Getting to the start line

The other night a couple of guys questioned the legitimacy of parading around our logo when we haven’t actually “pedaled” Africa yet.

It’s funny; being deep in the planning and organizing of an expedition, the process leading to it becomes as big a part of it as the actual expedition. Best described, perhaps, in the words of Mark Beaumont: getting to the start line is the hardest part! Once we have our bikes assembled in Beira, it’ll be all about treading the pedals, turning the wheels, all about cycling, choosing the right turns and getting enough drinkable water and food to sustain ourselves (ok, slightly simplified, perhaps). While not to be undermined, it does sound wonderfully simple; meditative, even. Certainly, the physical challenge has yet to come, but the challenge started when we got together back in October, and the journey – while hard to actually believe is now so close – has, in our minds, been reality since then.

When we all left St. Andrews just over a week ago, it was with the intention of having everything ready as if we were flying out the next day. That makes this month a strange in-between; it is so close – getting closer every day – and while we basically feel ready to jump on our bikes and get going, the thought of it being so close is almost not believable. Of course there are always little details, follow-ups, minor additions, etc. that pop up, but this is probably mostly a time to mentally move from the organizing, planning, coordinating state-of-mind, to the awareness of the actual, real reality of the forthcoming adventure; although the preparations, organizing and planning won’t end until we make our way out of Beira, the first of 4000 km, and the actual, real reality of it all probably won’t sink in until we start settling into our saddles on those African roads!

So no, we haven’t yet pedaled Africa, but for something that is coming unbelievably, incredibly close, it has nonetheless been ever-present  for 7-8 months already.