Africa - bike for Africa - please help me!

Maybe this is naive, I dunno... but I sort of figure theres no point worrying about things because if there's a problem, well something will happen, it might not be good, but at least it will be something...

There's a big difference between worrying about whether you can take your bicycle apart and put it together again ........ and actually doing something about it. We're not suggesting that you worry ..... we're suggesting that you do something about it.

Yes, I know you're going for one quick lesson ... I hope you are a fast learner!

And why not at least try to ensure that when the "something" happens, it is good. If you take the time to ride your bicycle before you go, to test your gear, to learn how to do some basic maintenance, etc. .... you'll have a much better chance of being in control of the situation and of making good things happen.

But it sounds to me like you just don't care. So I have to ask ... why bother taking the bicycle at all? Why not leave it at home so that when you return from your trip, you've got something to play around with ... and you won't have wasted $400?

Earlier, you were talking about "hundreds" doing it every year.



I decided to look into this:

For South Africa:"South Africa has a very high level of crime, including **** and murder. However, most cases occur in the townships and in areas away from the main tourist destinations." Interesting given that Flic won't be traveling in the main tourist areas...
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618386433

Incident of a gang **** in December:

"The report follows the gang **** of an official of the French swimming team attending the International Paralympic Committee's (IPC) Swimming World Championships.

The 26-year old French national had decided to go for a walk with the Belgium swimming coach on Tuesday night when they were attacked near the city's beach front paddling pools.

The Belgian, a man, was allegedly held down while she was gang raped. "

http://iafrica.com/news/sa/534225.htm


For Egypt: "If you are travelling alone or in small groups, you are advised to take extra caution, as there have been reports of harassment, the majority targeting women, especially on the streets of busy cities or at the beach resorts. "
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=OpenMarket%2FXcelerate%2FShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029390590&a=KCountryAdvice&aid=1013618385875

Indeed hundreds cycle Cairo-Cape every year. I don't meet them for the reasons given previously. Please read my posts properly.

Also you'll note that earlier when I asked about **** cases I said except SA which has a high incidence of **** compared to the rest of the continent. Still, you didn't provide a valid example. And your point about rapes in the townships - townships generally are in or around cities so I can't think of any reason why a cyclist would be in one.

You show a determination to ignore facts, the like of which I've never seen before.

I'm not completely unaware of the differences between men and women travellng in Africa, I've met enough women travellers (cyclists even) to know they have different issues. But none are unsurmountable.

Indeed hundreds cycle Cairo-Cape every year. I don't meet them for the reasons given previously.

If you don't meet with them personally how do you come up with your statement that "hundreds" do it every year?


Also you'll note that earlier when I asked about **** cases I said except SA which has a high incidence of **** compared to the rest of the continent.

So, according to your logic, Flic should skip SA? ;)


Still, you didn't provide a valid example. And your point about rapes in the townships - townships generally are in or around cities so I can't think of any reason why a cyclist would be in one.

Again, according to your logic, Flic wouldn't be cycling in or around cities right?


You show a determination to ignore facts, the like of which I've never seen before.

I'm not sure who's the one determined to ignore facts...

If you don't meet with them personally how do you come up with your statement that "hundreds" do it every year?

An educated guess, but its certainly of the right order.


So, according to your logic, Flic should skip SA? ;)

No. Your misinterpreting what I say, purely to continue this pointless debate I would guess. SA differs from the other countries on Flic's route in many ways. If she's determined to get to the Cape then she obviously needs to cycle through SA, but she'll be a very experienced cyclist by then and easily capable of making that decision for herself. Whatever the situation is in SA, there's no reason to cancel a trip on the African continent because of one country. Personally I wouldn't cycle in SA and in fact I chose to turn round when in Namibia and head north again, but that wasn't because I was fearful of getting raped or robbed, it was because in Namibia and was finding it hard to interact with the local people (due to my colour amongst other things) and (having been to SA before) I suspected it would be similar there.


Again, according to your logic, Flic wouldn't be cycling in or around cities right?

No need to cycle through townships to get into South African cities. And as above, SA is only one country on the route and in no way representative of the African continent. In fact its the least African country in Africa IMO.


I'm not sure who's the one determined to ignore facts...

:eek:

flic

could you please register with www.couchsurfing.com.

I have just been on there to finalise some plans and while I was there I thought I would have a quick look for Egypt and there were several people willing to let people sleep on their couch.

http://murl.se/19137

could be others on your route who would be willing to put you up and help you with info


george

cheers jibi :-)

I'm not goin' to South Africa, I'm going to Tanzania...

If you don't meet with them personally how do you come up with your statement that "hundreds" do it every year?
Oh pleeeeeze, he's been in the continent more times than many of us combined. Why would he have to personally meet every cyclist to be able to post a ballpark figure? I mean, you did not actually personally meet the French woman, yet you posted about her earlier?

I agree with what Rowan said earlier, let's provide Flic with whatever info, sources and advice we can. After that, it's her call. Actually, I agreed already in post #166. But all this "your story is full of holes" crap is ridiculous.

--J

Please read my posts properly.

Also you'll note that earlier when I asked about **** cases I said except SA which has a high incidence of **** compared to the rest of the continent. Still, you didn't provide a valid example. And your point about rapes in the townships - townships generally are in or around cities so I can't think of any reason why a cyclist would be in one.

You show a determination to ignore facts, the like of which I've never seen before.


To quibble about the risk of **** is shameful in of itself. And the risk of physical abuse/molestation/**** rises exponentially when young women are alone or without male companions. amaferanga stated he's never cycled Egypt or Sudan. But in reality, those could be two of the riskiest places on the route. And cover most of the mileage. And as far as providing valid examples, well, shall we name names? Or shall we keep them private? As the women do after they've experienced an attack? An attack does not need to be ****, not brutal, to be abusive. And the women I know that have been abused in Egypt and Sudan would rather not have their experiences discussed in a bike forum.
A determination to ignore facts? The like of which you have never seen before? Yes, I think we are ignoring your particular brand of "facts."
And as far as reading your posts properly: please don't tell us how to read. Especially to read your posts with the skew and slant at which you expect.

