sandy road was like nothing we had experienced before, with a car width path, no edges, just sand and more sand that twisted through the desert.  If you were out here in the summer and took the wrong turn, you would simply die.  

We rely on TDA to mark our path from start to finish each day, and at this stage, they’re doing a marvellous job in getting the circus from one campsite to the next. From the time we left lunch to the time we arrived at Felix Unite campsite and lodges it was a roaring headwind, sandy desert, and the occasional deep section that really made us work.  Luke like usual was the powerhouse all afternoon, and I helped out doing turns as much as I could.  We hit the tarmac at the 135km mark and still the wind was hitting us square in the face.  I was stuffed every time I hit the front, and the speed dropped from 27km to 25kph.  

As we approached the final 5km we got a glimpse of the Orange River and the campsite.  We rolled down into the campsite and went straight to the bar for a nice cold drink.  After a drink, it was time to order a hamburger and chips and yet another drink.  The lodge overlooks the river and is just a great place to sit down and chill out with the river right in front of us.

The room we have is enormous, Luke has 2 single beds in his room and I have a King size bed.  From our table and chair outside the cabin we can see up the Orange River for mile.  Tomorrow is a rest day, which means doing nothing other than resting, washing dirty clothes and updating the website.

We’re now about 10kms away from the South African border, and on Monday we commence the final leg of the ultimate cycle journey on earth, Cairo to Cape town 2011. We have 6 more days of riding, some on tar and some on dirt.  I don’t really care what the conditions will be like over the next couple of days because the next rest day after tomorrow will be the rest of my life.  

So from Namibia it’s goodbye and welcome to South Africa on Monday 9^th May 2011.