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Our CEO, Jim Mee is currently out on the Trans Africa Coast to Coast event, riding 3200km across Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean.
Over the coming weeks, we'll be updating this page with Jim's diary entries from the road, sharing the stories, challenges, landscapes and memorable moments that come with spending weeks crossing a continent by bike.
Over to Jim...
Update 1: Namibia Complete – 800km Down
On June 3rd, the 37 riders of the inaugural Rat Race Trans Africa lined up at the water’s edge on the skeleton coast of Namibia – staring down 3200km of gravel and road riding to reach the Indian Ocean on the other side of Africa.
Namibia would see us ride for 6 days which, bar the final 100km into the Botswana border, was all pretty much 100% on gravel. The full Coast to Coast route will feature around a 50/50 gravel/ tarmac mix across the board. But for starters, Namibia was all about the gravel: 700km of every surface imaginable. We rode fast-rolling, slip slidy, pick-your-line-sandy, thigh-bustingly-sticky, get-off-and-walk-it’s-so-deep and of course, magnificent hardpack champagne gravel. For those who have ridden gravel bikes a bit, you’ll probably know that there is gravel and there is gravel. And in Namibia, there’s also sand. And a hell of a lot of it.
The Namibian stage was thus characterised by this gargantuan selection of riding types and surfaces, all bound up with unforgettable sunrises and sunsets, desert landscapes, incredible food and accommodation locations, multiple wildlife sightings and oh-so-much-gravel.
Namibia: Days 1 - 6
Day 1 set the record straight on what lay ahead.
We dipped our wheels in the Atlantic and rolled out of Henties Bay for what was a relatively short day on paper, but one that packed an almighty punch. The route climbed 1,200m over 110km, starting in single-digit temperatures beneath a cool sea mist. Then, at around 10am – bam – the sun switched itself on. Just 30km inland, the mist disappeared, the skies turned brilliant blue and temperatures hit 33°C. The heat was intense, the gravel was grabby and things quickly became hard work. I was a bag of spanners for most of the day. I often feel this way during the opening days of a multi-day event as my body comes to terms with the fact that this is life now. Usually by day three or four, things start to feel easier. I got through a whole tube of electrolytes, eight salt tablets and suffered some of the worst quad cramps I've ever had. To top it off, a transit-damaged rear derailleur left me riding effectively single-speed for around 80km.
I limped into the magnificent Spitzkoppe camp, grabbed a beer, pinched myself at the starry sky and the incredible red desert hues of this brooding sandstone mountains; and flopped into my tent. I was spent and my ass had been thoroughly handed to me.
Day 2 wasn't much easier.
We started on loose, sticky gravel before reaching one of the most enjoyable sections of the trip so far: a fully off-road 20km link section that felt more like mountain biking than gravel riding. The morning continued with another 30km of loose and sandy terrain before we reached lunch. The lunch stops have quickly become a highlight of the event, with freshly cooked food, fresh salads, plenty of carbs and endless cold drinks, much of it sourced locally. After lunch, we climbed into a game park where we rode alongside warthogs and giraffes before rolling into Omaruru with 120km completed. By the end of the day, my IT bands were screaming. I think everyone was feeling the cumulative effect of the opening stages. Hands, feet, legs and bums were taking a beating. Gravel has a way of doing that to you, especially when the dreaded C-word appears: corrugations.
Day 3 was a mixed bag of terrain and one of the most memorable days so far.
We set off before sunrise and climbed through the dawn towards Erindi Private Game Reserve, where we regrouped for an escorted ride through the reserve alongside armed rangers and lion-monitoring teams. We didn't see any lions, but they were definitely out there. I'm fairly sure they saw us though, it's hard to miss 37 cyclists dressed head-to-toe in colourful lycra. A fast descent on mostly hard-packed gravel brought us to a stunning country hotel in Okahandja. Alongside another excellent meal, we were treated to a performance by a local youth choir. A mechanical issue meant I largely freewheeled the final 30km into town, but with 153km covered, this was a special day out. You simply don't get to ride through a private game reserve like this unless you're on Trans Africa.
Day 4 took us from Okahandja onto another long gravel stage, covering 123km to our first bush camp at Hochfeld.