So amaferanga has taken a bike trip through Africa, and seems to have followed the Cairo to Cape route. But in reality he has not been in Egypt or Sudan--a big chunk of real estate, and an entirely different culture than sub-saharan Africa. And amaferanga also did not cycle through South Africa, the end point of the route. It seems his cycling experience was in east Africa: Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, etc. and south of there. I don't recall the adjectives that he used to describe those places, but it seems to me when I read news stories about "fundamentalist Islamists fighting nationalist troops--fleeing the country--military aircraft attacking Mogadishu--east African refugees fleeing westward" I just wonder about the risks involved to a lone cyclist. This makes me question the legitimacy of not only amaferanga's posts, but also his character. Some of us have spent years in Africa. Doing work. With people. African people. Not in a shiney Rover, and not always half asleep in a truck, but standing with our feet on the ground. Our heads were not always in the clouds, dreaming of an ideal Africa so far away. But standing firmly on the ground. And every time I've been there, I've thought to myself at some point that I can't leave soon enough. But ironically, as soon as I've gone, I can't wait to go back. Which is a theme recognized by many people with the same experiences. But I haven't heard it from amaferanga.
Granted, some of us have been treating Flic as if she is a lamb headed to slaughter (which is what we are trying to prevent) and others have been treating her as if she is Rambo in a tank. I'm sure she is somewhere in between. But in reading her posts, she seems to continue to have a flippant attitude toward the advice given by people who have been on long trips, who have been to these places, who have traveled these roads, who have witnessed many of the problems she will face. Maybe because she has already bought the ticket, told all her friends about the big adventure, and argued repeatedly with her family and friends about her ideas. She's bound and determined to go. Fine.

It's something like driving a car through an intersection: if you do it at the right time, right place and right way, things generally go well. But if you disregard the signals, the red brake lights and all the stopped cars and continue on through, well you take some unnecessary chances. And put others at risk also.

One way or another Flic will have a life changing adventure, whether she wants it or not.

Oh pleeeeeze, he's been in the continent more times than many of us combined.
Speak for yourself.

I agree with what Rowan said earlier, let's provide Flic with whatever info, sources and advice we can.

--J
So far as I can tell, she's only asked about what kind of $400 bike to get. amaferanga has given her valuable advice about water through a PM, which precludes the rest of us from response. And it might be a bit late for much teaching to her. As she even admits, she's clueless about bikes. She's even having somebody else pack it in a box for her. (I'm wondering if she'll be able to figure out which pedal goes on which side, how the thread them on, and which screwdriver to use to tighten them. I would pay money to watch that.)

I get so many visuals: getting her bike from baggage at the airport and dragging it out to the taxi stand, completely unfazed by the chaos of the Cairo airport, negotiating a ride into town to an inexpensive hotel, assembling her bike in her room, heading out the door with it, riding the unfamiliar streets and traffic of Cairo on her bike, setting out southward. But the bike won't have been assembled properly, so she won't get far.

She won't even see sand.

I apologize for the armchair modding, but:

Enough with bashing amaferanga.

Clearly I'm in the "this is a Bad Idea" camp, and obviously I disagree with amaferanga and Flic on the advisability of specific aspects of Flic's trip. And it is possible that he is not accounting for the additional challenges faced by a solo female traveler.

But I see no reason to doubt his credibility, or accuse him of bad faith, or presume he has some kind of negative ulterior motives. Based on his experience, he genuinely thinks Flic can do the trip.

Nor would he be, in any way shape or form, responsible if Flic has an issue. Flic's an adult, she's been told there are risks (in detail, by now), and she alone is responsible for her self, safety and actions.

The issues with amaferanga are much deeper than just Flic. This forum is read by a wide range of people. The number of members versus guests on BFs generally are in a ratio of 1:2. That means there are people out there who may take the advice here at face value and run with it... to their detriment.

The *spin* amaferanga put on his encouraging, initial posts was positive in the extreme. It would have encouraged anyone to consider Africa, as indeed I do, but his enthusiasm has glossed over the pitfalls that we all have been trying to identify.

The worst part about it is that I can see is that he fails to understand that travelling as a lone female cyclist, particularly in a continent where Muslim values are increasing, is not the same as a white male. He has offered NO advice about that at all on this forum.

I picked up the fact that amaferanga sold his message as a true salesman when he started to say he had not been to Egypt. He has now indicated that he hasn't been to South Africa when he implied he had. He does NOT know full information about the route that was originally indicated, least of all the OP's first destination, Egypt. Now it seems even the OP has been less than accurate in giving us details about her intentions.

It's this sort of thread that *experienced* travellers and especially because this deals with cycle touring, that experienced touring cyclists, start to see through the thin veneer of positive spin and see a whole heap of problems underneath.

amaferanga has no-one else to blame if he thinks he is being bashed. I don't think he's being bashed, but rather being asked to justify his specific claims.

I have never doubted that he has been to Africa. I have never doubted he started out as a cyclist with limited experience (but extensively more than the OP). I have never doubted he has been to the places he says and covered 20,000km cumulative there.

What I have doubted is the veracity of his assertions about certain countries and certain risks that have been identified by others. That simply puts him in the same league as some of us who have not been to those countries, either. But he has prefered to insult several of us... simply because his assertions, as a white male cycle tourist in Africa were scrutinised and were asked to be justified. He even admits to not bothering to read the material adequately -- which is usual for someone who is dismissive when asked to justify their assertions.

He has done that by referring to "thousands" then "hundreds" then SEVEN cyclists specifically and a website that leaves a lot to be desired on the specific details. He is no better than the rest of us, who rely on extensive and topical reading, in supplying reconnaissance and "heads-up" on any issue related to cycle touring and the countries he has NOT visited. He is certainly in arrears when it comes to people who have actually been to those countries.

And I am sorry, but I also disagree with you on that tone of responsibility. There have been too many things wrong with this thread and the OP's ability to comprehend much of what has been written, mostly about the function of bicycle touring as opposed to the destinations. We, as a community, *do* have a responsibility to provide information that is useful. amaferanga has done that and so have the rest of us. It's called robust debate and balance.

An educated guess, but its certainly of the right order.

An "educated guess"? Sheesh, I can give you my educated guess and say that probably less than two dozen people have done Cape-to-Cairo last year in a solo fashion! Certainly, that would be indicated by the lack of travel journals and postings on various websites.


Personally I wouldn't cycle in SA and in fact I chose to turn round when in Namibia and head north again, but that wasn't because I was fearful of getting raped or robbed, it was because in Namibia and was finding it hard to interact with the local people (due to my colour amongst other things) and (having been to SA before) I suspected it would be similar there.

Ohhhh...this is rich!!! Even someone like you is scared to cycle through SA! :rolleyes:

Someone who's cycled tens of thousands of kilometers in Africa but knows enough to avoid SA. Someone who then goes on to cheer on a newbie tourist, who may have 7000 km to her name by then, to go through a country that he won't go through himself! Bravo.

I'm not goin' to South Africa, I'm going to Tanzania...

What? The gang-**** story scared you off?

Look, in all seriousness, take it one country at a time. This is not some sort of death-ride that you've committed to.

IronMac: just so you know, Flic said way back in post #36 that she was not going to South Africa. Maybe that's because SA has a terrible reputation, maybe not. At any rate, the point is moot.


