SA Rocks

Tim and Bruce are cycling across Africa in the Tour ‘d Afrique race from Cairo to Cape Town. They started on the 9th Jan 2009 and are due to finish on the 9th May. They are trying to race funds for a charity to build 2 classrooms for a rural school in the Eastern Cape, so far they’ve raised R150,000 out of the R180,000 which they need. Below is their recent report back on their Namibian leg:

25 April to 2 May

Distance: 998km

Highlights: Namibian landscapes

Read our daily diary here…

We’re almost home!

We’re buggered!

And you‘ve helped raise R150,000 for Hebron School!

Almost four months ago, on the 10^th of January, we left Cairo clean-shaven and full of energy, ready for an adventure of a lifetime and the challenge of riding a bicycle Every Fuckking Inch (EFI) down the length of Africa.

While we’ve battled sickness, injury and the elements over the past 11 100km, the last few days in Namibia have been amazing and undoubtedly the highlight of the Tour, and just what we needed to motivate us in this final stretch. The scenery has been breathtaking, the cool weather near-perfect for riding, and the off-road sections challenging but loads of fun.

From Windhoek we headed South-East on famed hard-pact Namibian dirt and took two days to get to Sessriem, the gateway to the magnificent Mars-like sand-dunes of Sossusvlei where we had a day’s rest and a chance to watch a magnificent sunrise from atop Dune 45.

Leaving Sossusvlei we kept the Namib Dessert on our right and enjoyed two days of the most unforgettable riding of the whole Tour as leaping Springboks and the ever-changing painting-like landscapes of the Namib Rand Reserve kept us company on the challenging dirt roads.

Passing through various small towns famous for Apple Crumble, we eventually found ourselves at the grand Fish River Canyon for a night, and from there it was just the small matter of a 176km day to the Orange River for our final rest day before the last six days to Cape Town.

At this stage it’s hard for us to gain perspective on just how incredible this experience has been, but with the end in sight the realisation of transversing Africa by bicycle is only now just beginning to sink in, and along with it, the sense that we’re about to complete something quite special.

With R150,000 raised through your generosity and some sizeable donations from both corporates and private individuals, we’re also incredibly close to reaching our R180 000 target for Hebron School, so thank you again for being part of this worthy cause.

By the time you read this we will have crossed the Orange River and begun a six-day bike ride to the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town where champagne and celebrations await. We’re expected to arrive on Saturday 9 May at around 2.30pm** near Quay 4, and if you’re in the area we would love to see you there to join in the festivities!

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Tim and Bruce are cycling across Africa in the Tour ‘d Afrique race from Cairo to Cape Town. They started on the 9th Jan 2009 and are due to finish on the 9th May. They are trying to race funds for a charity to build 2 classrooms for a rural school in the Eastern Cape, so far they’ve raised R140,000 out of the R180,000 which they need. Below is their recent report back on their Botswana leg:

Explosive diarrhoea… done.
Cracked ribs… done.
Bacterial illness Giardia***… done.
Worm infection… done.
Bloody wipeout… done.
10 000km… done!

Botswana marked the eighth country in our charitable biking adventure started over three months ago, and with only 13 riding days left from Windhoek until we ride into Cape Town on 9 May, we’re unbelievably close to the end, as well as being pretty buggered.

Botswana was tough. Tough because the forecasted tailwinds were mainly headwinds. Tough because on average we rode 162km each day. Tough because the roads were boringly flat. And tough because we had the longest day of the whole Tour there – a 207km beast.

Botswana was also magical though. Magical because of all the wide open bush. Magical because of the cool mornings. Magical because of the ocean-blue skies. Magical because of the elephants. And magical because of the deep red sunsets each night.

Botswana also threw us some curve balls health-wise. Bruce battled through bouts of explosive diarrhoea and terrible stomach pain on a daily basis, courtesy of a nasty bacterial infection called Giardia. A doctor was seen in Maun, heavy antibiotics were prescribed, and the lad with the Rhino-sized legs is finally on the mend. As for myself, the worm I picked up in Zambia on the sole of my foot kept me company for a little longer than expected, and the blood blister it formed had to be lanced and drained a few times after the longer days.