Our pop-up tents were pitched within a family-run guesthouse and campsite. Designed for three people but occupied by one, they felt positively spacious. Hot showers, proper facilities and incredible hospitality made for a very comfortable evening. We enjoyed a traditional braai, and I later learned that almost everything we ate had been produced on the surrounding farm. The food on this event continues to be exceptional; varied, nutritious, locally sourced and plentiful. The landscape was changing too. The sandy desert scenery of the coast was slowly giving way to ‘bushveldt’, savannah and farmland as we moved further east.
Day 5 was simply brilliant.
There had been some apprehension about covering 171km entirely on gravel, but we needn't have worried. This was champagne gravel at its finest; fast, flowing and hugely enjoyable. Everyone finished the stage grinning from ear to ear as we rolled into Gobabis ready to say goodbye to gravel for a few days.
Day 6 felt like a gift.
A mere 100km on smooth tarmac took us to East Gate Rest Camp, less than a kilometre from the Botswana border. The route was mainly flat or downhill, so we enjoyed a lie-in, a huge breakfast and some fast road riding to tick off the kilometres. Namibia is now done. If anyone arrived unsure about gravel riding, they certainly aren't now. I'll be sad to leave this country. It's one of my favourites anywhere in the world, which says a lot considering I've visited more than 100 countries.
But tomorrow, a country I have never visited awaits as our African odyssey crosses into Botswana.
Distance completed: Approx. 800km
Countries completed: 1 of 4
Current location: Botswana border
Update 2: Botswana Complete –2,000km Down
Botswana saw us ride almost 1,200km from west to east across the entire country, mostly on fast, flat tarmac. These were some seriously long days in the saddle, with riders working together in groups and pelotons to tick off the miles across the vast plains and desert landscapes of this famously wildlife-rich part of Southern Africa.
The long days of the stage saw us riders enjoy plenty of incredible sunrises on the bike, some superb wildlife viewing in the Okavango delta on our rest day; and a gazillion road-side waves to and from the incredibly friendly residents of this wonderful country. There was also a bevy of personal bests - with lots of participants clocking in their longest ever rides and fastest ever segments. So much time in the saddle has really helped the conditioning for us riders and whilst some folk have developed or exacerbated some minor injuries, it does feel like the group is generally getting stronger with every day’s ride. I guess that’s what 14 days on a bike will do to you!
Botswana: Days 7 - 14
Day 7 saw us rise early for our longest day so far: 204km. The early border crossing and a cool pre-dawn start had everyone up and moving quickly, but a helpful tailwind made light work of what could have been an intimidating distance.
We rolled into arguably our most luxurious accommodation of the trip (picture-perfect Safari lodge, Palm Afrique) at about 5pm, in plenty of time to enjoy a spectacular Botswana sunset.
My abiding memory of the day was from our first road-side pit stop in Botswana at around the 50km mark, where I found myself tucking into our head chef’s own freshly-shot Springbok filet-mignon for lunch. A Rat Race first for sure! Okky, Robyn and their catering team truly are masters of producing the freshest and heartiest fare at the side of the road. That particular tasty morsel was simply out of this world.
Day 8 brought another tarmac stage, with 139km and a persistent headwind slowing progress towards our wild camp at Kuke.
This was camping at its most authentic: a remote bush setting just off the Kalahari Highway, a hot bucket shower warmed over a fire, a hearty meal and a brilliantly starry sky. I believe this kind of evening is the definitive camping experience of Trans Africa. I would wager that even those who just ‘don’t do camping’ would be hard pushed not to find something soul-stirring in such an experience: Far from people, cut off from the news, with no phone signal and devoid of many of the trappings of 21st century life.
Day 9 covered 154km and featured Botswana's only gravel section of the route – a fun 55km stretch of hard-packed roads through a series of welcoming villages.
We enjoyed interactions with loads of friendly locals, including plenty of Botswanan ladies dressed in the impressive (and massive!) traditional Otjikaiva horizontal headdress of the Herero people. This turned out to be a pretty hard day and it was a different experience to roll into the rush-hour traffic of the town of Maun at around 5pm.
Traditional dancing from a troupe of San performers and a wonderful meal rounded off a memorable day and the end of Stage One of the event. This meant a well-earned rest on Day 10, with no bikes in sight.
Day 10 – Our first rest day!
For many riders, that meant exploring the famous Okavango Delta by canoe, helicopter or small aircraft in search of wildlife.
