tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88579836109966905392024-03-13T23:52:37.499-04:00Andrew's.Enduro.Africa.2009Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.comBlogger133125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-60890813286844397542009-11-09T20:40:00.017-05:002010-03-13T11:26:44.767-05:00Andrus Enduro Africa Slide Show: 12/7 @ 6:30 PM Harp & FiddleIt's been just about a month since I returned from my Enduro Africa trek and I'm still buzzing from it all. After a 3-day respite to recuperate from the ride, I returned to South Africa and traveled on to Morocco for work. I've been home for about a week now and have been struggling to catch up with the pile that has overtaken my desk.
Since returning, I've watched several amazing developments Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-32635625210727113342009-10-12T16:11:00.023-04:002009-11-13T09:40:42.957-05:00Day 11: Durban and flight homeSo, for me, Enduro Africa is over. I'm now in the Durban airport about to leave for Joburg. I had a fantastic time and learned to become a much more proficient offroad rider. I'm sore, but otherwise unscathed. With help from my generous sponsors, I expect to turn over $10k in donations when everything's said and done. Thanks to the many recent new donations, which will go to the four amazing Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-44040468941005756952009-10-12T06:29:00.025-04:002009-12-16T06:46:48.531-05:00Day 10: Mbotyi to Port EdwardWe departed at 7:45 AM Sunday in light rain and with dark clouds overhead. The final push was to be a 200-km run toward Durban, with a few technical sections thrown in for good measure.
We immediately encountered more of the slippery goop that did me in the day before. But I'd learned overnight that it had also caught Red Cherry Adventure's Mike Glover offguard. The seasoned, ex-champion enduroAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-29182723001637210692009-10-11T13:38:00.020-04:002009-11-12T12:06:06.210-05:00Top 5 things to pack (and leave behind)Here are some reflections on the things to pack and leave behind for Enduro Africa. Aside from the essentials recommended by the organizers, my top 5 things to bring include:
Power adapter. Those of you who have traveled internationally know to bring a power adapter. But some will be surprised to find that there's a 3-pronged plug for South Africa, one that is shared with a few other formerAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-11575877244290258452009-10-11T12:12:00.019-04:002009-11-11T07:25:55.774-05:00Day 9: Port St. Johns to MbotyiWe awakened to find that it had rained overnight in Port St. Johns, South Africa and that today's short yet extremely technical offroad motorbike ride would be impassable for neophytes like me. We planned an escape route at the midway point, just in case.
We traveled along goat paths, open fields, and gravel roads similar to those we'd traversed the day before. Again, people waved from the Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-9654453144581658732009-10-09T15:54:00.021-04:002009-11-11T07:34:55.402-05:00Day 8: Hole-in-the-Wall to Port St. Johns
Today's run was a mild, 140-km trip from Hole-in-the-wall to Cremorne, near Port St. Johns, South Africa. On tap for tomorrow is a very difficult route, one that takes 8-hrs to cover only 41-km. The problems are that it is very technical, and isolated, so no medical or mechanical support will be available.
I just can't say enough about the Honda CRF230Ls that we are riding. They are not Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-89953193420104720812009-10-08T17:05:00.024-04:002009-11-11T07:36:16.925-05:00Day 7: Mazeppa Bay to Hole in the WallWe began our 12-hr, 140-km ride from Mazeppa Bay to Hole-in-the-Wall with a long climb into the Qora gorge and down to a river crossing that left most riders with flooded boots, myself included. That's right: We had soaking wet socks, heels, and toes for the rest of the day. But we didn't care.
The day was especially hard on the bikes, as there were many trying sections on the route. At leastAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-8137853369079330602009-10-07T16:54:00.011-04:002009-11-11T07:37:13.850-05:00Day 6: Volunteer day in Mazeppa BayEnduro Africa riders were off of our bikes for a rest day today, which was spent at a nearby school refurbishing desks, painting interior walls, and performing other maintenance with TouchAfrica.