Health issues dealt with, we’re both in great spirits this wet Windhoek morning as we nurse stiff legs and sore asses on a much-needed rest day. The past two day’s riding in Namibia have been long and hard thanks to headwinds, but by the time you read this, we would have turned South on dirt roads where some challenging stages await us as we take 8 days to get to the South African border.

It really does feel like we’re in the homestretch now, but with some 1700km still to go and with R40,000 still to raise for Hebron School, we’ve still got a long way to go before this adventure comes to an end.

As always, thanks to those who have already donated and thanks to those who continue to support us and this cause by spreading the word far and wide.

For a detailed look into the ups and downs of our lives over this last section and the drama of the International Team Time Trial, check out our daily diary (link here) and gallery (link here).

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Tim and Bruce are cycling from Cairo to Cape Town on the Tour ‘d Afrique, they started on the 10th January and should be coming into Cape Town on the 9th May. They are trying to raise R180,000 to build 2 classrooms for a rural school in the Eastern Cape, you can view their website here – below is their latest adventure:

Lilongwe to Victoria Falls (2 April to 12 April)

Distance: 1216km

Highlights: Victoria Falls Hotel!!!

Greetings from the magnificent Victoria Falls and the bustling tourist town of Livingstone in Zambia. The past 10 days riding in Zambia have been long and tough and the legs and bodies are seriously fatigued… 

Because we were challenged many times over by many long days in this stretch of the Tour, we’ve decided to mix things up a bit and rather than a summary of the different days (they were ALL hard), we’d like to share with you in detail how amazing our 2 rest days have been in Victoria Falls… 

So here are the diary entries for those two days, and for more detail on the other days, click here!

Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday, 11, 12 April 

It all started out simply enough. We had come across from Zambia with fellow South Africans Craig Tingle and Nick Marr for a bit of lunch at the beautiful 5-star Victoria Falls Hotel. The views down the gorge are breathtaking, the food excellent, and the history and quiet opulence of this historic hotel simply envelops you.

With lunch down the hatch and thankfully paid for by Mr Tingle’s surprise work bonus, we all started to wonder what it would cost to stay a night. We guessed it would be in the region of $250 to $500 a night, so in order to settle the debate, we inquired at reception. 

After a bit of smooth talking, and an explanation of why we looked as haggard as we did, the receptionist said we would qualify for a regional rate. With our curiosity tipped, Bruce and I then ventured further with some more bargaining talk and got the lovely Mavis down to $155 a night per person, including breakfast.

Bruce and I exchanged looks, came to the exact same conclusion, and promptly pulled out our Visa Cards and booked two rooms for the night. 

What a sight to behold… These two dirty, hairy South Africans, with absolutely no luggage or change of clothes for the night, being escorted by the porter down the thick-carpeted halls of the Victoria Falls Hotel to rooms 35 and 36. 

Other guests looked at us with a confused air of arrogance. However, the looks would get a little more judging when Bruce took an evening swim in the pool in just his boxers because he didn’t have a costume of course, and we got even dirtier looks the next morning when we pitched up to breakfast in the very same dirty clothes. Needless to say, we couldn’t abide by the smart-casual dress code after 4.30pm, I mean we couldn’t even brush our teeth! 

But for our weary bodies, the $155 splurge was well worth it. I had a hot bath. I put on a dressing gown (because I didn’t have any other clothes), I watched some TV and fell into a deep sleep which didn’t involve getting up in the middle of the night to kill mozzies or other creatures in my tent. 

Room service woke me up with filter coffee at 7.30pm and the breakfast buffet was heavenly and expertly managed by us so that lunch wasn’t even needed later that Easter Sunday. 

And having had either oats or mielie meal for the last three months, we felt we needed to share our breakfast feast with you in detail, so here it is:

• Every fresh fruit imaginable and the best yoghurt we’ve ever tasted
• Chocolate croissants and mini hot cross buns
• English scones and chocolate breadsticks
• Fresh farm butter and crepes
• Pork sausages, honey-glazed ham, boerewors, eggs anyway you wanted them, bacon
• A selection of cold meats and a cheese platter… 
• And to top it all off, we drank the Champagne that was on offer!!!

Breakfast was followed by more sunbathing by the pool and eventually a massage in the spa. With a heavy heart and relaxed body, we checked out at 12.30pm (2.5 hours later than we should have), and headed to the Falls where we got drenched and giggled like schoolgirls.

