The Wind At Our Backs

The goddess of wind finally blew at our backs today. It was a much needed push for legs, tired by nearly four months spent on the road and was a final blast shoving us into the last country on our itinerary. Climbing from the Orange River valley and cruising along the badlands of northern South Africa was a welcome beginning to touring this final country. We face five riding days before we can bask in the afternoon winter sun in Cape Town’s Waterfront. Today’s wind was welcome, though it has been more than just the wind pushing us forward.

We are, as a group, in a perpetual countdown of km markers that follow us on our daily stages. A road sign for Cape Town makes the finish line seem realistic and within reach. This sign has us looking toward the finish line and the few camps left are slipping by surprisingly quickly. In hindsight, it seems our days in Egypt are vivid and we can easily recall the smallest details of each camp. I feel that the last five days of riding will return us to the ‘Egypt state of mind’ and the memories from these days will be as dramatic as our memories from the beginning.