My own day was punctuated by catching up on some paperwork – the work of the Rat Race CEO never stops, honest! This was followed by an enormous safety burger and an incredible iced coffee at the Dusty Donkey Café. Later, I had another encounter with the San people as our intrepid videographer, James Appleton, filmed a witch doctor performing a dusk ritual around a campfire by the river for one of the riders. Simon is tackling the trip on a Brompton folding bike and, being a tall guy on a very small bike, his neck had started to give him some discomfort. The ceremony was visceral. When I travel, I love experiencing everything a location can throw at us, and this was certainly one of those encounters.
The day finished with another of Southern Africa's most famous cultural experiences - a cheeky Nando's.
Day 11 saw us ‘ease in’ again and after a day off, 136km on the aptly named Elephant Highway helped get the legs turning again.
We were warned about elephants in our pre-departure briefing and while riders missed a sighting near pit stop 2, the wildlife more than made up for it later at the astounding Boteti River Camp.
Everyone enjoyed a slightly earlier finish today to soak in the ambience of the river camp, which turned out to be a quintessentially African location. One of the real highlights of this trip is the sheer variety of overnight accommodation locations we are enjoying and Boteti was a true gem. Sitting on the deck with a beer and a laptop, I looked up to see an elephant emerge from the riverbank opposite. Other riders spotted hippos and more elephants nearby, while distant choir music drifted across the landscape.
I had to pinch myself that this was all happening – it was like a caricature of Africa – all wrapped up into a gloriously authentic experience that we were all having together. That night, we were serenaded overnight by the sounds of nearby hippos along the riverbank. A simply wonderful end to a perfect day on the road.
Day 12 dawned and the mileages now ramped up to get us across the remaining several hundred km of Botswana. We needed to make 177km and today was to be a tough gig.
A stubborn headwind between the first two pit stops meant progress was hard-earned, with groups sharing the workload and rotating turns on the front to keep moving.
An early evening finish brought us into Makamutu camp, where a hot meal awaited, alongside rustic-style safari and bell tent accommodation. Today was a grind; but high fives all round at the end of the day always make these outings worthwhile on Trans Africa.
Day 13 was another biggie. But today there was an incentive to tick off those miles in quick order. This was the joint longest day of the trip so far at 203km and our second 200+ day on the road in Botswana.
Khama Rhino Sanctuary was our destination and if we arrived early enough, we'd get a safari.
Spoiler: We all made it and we all saw Rhinos; loads of them. We also saw Kudu, Oryx, Guinea Fowl, Ostrich and all manner of other critters at this amazing spot.
The morning saw us pass a fair amount of traffic heading through the dawn to start shifts at the vast Orapa diamond mine. Apparently, it's the largest – or one of the largest – in the world. The day ended with another hearty dinner and a few well-earned beers. Not too many, though, as tomorrow brought another big innings. Our tented camp, hidden deep in the bush of the sanctuary, was yet another highlight of this safari-style riding and camping tour of Botswana.
Day 14 was our final day in Botswana, with another big 178km on the cards to reach the South African border at Martin's Drift. It was a chilly start, and although headwinds and crosswinds were forecast, the riding proved better than expected.
The final 5km brought a remarkable sight: around 300 trucks queued along the hard shoulder, waiting to cross the border. Many were carrying copper from Botswana's vast mines, and I was told some drivers can spend up to five days waiting to get through. Whether that's true or not, I couldn't say. What I do know is that it took us eight days to cross the entire country by bike, and I'd much rather do that than spend five days parked at a border crossing!
Despite the queue, the drivers were incredibly friendly, and we received those quintessential Botswanan waves right to the border. We arrived at our beautiful overnight stop, Kwa Kokeng Lodge, on the banks of the Limpopo River around 4pm. The river forms the official frontier with South Africa, making it a fitting place to spend our final night in Botswana. After settling into our tented accommodation and enjoying another slap-up meal, we were ready to say farewell to country number two and hello to country number three.
Botswana struck me as a kind, welcoming and community-spirited place. We may not have had all the wildlife encounters we'd hoped for from the saddle - that's the luck of the draw - but the rhinos, the wildlife of the Okavango and the chance to cross legendary landscapes like the Kalahari have all left their mark.
This was a new country for me, something that happens less and less these days. Travelling as much as I do is a privilege; discovering somewhere entirely new is even more so. I'm convinced I'll return to Botswana one day. Indeed, I must.