It was all an epic and extravagant adventure, but exactly what we needed to lift our spirits for the final stretch and long days ahead!

By the time you read this we will be riding through Botswana where some long, flat days await us, as well as the dreaded longest day of the Tour at 207km! 

On the fundraising front for Hebron School in the Eastern Cape we’re getting closer to our target of R180 000 needed to build and equip two new classrooms, but with some R50,000 still needed we really need you all to please spread the word and get a colleague, friend or family member to donate just a R100.

Click here for our daily diary and click here for our photo galley! If you wish to donate, please click here.

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Tim and Bruce are currently cycling from Cairo to Cape Town and here is their latest update of their weekly adventures. The aim of their cycle is to raise R180,000 for a rural school in the Eastern Cape. So far they have raised R126,000 click here to go donate!

Iringa to Lilongwe, Tanzania

21 March to 30 March

Distance: 1074km

Highlights: Lake Malawi!!!

Read our daily diary here…

In the past 10 days we’ve climbed mountains in the rain, played volleyball on the beach, swum in the beautiful Lake Malawi and gorged ourselves on Steers Burgers! Unfortunately we’ve also lost another rider to a shattered elbow after a truck hit him, and we’ve been forced to change our route due to heavy rains and flooding in Malawi, but the Tour goes on!

The four days of riding from Iringa in Tanzania to the Malawian border were characterized by cool mornings, light rain and beautiful landscapes of smoky villages, tea plantations and rain forests. However, with each descending kilometre as we neared the border and lake, the temperature and humidity rose dramatically and by the time we crossed into Malawi we were all a hot, sweaty and unhappy mess.

The unhappiness of that first hot night in the bush was quickly replaced though once we arrived at Chitimba Beach after a tough 123km rainy day into a headwind. After five days of some tough riding, Chitimba Beach was the perfect place for our first rest day in Malawi, and with nothing there except a bar, volleyball, restaurant and inviting waters of Lake Malawi, we rested up hard!

From Chitimba we climbed up and away from Lake Malawi to the town of Mzuzu where we were informed that evening that some disappointing route changes had to be made due to flooding in Southern Malawi. Instead of heading from Mzuzu back to the Lake for three day’s of riding as was initially planned, we would now be staying inland and heading for Lilongwe that way. The new route change did however mean that we would now get to Lilongwe a day earlier and therefore we would be spoilt with an extra day’s rest there. And with over 7000km in the legs right now, an extra day’s rest is always welcome!

The four days in the saddle to Lilongwe were beautiful rides but made longer by some big climbing days and some mean headwinds, and the legs are well tired right now as I write this to you from a rain-sodden Mbeya Camp, an awesome backpackers and camping spot in Lilongwe.

With two days of rest ahead of us before we mount up again, and with both a Steers and Nando’s around the corner, we’re as happy as pigs in shit right now, and by the time you read this, we would have pushed on from the capital city and headed for the Zambian border.

On the fundraising front for Hebron School in the Eastern Cape you’ve now helped raise R126,000 of the R180 000 needed to build and equip two new classrooms, and we thank all those who continue to spread the word to friends and family about this worthy cause.

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Tim and Bruce have just passed the 6,000km mark in their cycle race from Cairo to Cape Town to raise funds to build 2 rural classrooms in the Eastern Cape. Here is there latest report back:

Highlights Nairobi to Iringa, Tanzania:

8 March to 19 March

Distance: 973km

Highlights: R126,000.00 raised so far!!!

Wow, have the last 11 days been a roller-coaster of an adventure! Trucks broke down, the rain and mud came, riders crashed on what can only be called the Tour’s Black Wednesday, and the beautiful country of Tanzania captivated us.

Two day’s riding out of Nairobi saw us cross over into Tanzania where we relished three day’s of rest in the tourist town of Arusha, which is also the halfway point in time of our journey from Cairo to Cape Town.

It was a magical three days spent sightseeing and touring the surrounding area and town with the Gane parental unit and their somewhat underpowered rental car. A night was spent in a lodge on the rim of the Ngororo Crater, a world heritage site, and a place so beautiful and packed with such an abundance of wildlife that the unforgettable gamedrive the next morning really felt like the old sayng of “shooting fish in a barrel”. We saw it all… Herds upon herds of sturdy Buffalo, Lions, Cheetahs, Elephants, Rhino, and the list goes on and on…. For anyone that doesn’t have the Crater on their to-do list, put it on now!

