Saturday, April 26th;
The 3rd in a series of very successful bicycle donations in Africa was held today in Windhoek, Namibia. Billed as "Chris Wille's bike donation", this event featured the donation of 68 bicycles to 3 separate, very deserving recipients, ranging from a refugee camp located in Namibia, which houses thousands of refuges from other countries, to a local tuberculosis aid society, to a youth at risk group. The donations were well received, and very much needed. speeches were made by representatives from the TDA, the recipient organizations, and myself. It is humbling to hear how something as simple as a bicycle can and does change people's lives for the better.
a huge thank you to family and friends who kindly made donations to the tune of $6800.00
The donation ceremony was made possible by the hard work of one Michael Linke, an amazing person who has done wonders for the distribution of bikes, the training of local people in each local area to service and repair the bikes, a outstanding bicycle ambulance building and distribution program and a host of other good things. Michael is the founder of BEN, Namibia.
BEN stands for bicycle empowerment network. Please Google BEN, and BEN, Namibia, for more info on the amazing projects this group has on the go.
Pictures of the donation will be posted as soon as they are available...
As for the Tour....We have just recently arrived in Windhoek, Namibia. This signals the end of the latest section, called the Elephant highway. A few lucky riders saw elephants along this section, but all the racers saw was horses, goats, sheep, cows, and lots and lots of Armoured crickets...I was lucky to ride well and stay relatively healthy (How healthy can one really be riding over 160 kilometers (one hundred miles) at high speed day after day?) , and placed second overall in this section. I also am very fortunate to retain 3rd place overall in the whole race, the best placing by a Canadian in quite some time...
Nights have been cold in the Kalahari, prompting riders to bundle up in the morning, something we have not had to do sine crossing the Sahara in Sudan. Luckily, the temperatures warm up quickly after the sun has been up for a while. This makes for very pleasant cycling temperatures after the initial morning chill. On a recent day when we had to cover 207 kilometres, riders were horrified to find ice on their saddles. Many began to seriously debate the global warming theory at that point...
One section (the diamond coast), about 2,000 kilometers, and less than 2 weeks separate us from our arrival in Cape town, and the end of our remarkable 4 month journey across the African Continent. Its' been great.....More stories and pictures to follow...
Chris Wille in Windhoek, Namibia.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
A tale of Armoured crickets,yellow goo, and bike donations
Armoured crickets? What next...? They are all over the A-3 Botswana highway we have been travelling. Big, black, six legs, ugly! Since the city of Maun, Botswana these icky creatures crawl out and converge on the tarmac by the millions. Most riders try and avoid running over them. Some sadistic cyclists, however have made it a sport of running over as many as they can. A sickening crunch sound ensues, and then a splatter of yellow goo all over their tire and front down tube- sick!! It's amazing how many of these creatures there are per kilometer..very creepy! 19 days left on the tour, and we wonder what is next!!
The swirling winds and cool temperatures we have experienced so far across the vast Kalahari have done little to slow the racer peloton down as we travel west towards Namibia. We will arrive in Windhoek, Namibia in 3 days. There, on Saturday, April 26Th, a large bike donation will take place. These bikes are badly needed by african aids healthcare workers, and represent the total number bikes that I have fund raised for. Thank you to all that have donated, and to those that may wish to donate; please contact the TDA office in Toronto via phone or e mail, and mention my name.
Cheers for now, Chris Wille ( stage winner today!) on the 2008 TDA.
The swirling winds and cool temperatures we have experienced so far across the vast Kalahari have done little to slow the racer peloton down as we travel west towards Namibia. We will arrive in Windhoek, Namibia in 3 days. There, on Saturday, April 26Th, a large bike donation will take place. These bikes are badly needed by african aids healthcare workers, and represent the total number bikes that I have fund raised for. Thank you to all that have donated, and to those that may wish to donate; please contact the TDA office in Toronto via phone or e mail, and mention my name.
Cheers for now, Chris Wille ( stage winner today!) on the 2008 TDA.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Across the Kalahari
Rested and ready! Tda riders enjoyed a day off in Maun, Botswana on Sunday. A popular activity on the day was taking a scenic flight over the famous Okavango delta (very cool, lots of Giraffes, elephants, hippo's, loads of other animals, and vast swampy areas and water channels). other riders booked canoe trips in the delta, while others just relaxed by the pool, caught up on laundry, or caught up on eating and drinking...