As we arrived, children started pouring out of the buildings and began waving and dancing for us. There must have been 300 kids there, all dressed sharply in black uniforms.
I know that most of my Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-83346260725907108912009-10-07T11:45:00.002-04:002009-10-16T05:48:15.332-04:00Injury status updateThis morning, I interpretted the lack of swelling and bruising to mean that I haven't fractured my foot, thankfully. It is a little sensitive still but nothing to keep me off my bike.
Lesson learned? Take every step to avoid dehydration, as it erodes concentration and coordination incredibly fast out here. And, yes, I must slow down a bit too!
Lorraine - I'll be sure to say hello to Mike, Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-83895512383750673292009-10-06T17:35:00.010-04:002009-11-11T07:38:05.764-05:00Day 5: Morgan's Bay to Mazeppa BayToday, we set out early from Morgan's Bay to allow time to complete the punishing 80-km route, with its deep sandy trails, seemingly impossible climbs, and more stream crossings than I could count. It got so hot that I worried for the first time in my life about the possibility of suffering heat stroke.
At about 1:30 PM, we made an unplanned stop at a remote community store that soon teamed Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-37996287041934348062009-10-05T18:02:00.019-04:002009-11-11T07:38:41.747-05:00Day 4: Port Alfred to Morgan's BayWe set off from Port Alfred at 8 AM with the obligatory police escort to the city border, which was all of a half mile away. The morning's light rain was a mixed blessing: Less dust on the trails but a greater risk of slipping into the foot-deep ruts along parts of the route. Thankfully, the rain ceased by 11 AM or so.
Team Orange, consisting of a fascinating and diverse group of 12 - 14 Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-24452523112147552972009-10-05T13:28:00.001-04:002009-11-11T07:39:04.501-05:00Lives transformed by mobile phonesOn my flight to South Africa, I read with keen interest the Economist's recent special report on the transformational impact of mobile phones in the lives of people in developing countries. Consider this: For every additional 10 mobiles per 100 people, a nation's gross domestic product increases per person by 0.6 - 0.8 percentage points in developing countries.
Why? Because these phones Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-59635753076095904842009-10-05T00:36:00.001-04:002009-10-05T16:12:39.938-04:00Technical difficultiesThanks for all of the emails, comments, and requests for pix! My blackberry allows me to write, but I can't respond to facebook, post pics, or respond to your blog comments, sadly! Will do so at my next computer terminal, although pix must wait. Follow the FB links to the full blog posts.
Rain this AM could mean trouble for many. Stay tuned!Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-70347043046048574532009-10-04T17:56:00.009-04:002009-11-11T07:39:58.608-05:00Day 3: Port Elizabeth to Port AlfredUnder police escort out of Port Elizabeth today, we rode to a labyrinthine network of trails that the local riders were kind enough to share, many even offered us technical and mechanical assistance. There were steep inclines and declines, stream crossings, logs, sand, mud, and miles of incredible single-track through the bush.
It was on the first major descent -- long, rutted, and strewn Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-82223268815271411672009-10-04T13:57:00.003-04:002009-10-04T13:57:00.313-04:00New poll: How many falls will Andrew take??For your entertainment, I've added a poll to my blog. Whomever guesses correctly the average number of times I fall off of my bike per day gets a special prize.
To do the poll, just look in the righthand column on here on my blog, just below my donations widget. Go ahead. Fire away.
Be sure to email me your answer, so I can follow-up when I get back!Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-77268294905216641972009-10-03T18:12:00.006-04:002009-11-11T07:41:11.918-05:00Day 2: Pre-ride dinner and briefingBy 5 PM, all riders had arrived in Port Elizabeth. We assembled for a quick introduction to team leaders and each other, and for a pre-ride check of our trusty Honda CRF230Ls.The excitement was palpable.
