“To raise exposure, funds and books for Shine, I will endeavour to cycle from Cairo to Cape Town arriving in time for the 40th Cape Town Cycle Tour on the 12 March 2017. One week later I will be on the start line for the toughest mountain bike stage in the world, The ABSA Cape Epic which will kick off 8 days of grueling riding on the 19 March 2017. One week after completing the Cape Epic, I will line up for the IRONMAN SA Championships in Port Elizabeth on the 2 April 2017.”
Day 6:
Day 6: Safaga to Qena – 172 km. Today was a tester! Beautifully stark desert mountains on either side, but 170 km and 9 hrs of headwind today, that will make you go cray cray 
?. I also got babysat to death by the police who sat 5m behind me the entire day. Nothing like a diesel engine behind you for 9 hrs to mess with your desert zen. That’s them in the background in the picture. They rotated out a few times and each time the exchange went as follows:
Your name? Grant.
What? Sigh…Grant
Mmmm.
Your country? England (I am using my British passport).
You are cycling alone? I look around and resist the temptation to say no, you okes have been on my tail all day. Um yes, alone.
OK, you put bike in car now. No thanks.
What?! What you mean? I mean, that’s a negative, but shukron.
Mmmmm. I did this 6 times and I got more abrupt the more tired I got! Given how I had been feeling I was pretty nervous setting out, but aside from the wind managed myself a lot better today with more breaks, and forced checkpoint stops, and eating and drinking. Still cracked with about 25 km to go though. The route was beautiful though and am stoked to have made it. Got some ITB going on so trying to manage that. Tomorrow is a shorter day to Luxor, then a rest day to check out Valley of the Kings, really looking forward to that 