After our wildlife buffet at the Crater, we spent a night in Arusha, eating bacon for breakfast and then exploring the vibrant market life before pushing on to the town of Marangu, which nestles in lush banana plantations on the foothills of Kilimanjaro. After days of not seeing the mountain as we rode from Kenya, that evening we were treated to a first-class view of her snow-capped Uhuru Peak as the clouds lifted while we sipped on ‘Kilimanjaro Lager’ – naturally of course!

After a beautiful morning walk to the Ndoro Waterfalls in Marangu we headed back to Arusha. Here we readied ourselves and our bikes for seven days of off-road riding which took us from Arusha to the capital city Dodoma, and then finally to our rest stop, Iringa, a beautiful and peaceful town surrounded by thick green bush and rocky outcrops.

In that week of riding, it rained on four of the days, turning many of the dirt-road sections into fun, muddy sections. The rain, however, also makes camping not-so-much-fun, and after a few consecutive days of packing up wet, smelly tents and clothes, you tend to get a little “over it”.

Smelly tents and swarms of mosquitoes aside, the riding from Arusha to Iringa has been absolutely spectacular and we were actually very lucky in that the rain was never monsoon-in-nature as it so often can be at this time of year, and if you’re ever in Tanzania, we’d highly recommend you take a 4×4 and do the exact same route just for scenery sake.

While we were lucky to an extent with the rain, the Tour hit an unlucky patch. The one support truck suffered breakdown after breakdown, which meant on some days we sat in the middle of the bush waiting for our bags and food for as long as six hours on some days, making a long day in the humid heat an even longer one.

This bit of annoyance however was nothing compared to the day of unlucky accidents in which four riders had to be patched up to varying degrees. Bruce took a spectacular fall on loose rocks, leaving his right-side and arm pretty banged up but not bad enough to end his day’s ride.

Paul Porter, also an EFI rider and a helluva competitor was not so lucky. He fell in a similar manner to Bruce and also injured his right side and arm, however, luck was not on his side that day. We patched him up as best we could with our first-aid kits on the road, but it became apparent quite quickly that the blood would not stop and he would need proper medical attention. He was rushed to hospital in Iringa in the runabout Landrover and we discovered that evening his Tour was finished and he would need surgery to repair a broken arm and deeply lacerated vein in his arm.

It was an incredibly sad moment to hear that this seriously tough man, who had been through so much to keep his EFI status, was now making plans to return home for surgery, all because he just fell awkwardly after seeing a ditch a bit too late.

Bruce’s and Paul’s crash in particular also brought home the realisation that after 6000km in the legs, we still have a long way to go to Cape Town, and we simply need to enjoy each day at a time.

By the time you read this, we would have pushed on from Iringa and headed for Malawi where more adventure no doubt awaits us! Thanks to some large donations we have now raised R126 000 of the R180 000 needed to build Hebron School in the Eastern Cape two much-needed classrooms, and we thank all those who continue to spread the word to friends and family about our fundraising drive. View our website here.

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Here are three quick links to three blogs all centered around a fantastic journey take be two ladies.

http://mariag4g.blogspot.com
http://lianig4g.blogspot.com
http://goforgood.co.za

Here is how they describe themselves:

2 ladies with their 2 jack russels who have cycled, canoed, hiked unaided around SA. An unbelievable journey that has changed our outlook and feel for our Country. 4 years, 15 515 km on bicycles and many more….

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So, as you are reading this 2 South Africans are busy riding on sore and numb asses in the middle of Ethiopa after having already cylced through Egypt and Sudan. You see on the 10th January these 2 guys, Tim and Bruce, started to partake in the Tour ‘d Afrique a cycle race from Cairo to Cape Town.  

They have support vehicles carrying their luggage etc, there are a couple other South Africans also riding and a mix bunch of people doing it to see Africa, do something  different or just to have a  nice 6 month break from everything.

So now WHY are these 2 guys cycling almost 12,000 kilometers over 120 days?