Distance completed: Approx. 2,000km
Countries completed: 2 of 4
Current location: South Africa border
Update 3: South Africa & Eswatini – 3,200km Down & Trans Africa Coast to Coast Complete
Stage 3 of this epic saw the climbing dial definitively turned up to 11. Not long after we crossed the border from the long flat pulls of Botswana, it felt like we were gradually going uphill. We rode deep into South African game lodge country via a rest day in the farming town of Groblersdal. We continued across vast swatches of abundant farmland and through small towns, to reach tiny but mighty Eswatini – a true highlight of the trip. We then re-entered South Africa for the final flurry, to finish at the stunning Sodwana Bay on the Indian Ocean Coast. This stage felt like a true crescendo of everything that had come before, with some 1100km of riding seeing us traverse game farms, vast arable and citrus growing country, huge solitary stands of Douglas Fir and open moorland, into the dramatic mountain scenery of Eswatini. A final few tough climbs took us to the crest of a final mountain ridge to come face-to-face with our objective, the warm tropical waters of the Indian Ocean.
We were told at the outset of this trip that each stage would have its own distinctive character and that was certainly very true. This stage was no different; whereas Namibia was all about the sand and the Botswana stage had been pan flat for a lot of the distance, South Africa and Eswatini packed an almighty punch on the ascent and descent stats, seeing us rack up almost 2/3 of the entire trips’ climbing in 1/3 of the trip distance, a whopping 12,000m in these wonderful 8 days of riding.
South Africa & Eswatini: Days 15 - 23
Day 15 – Into South African Game country
From the border post at Martin’s Drift we cleared immigration swiftly, leaving the 5km line of trucks waiting to cross from Botswana behind and snaked our way into our 3rd country on the trip, South Africa. Pretty much as soon as we crossed, you could tell we were in a different country, the mood at the side of the road had changed a little, buildings and settlements felt different and the scale of the agriculture in this part of South Africa was on another level to the more informal bushland of Botswana. A smooth ride on tarmac took us onto some fast, fun gravel, followed by some mixed sandy stuff all passing through private game farms with high fences, both to keep poachers out and to keep the animals in. It certainly felt good to be back on the gravel. We wound our way over 128km to enjoy a relatively early finish at our serene riverside campsite at Tog Te Lekker Dam. The catering crew whizzed up another feast, washed down with cold beer from their mobile draught beer bar and fresh banana and chocolate protein smoothies for those who wanted to recover. And recovery was what was most definitely needed, as tomorrow would prove to be a real punisher.
Day 16 – The day it all went wrong. But Man - what a day…!
Our trip leader and Rat Race Head of Expeditions Abbi had been out on her bike the evening before to pre-recce some of today’s route. She discovered a bridge was out, making progress impassable. This meant we would start today with a very early alarm call in our tents, followed by a 0430 breakfast. All bikes had been pre-loaded onto our special bike and cargo trailers the night before, with the intent to re-start the route 13km back the way we had come and take a detour. This meant we could still achieve the full unbroken journey across Africa. The crew had pulled a blinder. Live events always kick up some issues and in the middle of the South African bush country, there are limited options and hard decisions to make. The whole thing was handled deftly and decisively. Our local fixer, Jacques arranged special access via a Rhino sanctuary to get us back ‘on route.’ At 0530 we loaded up the support vehicles with all riders and made our way back along slow sandy tracks to the new revised start point. We were on the bikes by 0645 after what had been an extraordinary logistical operation by the crew, we really do have the best team and local crews at Rat Race. Which is just as well; as the day was to prove ever-more challenging behind the scenes for them as it went on. For us riders, this was a big day already, billed as perhaps the toughest of the whole trip: 178km of riding, mostly gravel, with nearly 2000m of climbing on all manner of surfaces and terrain. The mountain-biker in me was in my element, bouncing up (and down) rock-garden-style gravel as we made our way via another re-route around a quarantined farm and onwards eventually into the night. What had started in the dark also finished in the dark some 12 hours later, where we spent the night with 16 000 crocodiles at rustic lodge-style chalets at a croc farm. To top it all off, the catering vehicle had a blow-out as they made their way to prepare dinner, so we ate the most glorious-tasting takeaway burgers-in-bread out of Styrofoam trays, while soaking in the hot springs of the croc farm and nursing our battered bodies back to life for tomorrow’s travails. A brutal but absolutely exhilarating day; and a day that confirmed the indelible truth: Rat Race crew are solid gold on the inside and pure steel on the outside.
