Monday, October 31, 2005 - 06:39 PM

The Tour d'Afrique is a 12 000-kilometer (7,500-mile) bicycle race/expedition that crosses the African continent from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa and it's gearing up for its fourth year.

On January 14th, 2006, with the pyramids behind them and the African continent stretching out before them, a group of intrepid men and women from all over the world will begin a journey of both body and soul as they pedal their way through an epic adventure like no other.

Travelling through 10 African countries in all, the Tour travels past ancient temples, through game reserves teeming with wildlife, across the foothills of legendary Mount Kilimanjaro, alongside the rugged and biblical landscape of Ethiopia's Simian Mountains and the edge of Botswana's magnificent Kalahari.

The journey takes approximately 120 days of which 95 are cycling days, averaging 125 km (75 miles) each day; 23 are rest days (well needed every 5 – 6 days) and two are travel days from Aswan to Wadi Halfa. Support trucks transport the gear and equipment, and an experienced crew sets up camp each night and prepares four hearty meals a day.

The Tour accommodates four categories: Racers -individuals who plan to race all the way; Expedition Riders - who cover the daily distance at their own pace; Relay Teams – corporate or club teams where each team member rides a section of the trip; Sectional Riders – who ride a section or sections of the trip.

Out of the 51 currently registered participants, eight are South Africans, seven are from Holland, eight from UK, one German, fifteen Canadians, three are from Belgium, seven from USA and two from France.

The participants range in age from Canadian, Sam Bail, who is the youngest at 19 to James Malone, 67, also from Canada. James has just completed the Orient Express Bicycle Tour (also organized by the Tour d’Afrique), which took him from Paris, France to Istanbul, Turkey. When asked why he is now participating in the Tour d’Afrique Jim replied: “How could I not? Once I heard about it, the idea took possession of me. I just know that I must go.”

Some of the riders have already “begun” their tour. Mathew Caretti left his home in California on October 9th and is now cycling across USA in preparation for the Tour. In his latest email from Las Cruces, New Mexico he begins his email with: "Every day is a journey. And the journey itself is home".

Paul Tuthill, Paddy Frankel and Julliet Wolfe from Ireland are also on their way across Europe aiming to arrive in Cairo by early January just in time to start their Cairo to Cape Town journey.

Whether you’re a born competitor, an explorer on your own mission, a corporate team sharing the journey or someone who wants to experience a particular country or section, the Tour d’Afrique will challenge you physically and mentally like no other - and reward you as you have never been rewarded before, with scenes of unsurpassed splendour and an incomparable feeling of accomplishment.

There are a few places left on the 2006 Tour, so if you're up for the adventure of a lifetime register on www.tourdafrique.com or call Shanny Hill, Toronto - 416 364-8255 or email shanny@tourdafrique.com

The Tour d’Afrique is open to anyone over the age 18 who has undertaken a medical examination to ensure that they are physically capable of participating in this journey. Individuals under 18 must provide release from their legal guardian in order to partake, and no one under the age of 16 years is eligible.