THE ROUTE: The countries I intend to visit are Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia (Somaliland and if it isn't too sketchy Puntland, not Somalia itself), Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.

The point of this thread was to get some information on a bike, and on things like carrying extra water on the frame. At not one point have I ever asked the question "should I go?". Nonetheless, many of the posts seem to have related to that very issue, or to issues which have dedicated threads and websites which I have already read.

I've been told numerous times that I'm essentially an idiot and a joke, and inspite of this I'd say I've been pretty polite and gracious. You think you're aiding my preperation? Get real...

Is there not some way to close this notorious thread?

Get real...

Is there not some way to close this notorious thread?
Flic, I for one, and I honestly believe Machka and Rowen and a few others, were genuinely being real. Unfortunately, you can't recognise that now.
Some of us have learned from life experiences that we need to as both individuals and in groups need to do a certain amount of planning and preparation for events in our lives. We've learned that through planning, we can prevent and mitigate many of the issues and problems that overtake so many people in life's events. We would hope that you would be more prepared than what you seem to be at this point in time, as we would for all cyclists undertaking such an adventure. There is the matter of being able to cope with extreme and unusual circumstances when they arrive, and coming through relatively unscathed. We actually want you to have a grand adventure, as we have had ourselves in the past, and hope to have again. But by mitigating and preparing for the risks--which are significant for anybody in what you are planning--you can have that adventure in a positive light, and not in a light of too great of risk to your personal well-being.

Certainly, I apologise to you for making you feel belittled if I have done that. I meant no harm in that manner. But I do hope you plan a little more thoroughly for the remaider of your life's trips!

Please be careful, and have fun!

"Learning without thinking is labor lost; thinking without learning is dangerous." (Some sort of Chinese proverb, I think.)

Does this sound familiar, Flic?

and then I started thinking, like "ahhhh I dunno if its a good idea" so I thought maybe I'd make a post asking for convining too, ya know what I mean... I will keep talking to as many people as possible, and I will learn bike maintenance...

Look I know I sound like an idiot, but I started thinking about this and I reckon it'd be rad...

I've never ridden a bike any great distance (I just found out what the word 'touring' means), but I think I would like to go on a 6 month cycling tour in Africa. I'm kind of scared (yeah I'm a loser I know) and doubting whether its a good idea, or if I should just stick to public transport.

But I'm one of those people whoose really, really good at forgetting the negatives you mentioned, so I think it should work out ok. Thanks for being honest about me maybe not being wise.

That was you in October 2006 on that other forum.

This was some very, very early advice in response to your last question on that other forum:

I agree that not everyone who tries it loves cycle touring - I know of a few people who cut major tours short or gave up on it after finding it just wasn't for them. The ones i know have one thing in common - they were too ambitious, trying to do a big, physically and mentally demanding trip without making sure that they actually like spending all day on a bike in a tough environment.

and this..

This advice might clash with your personality, if you're a sort of "**** it, let's just go" type person, but I would also urge you to do a small tour or two first. You're in Australia right? Do a tour somewhere hot, and remote, on unsealed roads. You will learn some practical things. Africa is not a good place to find out that spokes can break, or that your bike is too small. Then again, neither would outback Australia...

And this one from a fellow crewman after S-H 2005:

The sailing team itself had grand plans; we had hoped to do the Melbourne-Stanley race in November 2003, but realising we were clearly not ready we passed that one over. Over the next year we were forced to ‘get real’ a number of times, but at least we were setting our sights high.

The advice you have received here in general runs parallel to the advice on that other forum. Even down to the warnings about certain countries such as Sudan, Egypt and Somalia.

You are young, you think you are invincible. Some of us are older and wiser. And more risk aversive; that's why we are older and wiser.

You can do what you like. It's a free world. We can do what *we* like, too, and if it means discussing you on a thread like this, we can. *You* asked the questions. *You* detailed your reasons why you asked the question and we elaborated. And *you* have the right to dislike our answers.

Baksheesh almost certainly won't be necessary on the East coast route. Another myth. Someone on a bike is seen as being poor (relatively speaking). If anyone has to give kito kidogog (a little something) it's the aid worker/rich tourist in the 'cruza.
Another myth? Man, you're taking a really offensive nature to many of these posts.

Hell, I've had to bribe officials in Europe, Asia, and South America. I can't imagine that it doesn't happen in Africa. And if god forbid she does have to bribe some corrupt official I hope she has the finesse to do it without getting taken for a ride.

The issues with amaferanga are much deeper than just Flic. This forum is read by a wide range of people. The number of members versus guests on BFs generally are in a ratio of 1:2. That means there are people out there who may take the advice here at face value and run with it... to their detriment.
Once again, this is teh internet. If someone at this day and age take all the advice in the 'net at face value, they have themselves to blame. Whatever happened to personal responsibility? You consider yourself capable of filtering the info on this thread, please extend that courtesy to other readers as well.

I appreciate the robust debate here. What I don't appreciate are the outright "liar, liar" calls. And regarding spins and skew, how's this for spinning (emphasis added):


There are loads of people in Australia who can help me pack a bike...
turns into


She's even having somebody else pack it in a box for her.
Or:


He has done that by referring to "thousands" then "hundreds" then SEVEN cyclists specifically...
Where did he do that? Here's what I found:


It really will be simple should she choose to bus or hitch it. Thousands do it every year.

You did know that HUNDREDS of cyclists passed that way last year didn't you?

I've met (yes actually met) a total of 7 cyclists who have cycled through Egypt and Sudan
So your "thousands" seems to be a misunderstanding, and I still fail to see how the last two posts are mutually exclusive.

I don't agree with all what amaferanga says, as the gist of it seems to be "Flic knows everything she needs to know" and "y'all disagreeing with me don't know crap". As Machka pointed out earlier. And the way he throws terms like "idiot" and "crap" left and right does not exactly help (amaferanga, take this as a direct moderational hint). But I think him asking people to please READ his posts before jumping on his case is a very valid request.

--J

cheers jibi :-)
...

My pleasure Flic

Must be getting close to going now.

Experience is not everything, but it does help.

I remember the first time I went to Morrocco, back in the 70's, I had travelled quite a bit but nothing prepared me for the culture shock. It hits you like a ton of bricks, Africa is very different to anywhere I had been before, so I had experience but not of Africa.

I have met quite a few cycle tourists, adventurers and those on full blown expeditions, in my travels and most of them would agree that planning is all well and good but.. one needs the ability to think on ones feet, to assess situations and be able to come up with lateral thinking plans.

Mikel ,a german I was riding with lost a bolt from his front rack, when he found he had no spares left, he used the bolt from one of his shoe cleats.