Day 17 – Cruising strong into our second rest day
With 600m climbing over 160km on the cards today, this was to be a fast and exhilarating day via relatively straightforward and very enjoyable flowing gravel sections, linked together with fast tarmac. Whereas in the previous 2 stages, many of the days were majority gravel or tarmac, in the South African stage most of the days were a welcome mixture of both. We sped through vast cotton fields, citrus plantations and all manner of nature’s bounty being harvested under the Southern African sun. We also passed through 3 local towns where we were absolutely mobbed by 100s of kids on their lunchbreak, playing outside and offering up high fives to all of us riders. The final section into Groblersdal was a little bit of a sting in the tail, given heavy corrugations on the gravel roads. But they were fun nonetheless as the track twisted and turned through the fields and we exchanged greetings with the fruit pickers at work in the fields and on their way home, walking down the track towards us as we approached at speed on the bikes. As we pulled into the Loskop Valley hotel at Groblersdal, a rest day beckoned and it was very timely indeed.
Day 18 – At last, we stop (for a day at least)
A welcome rest day saw folk do their laundry, take a local taxi ride into town for burgers, beers and coffee and in general, it gave us a welcome respite from life on 2 wheels. With only 5 riding days remaining after this last rest day, the end felt more tangible than ever. But these next few days could not be taken for granted, we still had to climb the equivalent of Mount Everest on our bikes and negotiate an entire extra country – albeit a small one – before that refreshing celebratory dip in the Indian Ocean beckoned.
Day 19 – Up, up, up and away!
Back on the bikes for a respectable departure time of 0730, it felt like there was a decidedly fresh spring in most folks’ step today, eager to take on this final flurry to the coast. We blazed our way back into the fray with a short 118km, but with 1700m of climbing. The main climb seemed to go on for around 50km, snaking uphill at between 1 and 5%, but there were some relatively steep and technical sections also; and I think a number of riders were pretty shell-shocked at what on paper looked like an ‘easy’ day, which turned out to be anything but. The ‘substantial’ gravel ascent was followed by a joyous tarmac descent and we rolled into our quirky wedding venue accommodation at Stofberg in time to see the sun setting and enjoy another hearty South African feast. The food truly is something else on this trip, tasty, nutritious, varied and plentiful. By this point, nearly 3 weeks of riding in, the body is craving calories. So when it comes to the cuisine, it is very much a case of the more the merrier. On that front, it feels like we have had quality and quantity the whole way through, to be fair.
Day 20 – A very special end of stage treat tonight
Another long day, indeed all of the days in this stage have been long or difficult in some shape or form. Where every distinct stage has its own character, so too really does every individual day of Trans Africa, particularly in this 3rd portion. Today’s route was a fantastic day out on glorious gravel, punctuated with fast tarmac sections that all came together to give a comprehensive and hugely enjoyable day in the saddle over 154km and nearly 2000m of climbing. The highlight came at day’s end however. As we turned off the Highway onto a final gravel section, we approached the Florence wedding venue at Warburton and were treated to what can only be described as a luxury glamping experience in a stunningly wild and remote setting. The cute safari-style tents and lodges were nestled in amongst stands of Douglas Fir planted by early Scottish settlers and home to some fascinating local history, upon which our hosts regaled us with at dinner. Our meal itself was held in an exquisitely opulent banqueting hall with all 56 of us riders and crew gathered around a long dining table under chandeliers in a fantastically chic stone-built barn. It felt like Hogwarts-meets-bouji-bridal-party and was totally and utterly unexpected. Absolutely brilliant with some lovely camaraderie around the dinner table. A perfect end to a perfect day on the bikes.
Day 21 – Another day, another country….
