Before I begin this report let me remind you that Tim has only been cycling for a couple of years, so to take on a marathon ride of 11,220kms covering the length of Africa is an outstanding effort. Tim is donating all proceeds raised on his ride to The Lion and Tusk – Museum of the Rhodesian Services Association based in New Zealand. Attaining the point where we opened the museum in 2018 amounted to 18 years of dedication, toil and fundraising – another sort of marathon effort. We are aiming to raise NZ$11,220 from Tim’s ride. To date, through the generosity of folks from around the world, we have raised NZ$4,048. Wouldn’t it be really nice to show Tim an impressive total when he next gets reliable Wi-Fi connection? Your support will motivate Tim as well as help preserve Rhodesian history. Please spread the word and remember – every dollar helps.
I have not had direct communications with Tim since 28th January. No cause for alarm, as many of you know – this is Africa, and Africa is not for wimps. In Sudan, Tim has had no cell phone coverage and the government have closed social media connections.
On the 3rd of February Tim managed to get a Wi-Fi connection in a dodgy Sudanese hotel and learned of the birth of his grandson two days earlier in Australia.
Tim has posted some updates on his blog from which I have compiled the following summary report.
Currently Tim is somewhere in Sudan between Khartoum and the border with Ethiopia – see attached map. He and his fellow riders are finding the heat, wind and other conditions very challenging. They are facing stages of around 150kms per day through the desert. To give you a bit of a picture, here are some of Tim’s comments:
“The last two days have been the toughest rides that I have ever done.
We had very strong headwinds and cross winds unrelenting and coupled with that we had to put up with buses pushing us off the road. The buses race down this narrow highway at breakneck speed and if you don’t get out of their way you would be history.
I have questioned my sanity on a number of occasions over the last couple of days, what was I thinking?
The desert Sun and wind are unrelenting hour after hour kilometre after kilometre sapping your energy and your will to live but then you get to a coke stop and drink a Luke warm coke and all seems good again.
I have never had so many cokes.”
His last post describes the lead up to Khartoum and his campsite on the 8th February:
“The last few days have taken their toll on the riders heat exhaustion unrelenting headwinds and long straight flat roads. The buses fly passed you, you can hear them hooting from behind you and you just get off the road, which isn’t always that easy as going into thick sand at speed is dangerous.
The landscape is changing, the nearer we get to Khartoum, lots of thorny trees growing in the desert, the roadside is littered with the tyre treads of hundreds of buses and trucks. Dead camels and dogs are left to dry out in the sun where they drop. The smell is not to pleasant.
As you get near a village or settlement, the plastic rubbish and general litter is unbelievable.
Yesterday I was riding with three others and we had completed 130kms of the 150km leg. We were overheating and running out of water. We spotted an old mud brick building, so we stopped to get some shade. We were there only a couple of minutes when four boys aged between ten and three came up to us, they had no English but worked out that we were hot and thirsty. Without a word from us they proceeded to make a small fire and boil water in a kettle and then made us a cup of very sweet tea. I was so taken with the hospitality and generosity of these boys, they even refused money for their efforts, but we all gave them what we had on us.
We were bused through Khartoum as it was felt that it was too dangerous to ride, so we are in a farm camp with trees and flowers a shower and toilet - ah the special things in life.
See attached map for details or follow Tim's route on this Google map link which can be magnified by you on your device to see closer detail https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=12JcU_6yIyUaSlmGPUP227BdIyDQ&ll=0.7851893488035048%2C35.690555521761325&z=4
For other background information and other updates on Tim's progress which you can share - go to https://www.facebook.com/TheLionAndTuskMuseum/
You can follow Tim's blog at https://cairotocape.blog/