In 2001 I went from Eilat, Israel across the border to Egypt into Taba Heights along the Red Sea and loved it.



duct tape, don't forget your duct tape.

It's been an education for many of us in this "notorious" thread".

george

Mikel ,a german I was riding with lost a bolt from his front rack, when he found he had no spares left, he used the bolt from one of his shoe cleats.

Cable ties are good for what bolts and duct tape can't fix (eg. my rear mudguard on a rough gravel road - one of the connectors snapped from all of the vibration). Take heaps. Long ones.

Try to get in as much riding as possible before you go; no matter how fit you are you will get a sore bum after 2-3 days on the bike if you haven't worked up to it.

Don't suppose you work on one of the outdoor shops on Smith St - there have been some fantastic (and crazy) touring bikes parked outside the Mountain Designs and Kathmandu outlets the past few days! If you are there, have a look at some of them to get an idea of what to do with load carrying, waterbottles, bar ends, racks.

Don't forget a bike lock. A cable lock will probably be more versatile, but a D-lock is more secure. Your call. I do both.

Lip balm is a good thing - lips get sun- and wind-burnt easily, much more so than when walking in the sun.

Don;t be ashamed of walking up steep hills, this is easy (easier!) with a backpack and will rest your legs and bum more than you can imagine.

Water, sun protection. Heaps of both. Really really heaps of water!

Think of a way to keep your bike safe when it is on a bus. Should be OK in a coach, but if your bike ends up on the roof it might be at risk of a bent derailleur and damaged spokes. Maybe take the wheels off and put cardboard around the rear derailleur? At least help them load and secure it.

Do you have a rear rack yet? Please please get one if you don't. If you can't afford a really good one, just get a Tioga rear rack for $40 or so, it will last you for a while. Take some spare bolts (as well as duct tape, cable ties, tubes, lube, tools and brake pads....)

I don;t know about the rest of Africa, but in Egypt most of the tourist industry people are male. Make sure you also talk to local women about what's happening and where to go. French is no more useful in Egypt than English, tourism/business people speak at least some English in the tourist areas. Egyptian Arabic is at least understood in Arabic speaking areas, don't know about further south in Africa.

Are you going to take enough applicator tampons for your whole trip? My wife could only find pads and obstetric tampons.

I assume and hope you can make your own decisions about safety and risk taking. I hope you have gotten some useful info on bike touring and choosing a bike and equipment. Be prepared for things like flats and gears/brakes needing adjustment, they will definitely happen.

Well yeah that sounded familiar Rowan... I wrote it. It's not that I disliked the responses on this thread, I was trying to make it be known that the debate going on wasn't helping me, so if people thought they were preparing me, then they were misguided. But fair play, discuss me at will buddy.

Totally Juha! Though you know, whilst on this thread Amerferanga has been very encouraging, he's given me useful, constructive advice via pm's and email... sure its not here for everyone to comment on, but really, why would he want it to be here for everyone to comment on when it'll probably just get twisted around...

jibi ... I've just been learning a bit of bike maintainence this evening, and I'd just come to the conclusion how important duct tape would be... I'm somewhat embarrassed to say I don't yet know what cable ties are Cave, even though I've heard them mentioned a lot. I have a picture in my mind, but I'll find out for sure when I go to get the bike box. Unfortunately, whilst I do work at one of those stores, its at a different branch... Also yeah I got the rear rack, I got it when I got the bike. I got the Tioga rack you mentioned actually, which I hope will be OK and since its steel it can get welded back together if it breaks (and in the meanwhile I will be able to duct tape it, and carry my backpack on my back if really necassery). I have a long cable bike lock, am still debating the U-Lock, other African cyclists seem to suggest its not necassery, and tommorow I'm going to Bunnings to get the 6" shifter and look at hose clips because I was thinking I could also maybe putbottle racks on the front forks since I've got no front panniers. Maybe then I could carry up to 5Lt on the frame, and get some of the weight forward. I hadn't thought about damage to my bike whenit was on buses, thanks for bringing that up. I will keep some of the cardboard from the bikebox for the begining part of the trip when I know it will be going on buses.... thanks very much for that point.

For anyone whoose interested, this evening I learnt how to take off and put back on the seat, handlebars, pedals and wheels - so I should be able to pack and assemble the bike by myself. I also learnt how to change a tube if it gets punctured and how to adjust the breaks so that they won't interfere with the wheel if the rim gets bent. I also learnt how to adjust the break cables. I sort of understand the cables for the gears, but since if one of them breaks it doesn't make the bike unrideable, I'm satisfied that I'll be able to continue on to a place to get help with those if needed. I'm going to ask the bikeshop about a chain tool and links, and maybe about a spoke tool... So anywayz bike maintainence 101 completed...

I appreciate the robust debate here. What I don't appreciate are the outright "liar, liar" calls. And regarding spins and skew, how's this for spinning (emphasis added):


turns into

I don't see much spin in that.
And the way he throws terms like "idiot" and "crap" left and right does not exactly help (amaferanga, take this as a direct moderational hint). But I think him asking people to please READ his posts before jumping on his case is a very valid request.

--J
You missed the one about "lamb to the slaughter, Rambo in a tank." I liked that one.
So, you must of spent some time looking for those quotes? Or are you keeping notes? But now aren't you calling Rowan and me liars? Maybe not. Maybe its just the spin you've put on it that makes it look that way to me.
Left and right would be skew. Two opposing propaganda campaigns were held here: one seemingly in the name of fun and adventure, but with the underlying element of risk being whitewashed; the other in the name of risk reduction in an attempt to assure fun in the adventure. And when amaferanga PMs to her his hints about water or whatever else, erstwhile posting here in the board very little in the way of advice (and a lot of belligerence) the rest of us don't have the benefit of knowing what was told to her. And nobody else gets access to that experience and advice. Why not, I wonder?
We read his posts, and that's exactly why we jumped on his case. It didn't take many posts to see how much of what he had to say was, in fact, crap, and could be rather detrimental to her well being. There's adventure, and then there's just being stupid. And much of the tone of amaferanga's posts tended to lead her toward the stupid side of adventure, albeit possibly unknowingly. Much of the tone and advice that Machka and Rowan had to offer were meant to lead her toward the intelligent side. That would also be propaganda.

At this point in time, Flic has had so many people nagging her to do this, don't do that, she won't care about much of it. She has bought the plane ticket and told all her friends and family she's going, so that's it. But she can still not bother to take the bike, and have a grand time with the adventure. She's evidently using a backpack, so it will be easy to ditch the bike at any point and ride a bus, truck or train. And with her credit card she can buy another plane ticket. So what are we all worried about? She can travel all the same roads, meet all the same people--even more--without the bike, and take a look at all the roads she can travel on her next trip there next year. She can do the planning, see the route, see all the different places and do it well next time. I don't see the problem with that.

