Bad Weather

Due to bad rain and mud. I will move one day later till it stabilizes and the road dry out a bit! i'm all packed up and ready, can't wait to start...

Rapture

Even though I'm feeling very worried and uneasy, i have this feeling of internal happiness and rapture.

I'm terrified to be honest of my upcoming trip which is starting two days from today (less than 48 hours)

I want you all to wish me luck, give me all the spiritual and mental support you can offer...

i love you all :-)

The countdown

It's one week away from my trip to Siwa. I have made a slight change to the route. I was planning to go on the desert road to Alex, though I was driving down the agricultural road few days ago and had a feeling that it'll be a better route, so this how I'll reach Alex.

My randoneer has arrived two weeks ago and it's an amazing bike. It's strong comfortable and I feel very confident riding it.

I have also received a lovely gift from a friend, the HyMini Wind Charger, it's a little nice protable hybrid charger with a built in wind turbine... still testing it, don't know how good it is, but the idea is brilliant...

http://www.hymini.com/

Pascal Staeuble

I'm so ashamed of myself that i didn't get to write anything about my friend Pascal Staeuble, who i met on my trip to Jordan, 2 km before a city called Abou Redeis.

Pascal Staeuble is a Swiss gentleman who happened to be cycling his way to South Africa, and i was lucky enough to run into him, have a chat, exchange emails and take a picture.

When i saw him 400m away i thought my mind was starting to play games and i have been on the road for 3 days now, and this is an illusion. A cyclist on the other way in Egypt, is a coincidence that happens as frequent as the moon Eclipses we hear about those days.

Pascal has started his trips like 7-8 months ago now, it was 5 when we met 2.5 months ago. He started from Switzerland and heading to South Africa. He's in Ethiopia now, he's filling my life with inspirations and hope just knowing people like him still exist.

I'm sure he's an inspiration to all of you as well...

Siwa Oasis

View Cairo-Siwa Bicycle Trip in a larger map

As I await for my Novara Randonnee, which is in NYC by now. I start preparing for a new trip to Siwa Oasis, a place i have never been to before and just the stories you hear about the place gives u shivers all over.

This will be an 800km trip, i will do it alone, hopefully! it should take me 6-7 days to arrive. I will then be joined by my friends Farid and Hala in which we will spend 5-6 days in the oasis exploring and enjoying it...

I started with the packing list today. Got out my sleeping bag which needs a bit of fixing and hopefully will work on the tent. I made sure the stove is working fine. I disassembeled my Ergo Lo-rider from the old wheel and it's ready to be assembeled on the new one.

Wish me luck, i need all the support you can offer

Bicycle Crash

Yesterday as I was cycling back from Maadi, 30km away from home approx. I got to go through a small bridge which had very wide gaps between the plates, it has horizontal and vertical gaps. unfortunately i underestimated the vertical gap size and this is what happened, the front wheel fell in the gap, i flipped over the forks snapped, thankfully nothing happened to me save for a few minor wounds. So this the end of Martina. Of course it can be fixed but i don't really trust it will be done correctly and will cost me needless money, so i thought about buying a new one.

I came across the Novara Randonee a reasonably priced touring bicycle with a "steel" frame, which comes with nice hardware and plus I have all the good stuff from the old one. Brooks Flyer Special saddle, Shimano M324 pedals, tubus ergo lo-rider. so it's perfect, i thought it was about time that i bought a more decent bike.

As I'd always like to think everything happens for a GOOD reason.. and this is only for the best...

The Novara Randonee from REI.com

Brooks Saddle

I have purchased a Brooks Special Flyer saddle, I have just received it yesterday and I can't wait to ride it. I also bought the brooks proofide wax to care it.

I have checked a few links about breaking-in the saddle. Very tensing how much care you'd think it needs, specially if you live in a place that you aren't sure if you can get the right material to protect your purchase. I personally have a relationship to my possessions, so i hate losing them or mistreating them.

here is a link i found to be very helpful about the topic:
http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index.php/t-85300.html

and of course the famous Sheldon Brown link which discusses and explains the whole concept of leather saddles:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/leather.html