The answer id be to build 2 classrooms for a rural school in the Eastern Cape, just outside East London near Kidds Beach. And to do this they need R180,000 so far they have raised R72,000 jusy by asking people to donate R100 which would cost you 2 pizzas and a coke. 

To follow their trip SA Rocks has kindly agreed to publish weekly updates sent it in by Tim and Bruce and hopefully together and with the online community of SA we can reach their target and make a difference to at least 50 disadvanted kids.

Their Facebook group currently has just over 550 people, we need a further 1000 to push the numbers to 1,800 people who all donated R100 and the target is met.

Their website has a weekly blog update (which will also be posted here) and daily diary entries together with photo’s of their trip. Below is their last couple of days on the Tour, enjoy.

7 February, Day 29
118km Gondar to Farm Camp

Today started poorly for both of us, Tim still had his bout of diarrhoea and I woke up with a sore tummy and no appetite.  But once on the bikes, we got back into the swing of things and not only survived the day, but enjoyed it too. 

The day’s ride route had an elevation loss for a change, so apart from two steepish switchback climbs, we mostly headed downhill.  We were able to see some quite impressive views of the countryside as we twisted and turned round the mountains. The kids were dead on aim today pelting the both of us numerous times, in particular me on the helmet from front on – luckily I ducked my head or else I’d have collect the stone on the face..
It’s so difficult not to loose your cool with the kids as they scream aggressively ‘You, You, You, GIVE, GIVE ME MONEY!’ or my personal favourite ‘Whereareyougo… whereareyougo’ to which the answer, ‘Addis Ababa’ is met with confusion as they don’t actually know what they’re asking but simply repeating a learnt phrase.  Ethiopia certainly has
it’s challenges – starkly different challenges than those overcome in Sudan, but we’re taking each day at a time and enjoying the experience - diarrhoea and all.  Tomorrow is a half days ride then the first of the TDA organised parties followed by another rest day, this one on the banks of Lake Tana… whoo! 

6 February, Day 28
Rest Day in Gondar

I’m shattered. At about 2am last night, diarrhoea and fever assaulted my body. It’s been a long and trying day for me, spent trying to rehydrate and keep anything down. This left to do all the admin that we normally do together on rest days – bike maintenance, laundry and internet updates. With a bit of luck, and of course some drugs, I’ll hopefully be up for the ride tomorrow…

5 February, Day 27 
105km from Mountain Camp to Gondar

Nothing bonds people like hardship, we experienced this on the quite trying ferry ride from Egypt to Sudan and even more so after today’s extremely tough days ride.  We knew from past riders and camp site rumours that day 2 of Ethiopia is arguably the toughest day of the tour and we can confirm this.  The day started with rolling hills till a small village in a valley then the hill began… and what a hill. 800m ascent over 12km on a dirt road with screaming kids and people everywhere.  At the top of the hill was another village where we stopped for a Mirinda (much like Fanta orange) and the first taste of Ethiopian coffee – it’s fantastic. 

Following this we descended rapidly to lunch on thankfully a tarred road.  We’d been told after lunch is tougher than the morning climb due to the slow overall elevation gain over many short steep hills, this might have been the case but luckily the sun disappeared behind the clouds cooling the day nicely. 

The race ended at 95km and we knew it was a tarred road from then on however the steepest climb of the day was left to the hill upon which our hotel grounds we’re camping are situated.  It’s was almost surreal climbing and switch back private hotel road – stopping at the top and knowing our proximity to beer was a fantastic feeling.

After setting up camp, showering (it was cold but oh so good) we grabbed a few beers and went out to the hotel driveway to welcome the other riders in.  It’s was a specially moment in the tour to have those of us that had finish clap the riders in, day was tough and having the group encourage each other was great.  The highlight was waiting for Lloyd to arrive.  Lloyd is a Canadian in his mid fifties, he cruises along at his own pace and always has a kind word, never one to complain.  He’d turned down the option of getting in both the truck and the Ethiopian runabout vehicle we have here instead he just carried on cycling.  It was getting dark with the whole group gather Lloyd came cycling in after almost 12 hours on the bike smiling to a standing ovation – it brought goose bumps to your skin. 

Tomorrow is a rest day and most needed after six very challenging days of cycling – I think we’re all going to take tomorrow very easy firstly to rest and secondly to nurse our hang over’s!

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