But I still think that bike won't see sand.

Lets get something straight chromedome... I'm not being lead anywhere. The propaganda campaign you are apparently running in terms of reducing risk seems to involve giving me tips on things I've generally already thought about, suggesting I don't take the bike, or telling me I just won't make it. I'd hardly say amerferanga or any of the other crew have been have been misleading me by providing encouragement. Nothing, anyone has said, will be detrimental to my well-being.

My family and friends, of course they care about me, but they are definitely not nagging me, and I'm in no way embarrassed to come back to them later and say "yeah I ended up ditching the bike because I wasn't enjoying it", in fact I've already told them that I may well do this.

Anyway my posts are probably just starting to sound rude. Sorry about that...

flic:

i'm not going to get involved in any go/don't go debate. i will say this though:

post on this forum again whenever you get home. we'd all like to hear your story as well as know you are healthy.

whether you ride africa or ride to your job: good luck.

But now aren't you calling Rowan and me liars? Maybe not. Maybe its just the spin you've put on it that makes it look that way to me.
Left and right would be skew. Two opposing propaganda campaigns were held here: one seemingly in the name of fun and adventure, but with the underlying element of risk being whitewashed; the other in the name of risk reduction in an attempt to assure fun in the adventure.
Regarding the spin you feel I've put on, I'm not the one doing propaganda here. I have no need for that. I'm just pointing out a couple of details I think were not correctly quoted. I have no way of knowing whether it was deliberate misquoting (sp) or not.


--J

whew
Well, i spent all of last night reading up to page like 12, then people started bashing each other and it got tiring. Anyway, i found a lot of the tips on here to be real interesting/useful, so props to everyone who gave flic good advise.

Flic:
1)You are either one crazy fool, or one very brave individual. :D
2)It seems that there's a lot of us who live in a world of fear. I think that most people have sort of been conditioned to be extra-careful or even paranoid about safety- that we can't really trust things, especially what's different/foreign. I don't know if this fear is rational or not. Having been brought up in this atmosphere i would say that it is rational to be really really careful about things all the time- you know, always carrying an extra pair of undies, never going anywhere alone. But for yours and my own sake I'm really hoping that it's all just an arbitrary construction or mindset of some sort that we've placed on ourselves, and that you will make it through your trip with no crazy far out problems, and prove that s*it wrong! hells yeah!!
I can't say that i'm not worried about ya, but you're set on going sooooo, best of luck on your trip! Do be careful but also enjoy yourself loads and keep us posted! :) :)

I lived in Turkey for two years and in Southern Africa for over three years. Now is the time to do such a ride, while you are young, tough, and can recover easily. I would be tempted to start further east and go south until I got past the Equator. If the Tour d'Afrique can do it why not you. By the way the Td'Af people are doing the old silk road from Istanbul to China this year. Maybe they know something about the African route we do not.

When I did a solo trip into central American, mostly backpacking up volcanos, my dad got me a bunch of prescription medicines for emergencies. The kinds of medicines normally only used by doctors in hospitals. Especially ones dealing with intestinal problems.

Please contact each and every country that you might go through, even places like Chad and the Central African Republic. Be honest with them. Get medical advice. Locate all the places you can communicate with the outside world for calling for help when (not if) something goes wrong. If Australia has agents or local representatives along your route you may be able to forward supples to them to be held for your arrival. Let these people know how it is going so if you do not show up on time someone who has Australian interests can go looking for you. I used American Express Agents for this when I was in Africa in the 1970s.

I wish you good fortune and let us know how it goes.

PS: Forget any suspension stuff. Just something else to go wrong. Especially on budget bikes.

Hi Flic ,
Lots of people have been giving you advise some correct alot of it bollocks they have picked up by watching to much tele.
a) africa is safe , can get dodgy but mostly in the big cities , narobi is called narobeery for a reason.
b) heat / water - DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE how hot and how much water you will require up nth , esp eqypt and definitely the sudan ( incidentally my fav ever country )
c) have a look at www.roundtheworldbybike.com , alistair did the planet solo , pref read his book , you are going solo you will get a massive amount of info from there.
d) solo travel is great but can be tough ie you have to rely on yourself.
e) language - not a prob your in english language countries the whole way to capetown , obviosly english is sometimes crap but comms wont be to bad.
f) you will drop a bundle on visa;s , check it out every tin pot ****** country wants their $$$ it adds up
g) no how to repair your bike , it will and I mean will get f%^ked up , the roads can be good and in ethopia well they are seriously bad.
h) i hope your bike is steel , that means when your frame breaks (it will) you can get it welded in the middle o noddy land , alumnium , your stuffed Tig welding will not be avail outside of major cities.
i) you will have issues getting from etjipia border to kenya , may have to get escort/bus as somali rebels on one side / christian sudenese rebels on the other.
j) once your in kenya your in easy street , kind of , lot easier to get stuff organised.
seriosly no how to repair your bike , plan to carry lots of water , and dont underestimate the Sudan 50degree heat , headwind and deep soft sand

Good luck , africa is an amzing place full of wonderfull freindly people. I really rate that website obove , very good resource by a guy ( your age ) who lapped the planet , yep it can be done , its hard yakka though.

Also CERES in brunswick bike can help you pout ie how to repair your bike.
Also loose the suspension , it WILL break and you wont get it repaired

I've got some of those snap on links for my chain that just click together and then tighten if you ride the bike a little bit. I think that I maybe need a chain-breaker too to get part of the broken link out if its stuck. Chain-breakers that I have seen are either in cycle tools (and I've already got one which unfortunately doesn't have a chain-breaker in it) or are really heavy. Is there some other trick for getting bits of broken chain off the chain that doesn't involve a chain-breaker?

someone suggested to me I could use a piece of wire... like from a coat-hanger... does that sound ok? I was under the impression that a chain-breaker worked by screwing in either side and like breaking the link pin? I guess the wire you jsut use to like shove it through?

I personally would not want to use anything else than a "standard" chain tool, but then I've only had to change the chain length a couple of times. Maybe with more practice one could use some kind of a substitute tool. With the experience you have I would definitely recommend a dedicated tool for this. Is a compact chain tool really too big/heavy? See this for example:

http://www.evanscycles.com/product.jsp?style=10803

--J

Is there some other trick for getting bits of broken chain off the chain that doesn't involve a chain-breaker?
In your situation... no.

Chain-breakers that I have seen are either in cycle tools (and I've already got one which unfortunately doesn't have a chain-breaker in it) or are really heavy

My disassembled chain tool(same kind as the one Juha linked to) is 35x25x15 millimeters plus a couple of pins. Good size for such a powerful tool.

