4 Days Done, 116 To Go!

Where do I start!?

Day 1 - 132 km riding
The first days was an early start - 4:30 am. Breakfast and then we all got on our bikes and were escorted by the police to the great pyramids for the Tour d'Afrique opening ceremony. By 9 am we left the pyramids (I felt like I was on a movie set!) and we rode another 32 km out of Cairo again escorted by the police - quite an amazing site - 75 riders on the highways of Cairo. At the end of the convey the race started and I decided to see how I felt on the bike. In the end the result was a sprint to the finish for the women and I missed the stage win by a hair - I couldn't get my e-button out fastest enough to stop the clock! It was a photo finish and I was happy enough with second place on the stage.

The camp was a desert camp - and I didn't do to badly getting my tent up the only the second time ever! When you arrive at the end of the day you set up your tent and lay out your gear and there is aways a delicious hot soup waiting for you. At 5pm we have a rider meeting telling us about the map for the next day, announcing the winners of the days stage and then dinner. At the moment it seems to be lights out by 7pm as everyone's exhausted.

Day 2 - 168 km

168 km doesn't sound that bad on paper but on the long flat (with slight inclines) desert roads of Egypt it can be torture. I have never had such a hard day of riding in my life - 8 1/2 hours on the bike (that includes a lunch stop and a stop to pee and fill up bottles). There was a head wind like I have never experienced in my life - at times in small groups of three or four we were slowed to 13km per hour. I rode most of the day with two guys and we took turns pulling at the front of the train/line but it was hard, hard, hard. Only now do I know what it might be like to spend 120 days in Africa on a bike. Still - I made it to came in 3rd place among the women and the soup was hot! I got my tent up and we had some rain in the desert - a quick dinner and then off to bed - again around 7:30 pm.

Day 3 - 141km

This day was like a dream compared to day 2 - the wind changed direction and we caught a tail wind for most of the day. We soon forgot about our aches and pains and enjoyed speeds upwards of 45km per hour and spirits were high at the lunch truck (tuna sandwiches, pb & j and bananas). We hit a wicked crosswind for about 20km but all in all it was a great day on the bike. Jake is behaving himself but I am experiencing some nasty pain behind my left knee - could be the seat post - too low or just the suspension seat post itself or the fact that I don't usually rider that many km back to back in one week. Welcome to the TDA - everyone's got aches and pains. The camp was a desert camp last night at a police check point - we are well protected by the police each night and they follow us on the road too which is reassuring.

Still 3rd among the women.

Day 4 - 92 km

This almost feels like a rest day in comparison to the other days of riding. I decided to take it easy today......no racing (the other two women are going to be after 1st and 2nd position and I am happy with 3rd right now). Today I enjoyed the mountain scenery and we arrived in Safaga at 10:30 am - a beach town on the Red Sea. My tent is pitched on the beach and I had a shower (cold water but at least it was a shower) - my first shower in 4 days. A cold beer awaits me at the beach bar so I must sign off.

Sorry no pictures - slow upload here - I will try from Luxor.

Jx