Tour d’Afrique 2008 is finished. From a brief conversation with founder Henry Gold amid the chaos and excitement at the celebratory dinner in Cape Town, he reports that everyone was glad to be finished and a bit of rain at the end couldn’t spoil the celebration of relieved cyclists and their families. Everyone is happy and healthy with four months of memories now to sort through. On the competitive side of things, Canadian Deb Corbeil takes the women’s title in a time of 469 hours, 31 minutes ahead of Dutch rider Joya van Hout while Jos Kaal of Holland leap-frogged Austrian rider Bernd Prorok in the standing to claim the Tour victory in the men’s category.

The race rules worked in Jos’ favour as the removal of the grace days meant that his five worst times were omitted and it made up the difference (and then some) to make him the second Dutchman in a row to become Champion of the Tour d’Afrique. Full standings can be found on the Results page of the Tour d’Afrique website.

Tour d'Afrique 2008 is finished. From a brief conversation with founder Henry Gold amid the chaos and excitement at the celebratory dinner in Cape Town, he reports that everyone was glad to be finished and a bit of rain at the end couldn't spoil the celebration of relieved cyclists and their families. Everyone is happy and healthy with four months of memories now to sort through. On the competitive side of things, Canadian Deb Corbeil takes the women's title in a time of 469 hours, 31 minutes ahead of Dutch rider Joya van Hout while Jos Kaal of Holland leap-frogged Austrian rider Bernd Prorok in the standing to claim the Tour victory in the men's category. The race rules worked in Jos' favour as the removal of the grace days meant that his five worst times were omitted and it made up the difference (and then some) to make him the second Dutchman in a row to become Champion of the Tour d'Afrique. Full standings can be found on the Results page of the Tour d'Afrique website.

Please note that due to an international naval exercise taking place at the Waterfront on Saturday 10th May, the venue for the Finish Line has been change. The Finish Line will be in between Quay 4 and Market Square at the V&A Waterfront and NOT at Quay 6. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

Saturday, May 10th, 2008
V&A Waterfront, Cape Town

Tour d’Afrique Finish Line and Arrival Ceremony

NB: VIPs, sponsors, media, family and friends of the riders to please check in with the organizers at Market Square (diagonally across from and behind The Amphitheatre) for security passes, media kits and refreshments.

Programme

From 10:00 – 14:00
Venue 1: The Amphitheatre V&A Waterfront
Enjoy the music and culture of performers from around Africa
Open to the public

14:00 – 14:30
Venue 2: In between Quay 4 Restaurant and Market Square V&A Waterfront
Welcome the participants as they cross the official Finish Line
Open to the public

14:30 – 16:00
Venue 3: The Amphitheatre, V&A Waterfront
Arrival Welcome & Medal Ceremony
Open to the public

16:00 – 17:00
Venue 4: Market Square, V&A Waterfront
VIPs, sponsors, media, family, friends meet cyclists over a celebratory glass of sparkling wine
Private function. Security pass required.

19:30 onwards
Venue 5: Hamilton’s Rugby Football Club
Number 1 Stephan Way, Green Point
(From Beach Road, Green Point, turn into Fritz Sonnenberg Road, then 2nd road right into Stephan Way)
Awards Dinner and multi-media show of the Tour d’Afrique
A few extra spaces are available, but booking essential. R130.00 including wine.

Theresa Brown
Tel: (021) 674 5398 Cell: 084 353 1975 email: theresa@tourdafrique.com

Thanks to our sponsors for their support and participation
V&A Waterfront, Twende Overland Services, Bokomo, Spekko, Illovo, Jacobs, Squirt, Heinz

• Your cycling day is obsessed with where your next Coke stop is. –Kristen
• You always put something down on your chair to save it, no matter where you are. –Bonnie
• All your pockets have toilet paper in them. –Erika
• You’re thinking about where in your home you’re going to install a red box. –Harrison
• You only have 1 tent peg left. –Beryl
• You pick up a stray bra and know exactly who it belongs to. –Mel
• You take a hotel room and still pitch a tent in the middle of the room. –Jamie
• Someone offers a chocolate caramel nut PVM bar and you turn it down (because when they first became available, they were a big hit). –Mel
• You do the sniff test to determine your cleanest/dirtiest clothes, which also applies to your eating utensils, drinking utensils, and the pieces of toilet paper in your pocket. –Debbie
• You’re able to wear the same pair of socks 3 days (6 days for others) in a row, no problem. –Cindy
• Your glasses are held together by scotch tape in 2 places, and you’ve run out of duct tape. –Bruno

Things you’ll miss about the TDA experience:

