Tag: Egypt

Another beautiful sunrise sent us on our way this morning. Today was to be a day of challenges. Longer ride (145Km), a fair amount of climbing (1200m), and sore Achilles’ tendons. On top of that we are heading inland and lost our wonderful tail wind. We climbed on a very easy and minimal grade all the way to our lunch spot (70km in). I took it really easy, babying my tendons. They we feeling sore but not horrible. I ate lunch quickly and started off on the 2nd half of my day (not wanting to seize up from lack of movement). About ten minutes out from lunch, it happened…

A car had just passed me, and I was looking down at my cycling computer. I looked back up and there was a huge dust cloud about 400 meters in front of me. It wasn’t there a second ago. My initial reaction was, “oh it’s just some construction road crew stirring up a lot of dust. As I cycled closer, it quickly became apparent this wasn’t the case! The car that had passed me, mear seconds before, had somehow lost control, swerved onto the shoulder of the road, demolished a road sign, swerved back across the left side of the road flipping on its side and some how ending up pointed the opposite direction. I immediately hoped I wouldn’t find some horribly injured people or someone that had been ejected from the vehicle. I flagged down another passing car and got to the vehicle as quickly as possible. Much to my relief I could see the passenger struggling to get out of the vehicle via the passenger door (that was now pointed straight up). It was a woman in a black burka. She appeared unhurt and relatively calm. I helped hold the vehicle door open as she jumped out. Her husband (assumption) was still in the vehicle and trying to get out. He also appeared uninjured, but was definitely more shaken up. I continued to hold the door open as the man from the vehicle I flagged down came around the car and helped the guy out. I checked the back seats and they were empty! Thank goodness, everyone could walk away from this crash!

By this time other vehicles were pulling over to see what had happened. I was about to contact our tour doctor when one of our security details showed up (we have tourist police traveling with us to make sure we are safe!) and after confirming I was ok went to the aid of the crash victims. With nothing else I could do they told me I could go (no police statement or anything). So off I went and promptly forgot about every ache and pain I had for the next 10km while I replayed the incident in my head.

So after that fun, it was only another 60 km to our police checkpoint “bush” camp. Meaning no water, no power, no toilets. As the ride neared it’s end, my tendons became less sore. Mainly because other parts of my body started complaining louder. My back was sore, my butt was sore, my knees were sore. Even the balls of my feet were sore. It’s was a long and tiring ride, and just wanted to get to camp.

Still, I’m now safe and sound in my tent, well fed and getting some much needed rest. One sobering thought…if I hadn’t taken it easy this morning and I was twenty seconds further down the road…I could very well have been road kill.

And, as strange as this may seem, it’s the reason I’m here. Enjoy life while you can…you might be dead in 20 seconds…

So, my ankle is sore…specifically my Achilles’ tendon. It started bothering me yesterday and today it ached the entire ride and was slightly swollen. The internet tells me it’s Achilles tendonitis., which I tend to agree with. Solution…rest it. Easier said than done when on cycle tour with a set schedule. I’m at a loss as to why it’s bugging me. I haven’t been cycling hard, and with the strong tail winds we’ve had the first three days, it’s been really easy riding. I’ve talked to some more experienced cyclists and they suggested I might need to adjust the clips on my shoes or adjust my cadence, however the pain started on days I wasn’t wearing my cycling shoes (which is how I ride 99% of the time at home). So I’m chocking this up to the sheer amount of cycling. Never having ridden more than 105km in a day before, I’m in uncharted territory personally. Lucky we have a rest day coming up in two days and hopefully it will work itself out. If not I may have to spend a day or two riding in the truck. Booo!

I’ll be riding super slow (for me) tomorrow. Maybe try that cadence thing… Funny, I was all worried about my ass being sore and it turned out to be my ankles!

The temperature is starting to climb. While today’s ride was still very comfortable, The forecast shows the mercury rising. In a few days the temperature will reach 25C and that’s at our current position. Each day brings us further south, pushing the mercury higher.

Tonight is our first night of camping. The tents are up and the cooler bar is open (stocked with Pepsi! WTH!?! 🤮 I’m going to have to have a chat with management!). I’m actually looking forward to sleeping in my own tent. With my thin fabric walls it’s still more privacy than sharing a hotel room with two other dudes!

It’s all going to come crashing down eventually. It has to. But for now, another perfect day!

The temperature was absolutely perfect for cycling, add to that a very strong tail wind and I just blew through the 150km of Stage 2. That’s almost 50km longer than the longest ride I’ve ever done! Barely pedaling I was whipping along at 35km/hr. I even finished the stage first. Not something I was expecting to do. Yellow jersey anyone?

I had started the day intending on taking it easy and not pushing too hard. 150km is a long way, and this is only day two. I need to leave some fuel in the tank for the future.

I have to keep telling myself “it’s only day 2, and everything has gone perfectly so far”. Eventually the weather will get bad and I’ll spend a few days wet and muddy but as of right now I’m totally hooked on this adventure cycling! So amazing!

Riding through the dessert alone with the landscape is both humbling and exhilarating!

Launch! Not lunch! Although our first day is mercifully easy and lunch is a meager 30km into the day. Here we go! We start the day with a photo op cycling past the pyramids, and then we all pile onto a bus to be shipped out of town to start our journey. Past tours have cycled out of the city but safety was always a big concern. The streets of Cairo are a “bit chaotic”.

Sand Sand Everywhere

Here we are less than 24 hours before we start our epic journey across the continent and Mother Nature is having a little fun with us. 50 km/hr winds and blowing, blinding sand. Right now you almost can’t see across the street and the pyramids have completely disappeared! We can only hope things calm down for our early 7:30 am departure…and if not perhaps the wind will be at our backs.

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Boring but VERY necessary! Rider meetings and bike prep. Group leader Tallis, walked us through most of the important details on how to survive as a group cycling across an entire continent. We are all itching to get underway but still one more day of meetings and prep to go!

Arrived Cairo! All my bags have made it and my bike seems to be in one piece! Spent the morning meeting fellow riders and assembling my bike. Picked up a local data SIM card so I can function. The hotel wifi is a bit overwhelmed. 😉 Time to wander over to the pyramids!!