With 3 days to the coast, I started to feel like the end of was nigh. But the stats of the next 3 days did nothing to convince me it was in the bag, as yet. Today’s mission entailed 170km over nearly 2200m of climbing. Sure, a fair whack of this was on tarmac but you just cannot hide from those climbing stats. This was most definitely what I would call a ‘punchy’ day – and in no way at all did it disappoint. We rose early and descended from Florence into some early morning mist before ascending out of it again into upland landscapes, peppered with those Douglas Fir plantations and very much reminiscent of the farming country of the Moray Highlands, Angus and Forfar in Scotland. This was a true rollercoaster of a day where we went up and down several small hills, sometimes holding momentum to roll them at speed and sometimes having to break into a full climb to get up and over the humps. Many of the gravel sections were beautiful, with 1 notably horrible rutted section where trucks were turning into a local mine to load up and carry away vast quantities of coal. Today’s destination was Eswatini and we crossed the border just after our lunch stop, to complete the final 50km in our 4th and final country on this epic tour of Southern Africa. Eswatini had a bit of a sting in the tail, with the punchiest hills of the day coming near the end. I was followed up one such climb by a very slow-moving tractor – I was doing about 8kmh and he was doing 7.5, so I just could not shake him until I crested and started the descent. As we rolled into the casino hotel at Nhlangano and enjoyed some local dancers in the grounds later on that evening (albeit no sign of any blackjack), there were smiles all round. We had completed our biggest remaining day on the bikes in terms of mileage and Eswatini had welcomed us warmly. Surely, it was all downhill from here….??
Day 22 – Eswatini we love you!
Today was billed as an absolute favourite day from pretty much the entire Test Pilot crew who rode this route as a trial run in 2024. I can now see why. What an absolute joy to blast up and over hill after hill of Eswatini, clocking up nearly 2200m of climbing and receiving nothing but warmth, friendliness and greetings from virtually every person we passed, plus high fives and cheers from 1000s of school children dressed immaculately walking on their way to school high up in the mountain villages of this tiny African ‘country-within-a-country.’ Eswatini is bordered to the south, west and east by South Africa and to the North by Mozambique, landlocked by its larger neighbours; but what it lacks in size it absolutely makes up for in warmth, generosity of spirit and terrain. We set off into the rising dawn and we shot up, down and over hills galore. The views were astronomical, some of the ascents were seriously brutal with one almost-Alpine-style climb going on seemingly forever at 10/12% and punctuated by pockets of up to 23% in places. But of course, what goes up must come down and we also enjoyed super-swift descents where virtually everyone clocked their fastest speeds of the trip. After around 100km of pure and utter joy, we crossed the border back into South Africa for the final 40km to Belvedere Game Farm, itself preceded by one final big climb to get to the lodge, with the sun setting over the local hills. Eswatini, you have my heart. This was without a doubt a real highlight of the trip for me and I would say for most of the other riders too.
Day 23 – From coast to coast
The final day. Perhaps ultimate day. 126km and 1400m of ascent now stands between us and the Indian Ocean. That’s it. With nearly 3100km in the bag thus far, this should feel like a rounding error, right? But as Trip Leader Abbi reminded us at dinner the night before, this is still a chunky day out in any cyclist’s book, particularly when it is a day that would throw a smorgasbord of pretty much every type of riding we had experienced so far across the full gambit of the trip, all wrapped up into a perfect 1 day medley, before we could finally dismount our trusty steeds for the last time at Sodwana Bay. We started before dawn in the dark with a screeching descent from the lodge, then up, down, up, down before we reached ‘the big one’, a monster climb up the final escarpment before the sand plains that would lead us to the sea. After a rip-roaring descent from the top of the ridge, (plus an obligatory Golden Arches pit stop for milkshakes and burgers in the town at the bottom), we hit the final section – approximately 30km of tough gravel that sapped us before we reached our final pit stop. The farewell to the pit stop crew at PS3 was bittersweet. They packed up and headed for the coast and we grizzed out the final 10km of bone-shaker gravel, before transferring to 20km of smooth tarmac that would take us to the finishline. As we approached the final hurrah, the sea was hidden from view by the bush, but the temperature started to cool as we detected that fresh sea air. All of a sudden, after 6km of glorious freewheeling in our final peleton formation, we saw it: The Rat Race arch, silhouetted against the sky as the sun started to dip towards the horizon. This was a finish line for the ages: Crashing surf, warm ocean, white sand beach and a monster medal draped around our necks. It does not get sweeter than this when you are covered in sweat, sand, when your muscles are saying no more and when your bike has been squeaking louder than it should be doing for the past 200ish km. We stripped down to our shorts and jumped in the sea. And it was done.
Chapeau indeed to my fellow riders of the 2026 Rat Race Trans Africa. Time now to put the bike down for a while. You have earned that beer.
Distance completed: 3200km
Countries completed: 4 of 4
Current location: Sodwana Bay, The Finish!
