East Carolinian

Issue date: 6/24/09 Section: News

Media Credit: John Stowe

John Stowe, a 2002 graduate of ECU, wanted one final challenge before returning to ECU as a graduate student. He had worked with Outward Bound. He had led small groups of high school students on bicycle tours. He had biked from Seattle to New York on a three-month journey. All of these experiences, along with a lifetime of cycling, led to his most recent adventure through Africa.

"I wanted to do something that was more challenging. Why not Africa? I got on the Internet and googled it and there it was: Tour D'Afrique," said Stowe.

Tour D'Afrique is the brainchild of Henry Gold, the founder of the tour. Gold began the tour in 2003 and was one of the first riders. Developing the tour had been a goal of Gold's for more than a decade. Once funding was available and the route was deemed safe, Gold set the ball in motion.

With Cecil Rhodes' concept of connecting Africa through railways from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa, Gold mapped the tour. Along with it being an historical route, Gold set up the tour to include places with which he was familiar and areas where it would be feasible to get food and water.

It costs over $11,000 to participate in Tour D'Afrique. Stowe began saving his pennies and even said he would have been willing to sell his car if it came to that. Fortunately, Stowe was able to save and raise the money necessary without having to get rid of his vehicle.

In January 2009, Stowe flew to Africa and began preparing for the tour.

Riders may participate in the entire tour or come in for pre-determined sections. In 2009, there were 59 riders from 11 different countries who rode all the way from Cairo to Cape Town, four of whom were from the United States.

Stowe explained that the group became very close through their interactions and shared experiences. "We were like a family by the end of this thing," Stowe remarked. Along the way, the riders set up camp together and shared meals with one another.

One of the perks of the tour was having supply trucks that would follow the tour carrying items the riders may need and scouting the routes. Along with that, a Canadian man named James would accompany the riders and cook their meals. Stowe commented that the food was one of the best parts of the trip. James would often go to African markets and purchase local foods to prepare for the riders. With a full breakfast in their stomachs and the sun in the sky, the riders began their daily ride.

Continued...

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