Tomorrow our travelling road show heads out across the Kalahari desert. % days of riding will take across the desert, out of Botswana, into Namibia, and to the cosmopolitan town of Windhoek.
There we will be able to sample the German style food...should be interesting..wiener schnitzel unt sauerkraut anyone?
Our stay in Maun has been friendly and relaxed. Arriving a day early has allowed for an extra days rest, which will hopefully pay dividends down the road...
we have survived the Sahara in Egypt & Sudan. Experiencing the Kalahari will be interesting. Rumor has it there will be headwinds. No problem; we have had headwinds since Sudan, so we are quite used to them. The weather has been beautiful; hot and sunny every day, with the nights cool enough for sleeping. I will take that any day, accompanied by some great days riding, as opposed to snow and cold temperatures in Victoria......Burrrrrr!
Next entry will likely be from Windhoek, Namibia, our 9th country in Africa..
Cheers, Chris wille in Maun, Botswana.
Tomorrow our travelling road show heads out across the Kalahari desert. % days of riding will take across the desert, out of Botswana, into Namibia, and to the cosmopolitan town of Windhoek.
There we will be able to sample the German style food...should be interesting..wiener schnitzel unt sauerkraut anyone?
Our stay in Maun has been friendly and relaxed. Arriving a day early has allowed for an extra days rest, which will hopefully pay dividends down the road...
we have survived the Sahara in Egypt & Sudan. Experiencing the Kalahari will be interesting. Rumor has it there will be headwinds. No problem; we have had headwinds since Sudan, so we are quite used to them. The weather has been beautiful; hot and sunny every day, with the nights cool enough for sleeping. I will take that any day, accompanied by some great days riding, as opposed to snow and cold temperatures in Victoria......Burrrrrr!
Next entry will likely be from Windhoek, Namibia, our 9th country in Africa..
Cheers, Chris wille in Maun, Botswana.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
'Survivor Botswana' - 320 kilometers in one day
Question; You've just raced 170 kilometers on rough, hot tarmac across the endless, flat Botswana Savannah. Upon conclusion of the strength zapping ride, you arrive quite literally, in the middle of nowhere. Your support crew supplies you with 2 small bottles of water, an apple, and an orange, then leaves. So there you are, suddenly finding yourself forced to ration your meager supplies. The mid days sun is hot, searing. Shade is in short supply, and what there is is covered in thorns. Thorn trees, thorns on the ground. The situation is grim, nearly intolerable.
What do you do??
Our support trucks, our lifeline, laden with food, supplies, and all our personal gear, are nowhere to be seen. TDA support staff have no idea when or if the trucks will arrive. We could literally sit around for hours,waiting, and even then, have no assurance the trucks will show up. They are stuck back in Nata, the last town, 170 kilometers away, with mechanical breakdown issues.
We hunker down, take stock of our supplies, and begin the waiting game.
In a flash, things closely resemble a scene out of 'Survivor.'
Options are weighed;
A) Stay put, wait it out, leaving your destiny and comfort completely out of your control, or
B) A radical plan, get back on the bike, and ride a further 150 kilometers to the next town, there by putting control of your future back in your hands. You would be assured a warm meal, a warm shower, shelter and a nice bed.
The only thing holding us back was the lack of food and water. Time was ticking on. Soon it would be impossible to reach town before dark.
So there you are... Do you go for it, or stay put???
For us, the answer came with the arrival of the lunch truck, and accompanying food and water.
Quickly four racers (Joss Kaal, Bernd Prorok, Ed Din, and myself) re hydrated, grabbed some energy bars, and headed back out on the road, our fate now firmly in our hands.
Much to our dismay, the famed Botswana tailwinds failed to materialize. Each rider took his turn at the front, taking a pull for 2-3 kilometers. We averaged approx 35kph, and stopped only twice. Once at 70 kilometers for a 5 min 1/2 way break, and once at a police checkpoint.