• Eating a lot, all the time, and not thinking twice about it.
• Seeing a new countryside every day, meeting new people, and the simplicity of life. It’s fun to be on the road all the time. I have to go back and find a job and work all the time. You also get to eat a lot because you get a good workout every day and burn it off. –Kristen
• The lack of responsibility. Living moment by moment, not thinking of the past or future, taking things as they come, with no family problems or pressures. –Beryl & Bonnie
• Fanta –Harrison
• Coke. I’ve developed an addiction. (person wants to remain anonymous)
• No phone, no TV, little internet.
• The TDA staff.
• The cycling, everyday, with no other preoccupation than eating, drinking, and sleeping. The company of so many other crazy people, wanting nothing other than this very thing. –Bruno
• The powdered milk. I carry a can of milk with me, just in case I find a tea stop. In fact, I eat powdered milk plain, by the teaspoonful. –Mel (disgusting, Mel!)
• No need for me to shop, groceries or otherwise. I hate shopping. –Beryl
• The truck drivers. They’ve been great.
• Some of the people. You miss some of the people all the time, all of the people some of the time, but not all the people all the time. With some people, there’s been an amazing camaraderie. I’ll miss them. –Jamie
• The big pots of brewed coffee. –Cindy
• African sunsets.
• Someone who knows how to change a flat on my bike.
• Duncan
• Duncan’s melodious tones, calling the “rider meeting!”
• Not being married. –Jamie
• Cycling kilometers on end, without restriction. That sense of freedom in cycling, of the open road. How am I going to cycle at home?
• Being in a different place every day. You don’t get bored. If you’re in a crappy camp, it doesn’t matter, because you leave the next day. –Beryl

In some ways we are sick of pitching our tents, sleeping on the ground and sitting on the saddle, but the thought of ending our experience of cycling across the African continent is bittersweet. It is a sweet thought of returning home to creature comforts, old friends and family. The bitterness comes when thinking of leaving a life of having nothing to do but ride a bike. We can’t believe it, but tomorrow, we’re going to arrive in Cape Town! Wow!

Please note that due to an international naval exercise taking place at the Waterfront on Saturday 10th May, the venue for the Finish Line has been change. The Finish Line will be in between Quay 4 and Market Square at the V&A Waterfront and NOT at Quay 6. We apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause. Saturday, May 10th, 2008 V&A Waterfront, Cape Town Tour d’Afrique Finish Line and Arrival Ceremony NB: VIPs, sponsors, media, family and friends of the riders to please check in with the organizers at Market Square (diagonally across from and behind The Amphitheatre) for security passes, media kits and refreshments. Programme From 10:00 – 14:00 Venue 1: The Amphitheatre V&A Waterfront Enjoy the music and culture of performers from around Africa Open to the public 14:00 – 14:30 Venue 2: In between Quay 4 Restaurant and Market Square V&A Waterfront Welcome the participants as they cross the official Finish Line Open to the public 14:30 – 16:00 Venue 3: The Amphitheatre, V&A Waterfront Arrival Welcome & Medal Ceremony Open to the public 16:00 – 17:00 Venue 4: Market Square, V&A Waterfront VIPs, sponsors, media, family, friends meet cyclists over a celebratory glass of sparkling wine Private function. Security pass required. 19:30 onwards Venue 5: Hamilton’s Rugby Football Club Number 1 Stephan Way, Green Point (From Beach Road, Green Point, turn into Fritz Sonnenberg Road, then 2nd road right into Stephan Way) Awards Dinner and multi-media show of the Tour d’Afrique A few extra spaces are available, but booking essential. R130.00 including wine. Theresa Brown Tel: (021) 674 5398 Cell: 084 353 1975 email: theresa@tourdafrique.com Thanks to our sponsors for their support and participation V&A Waterfront, Twende Overland Services, Bokomo, Spekko, Illovo, Jacobs, Squirt, Heinz

• Your cycling day is obsessed with where your next Coke stop is. –Kristen • You always put something down on your chair to save it, no matter where you are. –Bonnie • All your pockets have toilet paper in them. –Erika • You’re thinking about where in your home you’re going to install a red box. –Harrison • You only have 1 tent peg left. –Beryl • You pick up a stray bra and know exactly who it belongs to. –Mel • You take a hotel room and still pitch a tent in the middle of the room. –Jamie • Someone offers a chocolate caramel nut PVM bar and you turn it down (because when they first became available, they were a big hit). –Mel • You do the sniff test to determine your cleanest/dirtiest clothes, which also applies to your eating utensils, drinking utensils, and the pieces of toilet paper in your pocket. –Debbie • You’re able to wear the same pair of socks 3 days (6 days for others) in a row, no problem. –Cindy • Your glasses are held together by scotch tape in 2 places, and you’ve run out of duct tape. –Bruno Things you’ll miss about the TDA experience: • Eating a lot, all the time, and not thinking twice about it. • Seeing a new countryside every day, meeting new people, and the simplicity of life. It’s fun to be on the road all the time. I have to go back and find a job and work all the time. You also get to eat a lot because you get a good workout every day and burn it off. –Kristen • The lack of responsibility. Living moment by moment, not thinking of the past or future, taking things as they come, with no family problems or pressures. –Beryl & Bonnie • Fanta –Harrison • Coke. I’ve developed an addiction. (person wants to remain anonymous ) • No phone, no TV, little internet. • The TDA staff. • The cycling, everyday, with no other preoccupation than eating, drinking, and sleeping. The company of so many other crazy people, wanting nothing other than this very thing. --Bruno • The powdered milk. I carry a can of milk with me, just in case I find a tea stop. In fact, I eat powdered milk plain, by the teaspoonful. –Mel (disgusting, Mel!) • No need for me to shop, groceries or otherwise. I hate shopping. –Beryl • The truck drivers. They’ve been great. • Some of the people. You miss some of the people all the time, all of the people some of the time, but not all the people all the time. With some people, there’s been an amazing camaraderie. I’ll miss them. –Jamie • The big pots of brewed coffee. –Cindy • African sunsets. • Someone who knows how to change a flat on my bike. • Duncan • Duncan’s melodious tones, calling the “rider meeting!” • Not being married. –Jamie • Cycling kilometers on end, without restriction. That sense of freedom in cycling, of the open road. How am I going to cycle at home? • Being in a different place every day. You don’t get bored. If you’re in a crappy camp, it doesn’t matter, because you leave the next day. –Beryl In some ways we are sick of pitching our tents, sleeping on the ground and sitting on the saddle, but the thought of ending our experience of cycling across the African continent is bittersweet. It is a sweet thought of returning home to creature comforts, old friends and family. The bitterness comes when thinking of leaving a life of having nothing to do but ride a bike. We can’t believe it, but tomorrow, we’re going to arrive in Cape Town! Wow!