16 years ago, my friend and I were planning to ride Africa. He ended up riding from Dakar Senegal to Cape Town and I opted to ride across Canada. Canada was great but I regret not going against my better judgement and joining him. Every post card and audio tape he sent to me was like adding more salt to a wound. I haven't read all of the posts but what you are doing is sane. People who don't think this is a good idea probably haven't been to Afica and are making their recommendations based on the media. If adventurers listened to all of the naysayers, we would all be staying with civilized touring in North America, western Europe and other developed countries. My most memorable tour was in a third world country and was more rewarding than anything else that I have done. Having said that, of course what you are doing has greater risks but the rewards will be greater.

Anyway, my friend did Africa on a $360 mountain bike and the price included racks, however I wouldn't recommend this. This was also his first bike tour but....he is one determined individual, intelligent and able to endure hardship with a smile which more than compensates for his lack of touring experience.

It might depend on the kind of chain on your bike, but a small generic tool should be just fine, and are cheap ($3 in America.)

What I've done in a pinch was to punch the pin through with a hammer and narrow center punch. Lay the whole bike down on its side and align the link of chain over a small hole in the pavement and tap the pin out of the link with the punch and hammer into the hole. But dont punch the pin all the way out, or its difficult to get it back in the link straight.

The coat hanger/baling wire idea comes up sometimes, but it may not fit through the read derailleur. In which case, you can just remove the read derailleur and shorten the chain more, and have a one speed.

Try to have screwdrivers and small open-end and allen wrenches to fit all the little nuts and bolts on your bike. (Or whats called an adjustable open-end wrench. A small one.) They'll need to be tightened occasionally.

Have at least one long sleeve T shirt. To cover yourself in the sun, put the neck hole of the shirt over your head to your eyebrows with the remainder of the shirt hanging over your back, and use the sleeves to wrap around your neck to hold it in place or accross your face. If serious wind/sandstorms kick up, pull the entire shirt down over your face and mouth, and don't bother trying to ride anywhere. You won't be able to see anything. Often you can tell the difference between some wind and a serious sandstorm by being able to smell the sand before you can see it in the air. That would be a good time to find something like shelter.

Men in a puckup truck are bad news. Lorries hauling large numbers of people, especially women, are better and safer. Trains are even better.

Expats you meet are not necessarily more trustworthy than anybody else. They may be looking at you with "fresh meat" in their minds. And they are not always as well-connected as they pretend they are.

Leave the alcohol alone. Its far more trouble when you're on the road than what its worth.

Try to keep a small amount of cash in your pocket, enough for the day's food and transportation. You don't want to get out a wallet or purse, or dig through your bag everytime you want to make a small puchase. Better to have a small wad of cash wrenched from your hand (unlikely, because its not worth the risk) than a wallet (much more worth the risk.)

Can I make a suggestion about hygiene? The best way to stay healthy and prevent getting what ever disease you may come in contact with, is to wash your hands. A lot. Wash your hands before and after every time you eat, and before and after every time you go the the bathroom. Thoroughly and vigorously. Hand sanitizers work well (Purell makes a good one) and even those little hand towellettes are better than nothing.

So, what do we have here?
1. Take small easy to use tools.
2. Be smart with money.
3. Wash your hands.
4. Retain privacy.
5. Don't get drunk.
6. Don't act like the FNG everywhere you go.

You're right in thinking there's an alternate way of doing almost anything you want or need to accomplish.

16 years ago, my friend and I were planning to ride Africa. He ended up riding from Dakar Senegal to Cape Town and I opted to ride across Canada. Canada was great but I regret not going against my better judgement and joining him. Every post card and audio tape he sent to me was like adding more salt to a wound. I haven't read all of the posts but what you are doing is sane. People who don't think this is a good idea probably haven't been to Afica and are making their recommendations based on the media. If adventurers listened to all of the naysayers, we would all be staying with civilized touring in North America, western Europe and other developed countries. My most memorable tour was in a third world country and was more rewarding than anything else that I have done. Having said that, of course what you are doing has greater risks but the rewards will be greater.

Anyway, my friend did Africa on a $360 mountain bike and the price included racks, however I wouldn't recommend this. This was also his first bike tour but....he is one determined individual, intelligent and able to endure hardship with a smile which more than compensates for his lack of touring experience.
At least one of us that has been a naysayer HAS been to Africa, to live and work, for stretches numbering in years. And has had shorter visits for work. One of the naysayers first went to Africa in 1976, and most recently worked there last month. In one of the areas where she'll be riding. We had an armed escort. For a reason. She'll be on a bike.
People leave a place and seek refuge somewhere else for a reason, and it's not because they are on vacation.
An overland trip is much less risky, as there are more people around her at any given time. Safety in numbers. What she is planning, she'll be alone, or nearly alone, for long stretches of distances and time.
The trip is not entirely undoable. There just may be a better time and method.
And there is a difference in your friends route and her route. And a difference in 16 years. There are differences between now and 16 DAYS ago, and probably will be in another 16 days.

I've got some of those snap on links for my chain that just click together and then tighten if you ride the bike a little bit. I think that I maybe need a chain-breaker too to get part of the broken link out if its stuck. Chain-breakers that I have seen are either in cycle tools (and I've already got one which unfortunately doesn't have a chain-breaker in it) or are really heavy. Is there some other trick for getting bits of broken chain off the chain that doesn't involve a chain-breaker?

I have done it in your situation.

with a rock and a little nail.
I loaned my chain tool to a swiss guy and I rode away to meet up later, there was only one road. But we never did meet up.

another time I had to do it with a hammer and nail.

But....I have Rohloff gears so they doesn't mind having links not quite right.

But as soon as I got to somehwere which had one I bought another chain tool.

You really need one, and know how to use it.

george

At least one of us that has been a naysayer HAS been to Africa, to live and work, for stretches numbering in years. And has had shorter visits for work. One of the naysayers first went to Africa in 1976, and most recently worked there last month. In one of the areas where she'll be riding. We had an armed escort. For a reason. She'll be on a bike.
People leave a place and seek refuge somewhere else for a reason, and it's not because they are on vacation.
An overland trip is much less risky, as there are more people around her at any given time. Safety in numbers. What she is planning, she'll be alone, or nearly alone, for long stretches of distances and time.
The trip is not entirely undoable. There just may be a better time and method.
And there is a difference in your friends route and her route. And a difference in 16 years. There are differences between now and 16 DAYS ago, and probably will be in another 16 days.