The endless Botswana Savannah rolled by. All four riders worked as one, united by a common goal. We were riding the 'Elephant highway', but the only animals we encountered were cows, goats, sheep & donkeys. We played cowboy while dodging herds of cattle crossing the road.
At long last, four weary riders pulled into the town of Maun, 320 kilometers under their tired legs. The food & drink never tasted better. We tucked into round after round of a scrumptious buffet dinner at a nice hotel. While we were freshly showered, we were still clad in our cycling attire. We toasted our successful ride, certain we had made the right decision.
Sleep came fast as our weary bodies were finally able to rest. we now have 2 full rest days ahead of us before heading back out on the road. Tomorrow we will explore the wonders of the Okavango delta. But that's another story...
# of us set personal total mileage records for a one day ride.. It's amazing what the human body an do..it's certainly possible to ride further in a day, but bear inmind the road surface was rough, potholed,there were little or no tailwinds, and we sat around for well over an hour in the heat, waiting for any of the TDA trucks. Chris Wille in Maun, Botswana
The only
What do you do??
Our support trucks, our lifeline, laden with food, supplies, and all our personal gear, are nowhere to be seen. TDA support staff have no idea when or if the trucks will arrive. We could literally sit around for hours,waiting, and even then, have no assurance the trucks will show up. They are stuck back in Nata, the last town, 170 kilometers away, with mechanical breakdown issues.
We hunker down, take stock of our supplies, and begin the waiting game.
In a flash, things closely resemble a scene out of 'Survivor.'
Options are weighed;
A) Stay put, wait it out, leaving your destiny and comfort completely out of your control, or
B) A radical plan, get back on the bike, and ride a further 150 kilometers to the next town, there by putting control of your future back in your hands. You would be assured a warm meal, a warm shower, shelter and a nice bed.
The only thing holding us back was the lack of food and water. Time was ticking on. Soon it would be impossible to reach town before dark.
So there you are... Do you go for it, or stay put???
For us, the answer came with the arrival of the lunch truck, and accompanying food and water.
Quickly four racers (Joss Kaal, Bernd Prorok, Ed Din, and myself) re hydrated, grabbed some energy bars, and headed back out on the road, our fate now firmly in our hands.
Much to our dismay, the famed Botswana tailwinds failed to materialize. Each rider took his turn at the front, taking a pull for 2-3 kilometers. We averaged approx 35kph, and stopped only twice. Once at 70 kilometers for a 5 min 1/2 way break, and once at a police checkpoint.
The endless Botswana Savannah rolled by. All four riders worked as one, united by a common goal. We were riding the 'Elephant highway', but the only animals we encountered were cows, goats, sheep & donkeys. We played cowboy while dodging herds of cattle crossing the road.
At long last, four weary riders pulled into the town of Maun, 320 kilometers under their tired legs. The food & drink never tasted better. We tucked into round after round of a scrumptious buffet dinner at a nice hotel. While we were freshly showered, we were still clad in our cycling attire. We toasted our successful ride, certain we had made the right decision.
Sleep came fast as our weary bodies were finally able to rest. we now have 2 full rest days ahead of us before heading back out on the road. Tomorrow we will explore the wonders of the Okavango delta. But that's another story...
# of us set personal total mileage records for a one day ride.. It's amazing what the human body an do..it's certainly possible to ride further in a day, but bear inmind the road surface was rough, potholed,there were little or no tailwinds, and we sat around for well over an hour in the heat, waiting for any of the TDA trucks. Chris Wille in Maun, Botswana
The only
Monday, April 14, 2008
tour pictures
Here are a few tour pics. The computers are very slow here so it has been very difficult to download anything!
Victoria Falls; adventure center of Zambia
April 14Th/2008
Today riders are enjoying the last of 2 days rest at Victoria Falls.
The Falls are an amazing sight, both from the air, and from the ground.
Quick facts;
Victoria Falls is one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. The entire area is both a national park, and a world heritage site. The falls are 1.7 kilometers long. The scope and size can only fully be seen and appreciated from the air. Cubic feet per second of water actually pouring over the 333foot/100meter drop is staggering, especially during the recent rainy period. It is simply a jaw dropping spectacle from both the ground and in the air. I was fortunate to take a helicopter flight through the gorge, and over the falls, then got completely drenched by the falls spray when walking out onto a knife edged ridge near the eastern cataract.