At 7 PM, we met again for a group dinner, talks by reps from each of the sponsored charities, and performances by local school children who tried in vain to teach 80 weary EA riders an Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-73844649529026977842009-10-03T07:50:00.003-04:002009-10-14T04:25:12.908-04:00100 red motos, fueled and ready!The morning fog and rain clouds burned away by 10 AM in Port Elizabeth, but not before dozens of dolphin swam past the hotel, some even playing in the chest-deep shorebreak. I've been in the ocean a lot, even seen sharks, seals, otters, and dolphins surface next to me. But I've never seen numbers like those.
I wandered over to the Radisson at 8:30, hoping to find others. No luck. When I Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-21215375703456208282009-10-02T18:23:00.003-04:002009-10-03T08:38:49.126-04:00The Republic of South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a 2,798 kilometres (1,739 mi) coastline[6][7] on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.[8] To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-49180913929652490562009-10-02T03:46:00.004-04:002009-11-11T07:42:38.817-05:00Day 1: Port Elizabeth, South AfricaI awoke to a cloudless, spectacular day on the Eastern-most shore of South Africa, with its lush greenery, palm trees, and colorful birds. The small, mushy waves mean no surfing for me today, sadly. I'll spend the day visiting the University and PE Museum as I await the arrival tomorrow of the other 100 Enduro Africa riders.
I am here.
Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-91096574863695809552009-10-01T02:59:00.004-04:002009-11-11T07:47:11.506-05:00Refueling in DakarIt's 3 AM ET and dawn is breaking over the Western Sahara.
We're being treated to a 60-min pitstop in Dakar, following an unremarkable 8.5 hour trans-Atlantic flight. Approximately 50 people departed and others boarded. Another 9 hrs to Joburg. I learned later from a South African Airlines (SAA) pilot that the planes make this stop only when warmer temperatures in departure cities prohibit Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-73640656624611152342009-09-30T08:07:00.002-04:002009-09-30T08:20:07.935-04:002006 Enduro Africa Video - repostCurious about what I'll likely experience during my 2000-km off-road motorcycle Enduro Africa ride in October? Well, take a look:
Source: Enduro Africa. Video by Cass Productions.
I should add that the 2009 ride will be only 8-days long and that the organizers no longer donate the bikes to Riders for Health at the end of the trip. Donations will go to the four selected Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-37135591144719600282009-09-28T18:03:00.002-04:002009-09-28T18:03:00.532-04:00Chocolate Enduro Africa Birthday Cake!!And, yes, it tasted even better than it looks. It was amazing. Simply.
A heartfelt thank you to Elizabeth, my talented and clever sweetheart.
Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-37714606937441280952009-09-28T09:53:00.001-04:002009-09-28T09:53:47.377-04:00Enduro Africa - Rehydration SachetsHere's a friendly update from the trip organizer. Thankfully, gatorade powder's already on my packing list.----- Forwarded Message ----From: Enduro Africa <Africa@globalenduro.com>To: Enduro Africa <Africa@globalenduro.com>Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 9:38:50 AMSubject: Enduro Africa - Rehydration Sachets <!-- _filtered {font-family:"Cambria Math";panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-3290966887221079602009-09-27T13:40:00.006-04:002009-09-27T18:55:53.230-04:00No HIV vaccine just around the cornerSo, I'm lounging about on a lazy Sunday morning - as we experts in HIV prevention science so often do - plotting a quick motorcycle route through Western Maryland to help callous my backside for the start of Enduro Africa later this week.
But then I stumbled across today's NY Times article that bungles the recent HIV vaccine trial news and, importantly, includes a misplaced Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8857983610996690539.post-50984742884953815282009-09-26T06:53:00.011-04:002009-09-26T08:22:31.884-04:00U.S. investments in global health pay offMore inspiration, this time from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Living Proof Project, which is intended to provide anecdotal evidence of the returns reaped by the U.S. investment in global public health:
For more, please visit the Living Proof Project.
Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00642502242208524542noreply@blogger.com0