Cairo to Cape: FINALLY IN WINDHOEK

This posting was suppose to be before the previous one, but due to some funny and not so funny problems with Jaana's computer everything were lost for a while... So we are happily back online with full of photos again...

We all arrived safely and exhausted in the Namibian capital after a very long last day of the Vic Falls to Windhoek stage. Nobody expected this day to be so hard, and the reason was... very strong headwind... Headwind is the nightmare of cyclists, and on a straight 160 km long stretch of road it can make a ride miserable. Furthermore we had some good hills climbing into the capital. Windhoek is situated at an altitude of 1600 meters and surrounded by mountains 2400 m high. So there was no other way than climb over a 1900 meter pass before heading down to the city. The wind reduced our speed to ridiculous average below 20 km per hour adding saddle time to our tired legs and bruised bums. This road was straight just like the rest of that 1700 km long section. Straight, straight and straighter, the odd curves are only a few degrees and rare... So once you are in a headwind, you stay in that headwind for the whole day without getting any brakes... This entire section has been very leg consuming. It is the first time I finish a section so exhausted. The cycling has been fast (except for today) and highly intensive. There were no coke stops, no stops in general as we just traversed empty land filled with thick bush resulting in long and uninterrupted high cadence cycling sessions, day after day. Our legs are now completely finished and this rest day is more than a blessing.... The bad weather also added a difficulty factor as we faced rain, storms and lightening 12 days out of the 14 of that section. Most tents were flooded and the storms we had at camps every night reduced our recovery time as you battle against the leaks in your tent instead of sleeping.

Everybody arrived at the finish line looking completely empty of any energy. But as you know by now, at TDA, once you reach camp, you still have plenty to do. In this particular case, we had to change our tires back to knoblies as we are going to go back on dirt roads after the rest day. I also changed my chain and my cassette. If you put on a new cassette, you need to start up with a new chain as well. So I wanted to have my bike ready for action and not spend any of my rest day time doing bike mechanics. This meant that it was quite late when I finally got to my hotel and enjoy access to all modern facilities such as a flush toilet and a shower... The good news was that Jaana had flown from Johannesburg to meet me for the rest day in Windhoek. It was only 2 weeks since Victoria falls when we last rejoined after being 13 weeks apart, but it felt like a long time ago. We live at such a high cadence at TDA that time is overtaken by the packed adrenaline action we go through every second of this trip. I wonder what will happen once we reach the end of this tour, how will each participant adjust to "normal life" again... At the moment, I am certainly feeling like an adrenaline junkie...
The end... Yeah, well it's never been so close now and yet plenty of adventures to come over the last 14 riding days. We are still going to cross Namibia from north to south on exiting dirt roads, going through natural wonders such as the Fish River Canyon, second deepest in the world after the grand canyon. But time wise, the big countdown has started... 2 weeks left and we will be in Cape Town!!! Wao... Table mountain is on the horizon... When I was looking at my map of Africa last night, it suddenly hit me, we are now really close. Of course for the sectional riders joining us for this last leg of the trip, it is an enormous challenge and they seemed pretty tensed about this "big journey" they are just joining... I spoke with a few of them last night and they were just as nervous as we were in Cairo... he he... and we, coming from Cairo feel "almost home"...
Well, at TDA one must never underestimate the task, each day can turn into something very physically and mentally challenging. There are 14 stages left and personally I intend to remain focused until the finish line in Cape Town. On a bicycle, just a simple fall can mean the end of your race. It is important not make a mistake, especially that far into the race. It would be a real pity to lose my EFI status now after all what I have gone through to stay EFI. One wipe and I could lose it, so the pressure is definitely on. My task is now to finish this race EFI. I am happy to say that despite being very tired, I feel very strong on the bike and my legs are definitely gonna take me to Cape Town. I have also finally started to pick up some weight now that I have access to more and better food.
I am looking forward getting back on dirt roads, it is where I am the strongest and enjoy my riding the most. The coming 900 km is gonna be pure dirt, so I should be satisfied with that. The landscapes of the Namibian desert are absolutely magnificent, so expect some cool pictures to be posted over the next days!