My apologies for using Naysayer and no offense intended. But people hear the word Africa and equate that with a place that is not safe to travel due to media etc... You have more experience than most of us but wouldn't you say that some, or many parts, are relatively safe and it's possible to do those areas and avoid the areas of conflict? To stay committed to one route regardless of the change in a ppolitical sitaution in a country would be foolish. And you are right, my friend did have to make changes while he was there due to the political climate.

Anyway, I should have read more of the previous entries but had a knee jerk reaction to people saying, "don't do it."

I haven't read all of the posts here so I don't know if tis been said, but I thought I would add a bit of Info that I know from traveling in Africa...
Most big cities you pass through, and probably all capital cities, will have "bike shops" in the sense that there will be someone in the central market who sells bikes. In Mali last summer I saw a guy on the side of the road with about 100 brand new "Peugot" bikes for sale. So you will have people who can work on your bike and/or sell you replacement parts (or even a replacement bike) if you need it as long as you can get your bike to such a city. Also, even in many small towns if you ask around and depend on the kindness of strangers you might find people who can work on bikes, especially if you bring the tools. Afterall, people in rural Africa do have bikes, and they don't take them to a bike shop, so they end up figuring out how to work on them.

Good luck and I look forward to reading about your travels-
Betes

My apologies for using Naysayer and no offense intended. But people hear the word Africa and equate that with a place that is not safe to travel due to media etc... You have more experience than most of us but wouldn't you say that some, or many parts, are relatively safe and it's possible to do those areas and avoid the areas of conflict? To stay committed to one route regardless of the change in a ppolitical sitaution in a country would be foolish. And you are right, my friend did have to make changes while he was there due to the political climate.

Anyway, I should have read more of the previous entries but had a knee jerk reaction to people saying, "don't do it."
Unfortunately, much of the northern part of the route she is thinking of is risky. Middle Egypt seriously fundamentalist Islamist, Sudan has a couple of different crises going right now, and east (Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea) each have their own crises. Somalia is once again trying its best to kill itself, and America is lending a hand in that. Ethiopia and Eritrea need to learn the proverb that good neighbors build good fences--or good fences build good neighbors, something like that--and develop some sort of political fence. Those are the political considerations.
The practical considerations are about water and food. There will be long stretches where potable drinkable water will not be available. She may very well not have the means of purifying her water, as boiling is fuel-wasting, and chlorine and iodine often ineffective. The Nile is a big river, but essentially undrinkable without being aggressively treated first. Food is often diverted away from some areas to others, often by military or paramilitary groups. What is left over is mobbed over frequently. The desert is mostly unfarmable, except along a narrow portion next to the river. Most of this is subsistence farming, and can't be distributed far without spoiling.
In 1978, the drought in north and east Africa stared, causing a famine which lasted about seven years. Compounding the problem of drought, a change in agricultural policies from grains crops (better suited to that environment) to cash crops (melons and water-rich fruits) started in the 70s. Cash crop farms and fields were already in place by the start of the drought, and these crops that rely heavily on water couldn't grow. A dust bowl effect ensued. Valuable topsoil was lost, and even if they had realised early on that the drought would last as long as it did, they weren't equipped financially to reconvert farms back to grain. These changes in agriculture came about after pressure from more affluent African and European countires. What does this mean today? Possibly because of global warming, there has been a series of mini-droughts, and occasional heavy flooding (washing away valuable topsoils again) continuing to make agriculture and transportation of harvested crops logistically difficult. Currently, there is not what is considered a "famine" but a long period of sub-quality/sub-adequate foods, which has led to malnutrition on a large scale. This has been shifting large numbers of people from one area to another. Along with water, adequate food may be a serious issue for her, depending on the route.
Her commitment to one route is almost a moot point for the northern half. Not too many ways to go. But as far as sub-saharan Africa, she'll have a greater selection of routes, will have many more oppurtunities to talk to other travellers about the roads ahead, and be able to make wise decisions. Food, water, healthcare, bicycle stuff will be in good supply. No worries there. But the roads still are often crowded and poorly maintained. I am genuinely envious of anybody taking a bike trip in that part of Africa now.

I'm all for adventure. I've had far more than my fair share. But at some point a person needs to do some risk assessment and mitigation, otherwise "adventure" has a spelling change to "disaster." Flic has dedicated several months to this adventure, and I'd like to see her have that adventure, with a minimum of troubles, and not have it be a disaster. I genuinely hope that I and some of the others are wrong in our warnings to her, and that she has a good time. I rarely had any real issues with her, except her attitude of "I'm gonna do it no matter what anybody says!" But I did have issues with other people enabling somebody--without really taking on any of the responsibility--by encouraging her to do something just in the name of adventure and a "It'll be OK. Trust me! Have I ever led you wrong before?" type of attitude.

I've got some of those snap on links for my chain that just click together and then tighten if you ride the bike a little bit. I think that I maybe need a chain-breaker too to get part of the broken link out if its stuck. Chain-breakers that I have seen are either in cycle tools (and I've already got one which unfortunately doesn't have a chain-breaker in it) or are really heavy. Is there some other trick for getting bits of broken chain off the chain that doesn't involve a chain-breaker?

Short answer:

No.

Long answer:

Yes. You could use some sort of punch (eg. a nail of the right size) to gently hammer out the pins. The lost link could be replaced with one of those removable links. However, you are reasonably likely to wear out 2-3 chains on your trip, plus you may bend/break a chain, so a chain tool is a wise addition to your tool kit. Also, I would ask a bike shop to add a master link / removable link ahead of time. This way you can relatively easily remove your chain, making it easier to clean and lube when it gets seriously muddy. Just get a cheap small tool, you don't need anything fancy.

So.... You guys were right about the panniers... Last night I gathered all my things and put them in my 30L pack... they fitted, but it didn't seem like it would go on the bike rack very well, sort of unbalanced you know. So I got some panniers today... They are for the back of the bike and are 10L each... so I have put all the things in to them and the tent on top... but there's a fair bit of space in them still... So maybe I need to get slightly smaller ones. They seem as if they must be bigger than 10L each, but the tag says 20L, and the guy said that was their combined capacity combined... I havn't really seen any smaller panniers though, so I don't know...

Anyway, just thought I'd let yous know...

So.... You guys were right about the panniers... Last night I gathered all my things and put them in my 30L pack... they fitted, but it didn't seem like it would go on the bike rack very well, sort of unbalanced you know. So I got some panniers today... They are for the back of the bike and are 10L each... so I have put all the things in to them and the tent on top... but there's a fair bit of space in them still... So maybe I need to get slightly smaller ones. They seem as if they must be bigger than 10L each, but the tag says 20L, and the guy said that was their combined capacity combined... I havn't really seen any smaller panniers though, so I don't know...