Lost:
Two toothbrushes
My favorite pair of socks
Countless pens at each border
One bath towel
My only rain jacket
Countless hours of sleep from people snoring
One breakfast bowl
Two pairs of sunglasses
One girlfriend
All sense of time

Found:
Ear plugs that almost work
One Toronto Maple Leaf hockey jersey in Iringa
One stone used for scraping hides
A new workout routine—digging latrines
Realizing riding 207km feels the same as 150km, except longer
Learning never to judge a country by what you see on TV…you need to go there
New friends from all over the world

Many thanks to all the family and friends who gave me support throughout the tour and the staff of TDA, who put up with me for the last four months.

Lost: Two toothbrushes My favorite pair of socks Countless pens at each border One bath towel My only rain jacket Countless hours of sleep from people snoring One breakfast bowl Two pairs of sunglasses One girlfriend All sense of time Found: Ear plugs that almost work One Toronto Maple Leaf hockey jersey in Iringa One stone used for scraping hides A new workout routine—digging latrines Realizing riding 207km feels the same as 150km, except longer Learning never to judge a country by what you see on TV…you need to go there New friends from all over the world Many thanks to all the family and friends who gave me support throughout the tour and the staff of TDA, who put up with me for the last four months

Et voila, cette fois c`est la fin ! C`est semaine, nous allons ou nous avons fait pour la derniere fois ce qui a ete notre quotidien pendant quatres mois… Nous avons eu notre dernier camp nature dans le desert la semaine derniere (et donc notre derniere toilette avec des lingettes et notre derniere utilisation de la pelle…). Hier, notre derniere douche froide (enfin je l`espere !). Les cyclistes changent leur pneus (ou pas, pour les moins courageux) pour la derniere fois. Derniere lessive, dernier passage de frontiere, derniere monnaie differente… Le chef va faire son dernier barbecue, les mecanos leurs dernieres reparations, le medecin ses derniers points de sutures (j`espere aussi…), et puis c`est les derniers velo-balais, dejeuner, preparation du dinner et corvee de poubelles pour le staff…Bientot, la derniere nuit sous la tente et la derniere fois que l`on case tout notre materiel dans la fameuse “red box” (dommage, on est rode maintenant : on fait ca comme des chefs!). Tout cela donne un petit air de vacances, a quelques jours de la fin, meme si les journee de velo sont encore longues et le temps un peu frais le matin, chacun peu profiter de l`après-midi pour une bonne douche, une glace, un peu de shopping (en prevision de la soiree samedi : tenue correcte exigee…), une bonne biere au bar le soir… une douce transition vers le retour a la maison !

Et voila, cette fois c`est la fin ! C`est semaine, nous allons ou nous avons fait pour la derniere fois ce qui a ete notre quotidien pendant quatres mois… Nous avons eu notre dernier camp nature dans le desert la semaine derniere (et donc notre derniere toilette avec des lingettes et notre derniere utilisation de la pelle…). Hier, notre derniere douche froide (enfin je l`espere !). Les cyclistes changent leur pneus (ou pas, pour les moins courageux) pour la derniere fois. Derniere lessive, dernier passage de frontiere, derniere monnaie differente… Le chef va faire son dernier barbecue, les mecanos leurs dernieres reparations, le medecin ses derniers points de sutures (j`espere aussi…), et puis c`est les derniers velo-balais, dejeuner, preparation du dinner et corvee de poubelles pour le staff…Bientot, la derniere nuit sous la tente et la derniere fois que l`on case tout notre materiel dans la fameuse “red box” (dommage, on est rode maintenant : on fait ca comme des chefs!). Tout cela donne un petit air de vacances, a quelques jours de la fin, meme si les journee de velo sont encore longues et le temps un peu frais le matin, chacun peu profiter de l`après-midi pour une bonne douche, une glace, un peu de shopping (en prevision de la soiree samedi : tenue correcte exigee…), une bonne biere au bar le soir… une douce transition vers le retour a la maison !