It was a thrill to be at such a world renowned location.
Viewing the falls , however, is only a small part of the activities available here.
fellow TDA riders went bungee jumping (3rd highest drop in the world), abseiling, river rafting, river cruising, on microlight flights,canoeing, jogging, and a host of other activities. Many of us availed ourselves to the all you can eat breakfast and dinner buffets at some very swanky local hotels, knowing full well that we will burn of the calories quickly in the upcoming long stages in Botswana...
Tomorrow the tour resumes. It will be our last day in Zambia. This country has proven to be very beautiful, challenging (long stages, day after day), warm and hospitable. It has also proven to be a land of contrasts with basic grass & mud huts and subsistence farming in the countrysides, to the land of plenty and excess in such places as Lusaka and Livingstone/Victoria Falls.
The 2 days off was very necessary. Most riders are relatively weak, have somewhat compromised immune systems, and have lost quite a bit of weight over the course of the tour.
Personally I am thankful to be healthy, happy, strong, and ready for the next section of the tour, called "Elephant Highway".
I am also thankful to be in 3rd place in the race overall, and also 3rd in the last section entitled "the Zambezi Zone".
27 days/22 riding days and we will be in Cape Town (May 10Th)
It's been an awesome adventure.........
Stay tuned for more posts when time and working computers can be found....
Meanwhile it's back on the road again...
Chris Wille in Livingstone, Victoria Falls, Zambia.
Today riders are enjoying the last of 2 days rest at Victoria Falls.
The Falls are an amazing sight, both from the air, and from the ground.
Quick facts;
Victoria Falls is one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. The entire area is both a national park, and a world heritage site. The falls are 1.7 kilometers long. The scope and size can only fully be seen and appreciated from the air. Cubic feet per second of water actually pouring over the 333foot/100meter drop is staggering, especially during the recent rainy period. It is simply a jaw dropping spectacle from both the ground and in the air. I was fortunate to take a helicopter flight through the gorge, and over the falls, then got completely drenched by the falls spray when walking out onto a knife edged ridge near the eastern cataract.
It was a thrill to be at such a world renowned location.
Viewing the falls , however, is only a small part of the activities available here.
fellow TDA riders went bungee jumping (3rd highest drop in the world), abseiling, river rafting, river cruising, on microlight flights,canoeing, jogging, and a host of other activities. Many of us availed ourselves to the all you can eat breakfast and dinner buffets at some very swanky local hotels, knowing full well that we will burn of the calories quickly in the upcoming long stages in Botswana...
Tomorrow the tour resumes. It will be our last day in Zambia. This country has proven to be very beautiful, challenging (long stages, day after day), warm and hospitable. It has also proven to be a land of contrasts with basic grass & mud huts and subsistence farming in the countrysides, to the land of plenty and excess in such places as Lusaka and Livingstone/Victoria Falls.
The 2 days off was very necessary. Most riders are relatively weak, have somewhat compromised immune systems, and have lost quite a bit of weight over the course of the tour.
Personally I am thankful to be healthy, happy, strong, and ready for the next section of the tour, called "Elephant Highway".
I am also thankful to be in 3rd place in the race overall, and also 3rd in the last section entitled "the Zambezi Zone".
27 days/22 riding days and we will be in Cape Town (May 10Th)
It's been an awesome adventure.........
Stay tuned for more posts when time and working computers can be found....
Meanwhile it's back on the road again...
Chris Wille in Livingstone, Victoria Falls, Zambia.
175 kilometers in someone else's shoes!
Background;
games and pranks are part of the 2008 TDA tour.
from tent door zippers being mysteriously zip tied shut in the night, to mysterious panties turning up in certain peoples bags, pranks are part of the tour.
Was I a victim of chance or willful "dirty tricks"? Perhaps i will never know...
The weather was sunny and warm, the road smooth, mildly undulating, welcoming. All in all, a perfect day for cycling and racing Zambia. We riders quickly consumed our breakfasts, packed up our tents,& made final preparations for the days race stage & ride.
My bike was set. I was feeling strong, confident on having a good performance on the day. All that was left to do was to trade my camp shoes for cycling shoes & head for the start line with my fellow racers. I reached for my cycling shoes, which I always left in the truck. Much to my dismay, there was only one shoe, where there had been 2 the day before.