Anyway, just thought I'd let yous know... Just go with the panniers you've got. You don't have to fill them to capacity with gear, but you *will* need to leave room for food, additional water and other things you will gather along the way, including paperwork such as maps, brochures and the odd souvenir, and things you thought you didn't need, but find out you do.

Flic,

1. How far have you ridden with your loaded panniers? If you haven't ridden with them yet you might be in for a bit of a surprise.

2. Have you broken a chain with your chain tool, and put it back together again? Again, if you haven't you might be in for a bit of a surprise.

3. Do you know how to change a tire now?

4. Have you practiced any of the bicycle maintenance you learned?

5. Would you care to let us know what you would use duct tape on your bicycle for?

6. Have you ridden the bicycle more than the 17 kms you did a couple weeks ago?

7. Do you know how to adjust your saddle and handlebar height and position so that they are comfortable?

8. Have you had the bicycle fitted?

Yeah they had the maps in them, but I was sorta thinking the extra room could be used for food... maybe I will just stick with them, thanks Rowan...

Machka... I rode around the block with them, thats it... The loaded panniers and the tent together weigh 7kg, though I expect that to go up a bit when I add some things into them, but should be no more than 10kg. I have 5 bottle cages on my bike so mostly I will be able to use them for water without putting more weight on the back of the bike. No I havn't used a chain tool before. Yes I learnt how to change a tire earlier in the week. I havn't practised the maintenance, appart from when I learnt it but I did go over it in my head... probably doesn't count but hey. Hmmmm duct tape... for fixing things? for strapping extra water onto my bike when I know I won't get some for a while? Well after the 17kms, the next day i rode 13kms and then earlier this week I rode 5km... so yeah, not exactly the gruelling preparatory leadup I was hoping for... I know how to adjust the handlebar and seat heights, though I'm not entirely sure where to put the handlebars for best comfort... and well the bike was fitted when I got it, sort of, but I've moved things around a bit since then when I was practising taking it appart... I maybe should have marked the positions before I did that, but I didn't...

Hi Flic,

I assume you have a mini air pump...did you try pumping up a tire completely with it? I just got my first flat tire I tried to fix myself. Got the tire off OK, then I spent nearly an hour, trying to get the little pump to work. Its a pretty nice one, that can pump up to 160psi with a gauge on it. The air wasnt blowing in the tire. Tried it on a good tire. Finally figured it out, and got some air pumped in a differnt good tire, but I was not able to pump more than 20psi in. Without having any leverage, I wasnt strong enough. Never could find the hole in the tube that went flat.

I was lucky to be only a block away from my house. Now I gotta get a small pump with a hose on it. That would be a bummer if that happened to you on your trip.

The kms that Machka wants you to put in right now isn't necessarily for you to get stronger or fitter, it's meant to see if the bike is working OK, and that you know what to expect from it when you start your trip, that everything seems to be working OK, how to pack all your stuff so you don't have to fiddle with it later. Try finding some bumpity bump roads near your home and riding on them for a while to see if everything sits OK in the panniers, or if you need to pack things differently. Sometimes things can shake loose.
Like Rowan said, the panniers seem like they should be OK. Like you said, you'll have extra space for carrying along food. (Rocks are a lousey souvenir on a bike trip btw.) And you can always ditch stuff later if you are finding you aren't using it at all.
Somebody else said you can rely on the kindness of strangers, which is true. But the tricky part is knowing which strangers are truly kind, and which just have big toothy grins.

It sounds like you and your bike are getting closer and closer to seeing some sand!

Flic - I think you're crazy! but that's not necessarily a bad thing. i really want to read your travelogue - i am envious of you!

trite little points:

1. i know how to take pedals on and off, and i still screw them up sometimes. the little rule i like to remember is that pedals tighten in the direction that they turn.

2. consider buying some morton's lite salt (i don't know what that would be in australia) or making a 50/50 blend of sodium chloride/potassium chloride. i was riding in vermont (hills!) west-east during last summers' heat wave, and it probably saved me. add a few pinches to each water bottle, and it will aid absorption of the water (which will still not be faster than the rate of your persipiration, but it will help) and also replace valuable electrolytes. also, consider some sort of water purification system (+1) and carry lots of water. you can buy, rather cheaply, some water tablets that you can carry with you - just in case.

3. +1 carry zip ties and duct tape! also, i second the advice of getting your wheels to a good bike shop, just to check the tensioning of the tires. you can sort of check this yourself by gently squeezing each set of spokes together, in a uniform area. do any seem really loose? on the rear wheel, there will be a slight difference in tension between the spokes on the side with the cassette(where the chain goes) and the opposite side. you can also try tapping the spokes (in the same place) and they should generally make the same pitched sound. it is really good advice to take your wheels in, if only for a cursory check. the biggest problems i have had while touring were with flat tires, booting tires and broken spokes. by the way - if you aren't carrying spare tires, consider carrying some boots. these can be made of many different materials - rubber cut from old tires, even business cards or dollar bills in a pinch. if your tire gets seriously shredded, you can stick in a "boot" to cover the hole in the tire and keep the inner tube from popping out.

mods - thanks for not closing this thread - it was seriously entertaining!

fellow posters - she is obviously going. we are obviously not going to dissuade her. let's keep this thread for constructive advice? and perhaps, end the internecine flame wars? besides, while we can all agree that things will likely happen, a spoke failure is not tantamount to painful death by disembowelment!

flic - i haven't read every single posting, so you may have already indicated this, but i would love to know where i can read your travelogue. i wish you the best, and wish i was you!

I know this suggestion might go against the "try not to pack everything but the kitchen sink" idea of touring, but maybe something that would be very helpful to take w/ you--regardless of weight--is a book on bike maintenance and repair. Yes, it might seem unnecessary for most riders here, but you're not going to learn everything you should know before you leave. When you have a mechanical, this just might save you. No, you won't have all of the necessary tools to fix your problem and you'll have to improvise, but it's better than nothing. My recommendation for a maintenance/repair book would be "Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance," by Lennard Zinn.

http://tinyurl.com/ycnrwl

Perhaps someone else can suggest a better book. At the very least read it on the plane. Read it when you're at rest. I'd even go so far as to suggest bringing a book that deals w/ self sufficiency for the type of location you'll be in. Again, it's not an ideal solution but better than nothing.

Lastly, I know you're not asking for opinions or suggestions, but I'll offer mine anyway. Take some time to educate yourself a little more. Do it next year, Africa will still be there, you'll still be young. You wouldn't be denying yourself any missed opportunities, you'll have the rest of your life to look back on your memories. Doing it w/ the sole idea of going unprepared to gain more adventure seems unwise. I don't think anyone here would think less of you if you did. Even when you are prepared, you'll be in for more adventure than you can imagine.