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From:
Date: 20 Jan 2006
Time: 20:49:57 +0100
Remote Name: 81.10.103.25
Today has been a well-earned raest day in Luxor. Day five out of Safaga prooved to be a very tough day. It started with a 40k climb, gradual but relentless, which was not as bad as everyone thought it might be. I kept a steady 15k an hour and grinded up at a stable pace. The tough stuff came when we had cleared the main moutain range as we moved inland to join up with the Nile. After the 40k climb, there was no downhill and no side wind, even worse a full-on head wind for the next 100k. It was an eight hour plus day for many riders. There was a lunch stop at the top of the climb, and a second pit stop at around 90k, whcih would have been a perfect place to stop after the headwind. But there was another 50k to go in strong headwind. I had just under 3 hours of daylight left and thought there was a reasonable chance of getting in before dark, so decided to go for it. I had another 50k left in my legs, borderline whether I had 50k left in my lungs, and had about minus 90k left in my backside. Danny and Huberte, who had been close behind until the second break, decided to call it a day at the second pit stop. That left me the last, which meant I had to endure 50k against a headwind with "the boys" (the police escort) ruining my peace and quiet by tailing me a few feet behind. With a bit of waving and shouting, I think I got the message across that they should stay further away. Huberte had to endure them for about 50k one day - they have a particularly annoying habit of driving up right next to you and waving their hand forward in a "go faster" motion. When you are doing a 40k climb followed by 100k into a headwind, this does not go down terribly well. Henry and Todd kept them at a respectible distance for a while, thus averting a potential major international incident. I drafted in off Henry and Todd for the last 25- 30k, catching up with Michael and Cory who had pulled out of the second pit stop just as I was getting there. We all managed to get in together, hanging on to our EFI statis by the scruff of it's neck. The following day was an easy 90k through Qina and into Luxor - every child between Qina and Luxor appeared to be lining both sides of the Nile that afternoon, shouting "hello" in unision and all expecting a wave and hello in return. It was tempting to assume a "royal wave" and save some arm ache, but I did my duty and waved and helloed back. I'd gotten out of camp last in the morning (ambling around with my chores as usual) and caught up with Huberte, Muslim and Ayesha just before lunch and we cruised in at a fairly sedate speed, ready for our rest day. Had a wander around Karnak today, generally taking it easy and relishing the hot water to shower and bathe in after five nights of bush camping. Two more riding days to Aswan and then a day on the boat from Egypt to Sudan. Probably all bush camping between the border and Khartoum - there will be 40-odd very smelly people riding into Khartoum next month.