A frantic search of the truck proved fruitless and yielded no second shoe. I was desperate! My fellow racers and expedition riders were by then all on the road, beginning the day's 175kilometer ride. Meanwhile, I was stuck at the truck with only one shoe! In the quick, efficient manner that is his nature, Duncan, the TDA tour leader, magically produced a pair of cycling shoes that looked like they just might work. they were a couple of sizes too small, but just fit when put on with no socks.
In a flash, I was set, on the road, & pedalling in the fastest, most efficient manner possible. Like a caged animal set loose, it felt great to be free, out on the road again. Before long i started passing fellow tour riders. When one starts from the very back, the motivation to do well is very strong. I used this motivation to keep my spirits and speed up throughout the day. No problem- i thought. Even though I was not part of the energy saving peloton, I knew I could perform well.
The days ride was like an individual 175 kilometer time trial. This in turn , was similar to the cycling stage of an iron man triathlon, something I was quite familiar with. Much to my surprise & pleasure, the cycling shoes worked. at the conclusion of the day's stage, I had only lost 4 minutes to the top 2 riders, and finished in a solid 3rd place. Not bad for a 175 kilometer in someone Else's' shoes!
As for the missing shoe... it turned up later, jammed behind some peoples red boxes on the bottom shelf. Weather it ended up there by accident or by the the hand of a fellow rider/racer trying to raise havoc or get me off my game is unclear.. either scenario is possible..
Despite my initial problems, it was fun and challenging riding and racing in someone Else's shoes!
The adrenaline was coursing through my veins.
Another day in the life of the 2008 TDA.
Chris Wille in Livingstone, Victoria Falls , Zambia.
games and pranks are part of the 2008 TDA tour.
from tent door zippers being mysteriously zip tied shut in the night, to mysterious panties turning up in certain peoples bags, pranks are part of the tour.
Was I a victim of chance or willful "dirty tricks"? Perhaps i will never know...
The weather was sunny and warm, the road smooth, mildly undulating, welcoming. All in all, a perfect day for cycling and racing Zambia. We riders quickly consumed our breakfasts, packed up our tents,& made final preparations for the days race stage & ride.
My bike was set. I was feeling strong, confident on having a good performance on the day. All that was left to do was to trade my camp shoes for cycling shoes & head for the start line with my fellow racers. I reached for my cycling shoes, which I always left in the truck. Much to my dismay, there was only one shoe, where there had been 2 the day before.
A frantic search of the truck proved fruitless and yielded no second shoe. I was desperate! My fellow racers and expedition riders were by then all on the road, beginning the day's 175kilometer ride. Meanwhile, I was stuck at the truck with only one shoe! In the quick, efficient manner that is his nature, Duncan, the TDA tour leader, magically produced a pair of cycling shoes that looked like they just might work. they were a couple of sizes too small, but just fit when put on with no socks.
In a flash, I was set, on the road, & pedalling in the fastest, most efficient manner possible. Like a caged animal set loose, it felt great to be free, out on the road again. Before long i started passing fellow tour riders. When one starts from the very back, the motivation to do well is very strong. I used this motivation to keep my spirits and speed up throughout the day. No problem- i thought. Even though I was not part of the energy saving peloton, I knew I could perform well.
The days ride was like an individual 175 kilometer time trial. This in turn , was similar to the cycling stage of an iron man triathlon, something I was quite familiar with. Much to my surprise & pleasure, the cycling shoes worked. at the conclusion of the day's stage, I had only lost 4 minutes to the top 2 riders, and finished in a solid 3rd place. Not bad for a 175 kilometer in someone Else's' shoes!
As for the missing shoe... it turned up later, jammed behind some peoples red boxes on the bottom shelf. Weather it ended up there by accident or by the the hand of a fellow rider/racer trying to raise havoc or get me off my game is unclear.. either scenario is possible..
Despite my initial problems, it was fun and challenging riding and racing in someone Else's shoes!
The adrenaline was coursing through my veins.
Another day in the life of the 2008 TDA.
Chris Wille in Livingstone, Victoria Falls , Zambia.
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