Ryan Roux
AGE: 35 but will be 36 at the time of the trip
MARITAL STATUS: Single but involved
PROFFESSION: Development Manager for Large Format Outdoor Media Company
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RIDING MOTORCYCLES: Since July 2007 so that makes it about 3 years 8 months
WHAT RIDING EXPERIENCE HAVE YOU GOT: 55 000km on Mandy my 2002 BMW R1150GS, trips include solo circumnavigation of RSA, Sani Pass and Central and South Lesotho, gravel road tours of the Eastern Cape inlcuding night time traversing of BaviaansKloof and Laundeans Nek. Daytime trip though Baviaans the otherway round, Seven Passes between Goerge & Knysna, Montegue Pass, Prince Albert Pass, Swartberg, Die Hel, Rooiberg Pass, the Cedarberg Wilderness Area and many happy miles on Karoo gravel roads….
WHAT IS THE FURTHEREST YOU HAVE RIDDEN IN ONE DAY: Only 900km, Cape Town to Port Noloth in 9 hours including fuel and snack stops – general touring days range between 350 to 550km per day dependant on road conditions.
WHAT ADVENTURE MOTORCYCLE TRAVEL HAVE YOU DONE ACROSS THE SA BORDERS: Swaizland, Lesotho and Caprivi Strip in Namibia back to Johanessburg through Vic Falls and Beitbridge – this was on the November 2010 Namibia/Zimbabwe Reccerun
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO BOOK ON THE CAPE TO CAIRO 2011: Since the age of 23 I have wanted to cross Africa by land, cant say why but it just seems like a natural jorney to make. Since I bought Mandy (R1150GS) I have slowly prepared the my bike for the trip, the upgrades where completed middle of 2010. Orginally I was thinking to do it on my own over 2 months but never got my act together to get logistics planned and sorted. When Ray sent our the email I simply decided to do it, to commit to the date and go – NO more excuses.
WHAT ARE YOUR PERSONAL FEELINGS ABOUT THE LIFE CHANGING UNDERTAKING YOU ARE EMBARKING ON: Excitement !!! The trip has become a distraction, to such an extent that it dominates my thinking every day. Travel for me has always been in Southern Africa, when everyone left school and took a year off to go see Europe I went to varsity and starting rock climbing instead of studying – next thing every weekend became long weekend trips throughout South Africa to go climb, these evolved into road trips to neighbouring countries just see what was there and since then most December are spent on the road..
Now we are going on a road trip which is going to expose us to Africa, we will see the beautiful, brilliant and basic. The events and circumstances we will be exposed to will shock us and make us seriously question what is truly important in the big picture, I don’t expect to change the world but this trip will in no doubt change my outlook on life – and I am looking forward to it!
WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS: This is a tough one so I think it needs to be split into a couple of “catergories”
Physically – I know we are going to be tested by the heat and long riding hours, the choice of food may further strain our bodies, I am hoping to come home a little lighter but fit, strong and fully functional
Mentally – there are going to be times of absolute bliss and euphoria as we see Africa in all its splendor, these times I hope will over shadow those days of total irritation with the lack of creature comforts and fellow riders’ foibles. Been out of our usual comfort zones is going to place a lot of stress on everyone, I am aiming to make the trip my comfort zone as I am always happy when travelling and hope the monthly of road tripping stand me in good sted.
Travel Experience – this trip must prepare me for other trips, I want to get back home from this and start planning a 4-6 week bike trip to Chile for summer 2012/13. I want to be confident in my abilities as an adventure traveler so that I can take others with me and show them why we do it…
WHAT ARE YOU FEARING THE MOST AND WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FROM THIS EXPERIENCE: There are number of things that I am concered about but to be honest there is nothing that I fear, things like constant exposure to the poverty which dominates Africa, along with the numerous “official” road blocks and security checks can adversly affect one’s mindset and detract from the experience if one is too focused on them, its going to be a challenge no doubt but that is another reason why we do it…… oh I am sh@ting myself about the lack of propert loo’s up there too.