January 7, 2015 - Cairo, Egypt

Woke by the alarm 8am for breakfast.  Met more people..putting bikes together at 10, rider meeting at 11 a.m.

Arrived at my hotel, Cataract Pyramid Resort, after midnight yesterday.  I have my bike and both bags; I consider myself very lucky.  Some others were not so lucky.  At least one missing bike and a number of missing bags.  

Cairo is freezing, polluted, dusty, grey, loud, smells like exhaust, interesting, good food so far, relatively inexpensive, people very friendly, happy, drive like maniacs, helpful... stores, i.e. phone stores seem to open and close at will.  Cab drivers end up being 'handlers' as well as tour guides, etc.  I feel like I'm in one of those shady foreign movies where horns are blaring, people are rushing by, garbage blowing in the decrepit streets, people moving in and out of the shadows.  Trustingly you follow your cab driver down lane ways in search of an internet connection and sim card.  

The past two days were filled with rider meetings, building bikes, repacking bags and getting to know the 50 or so people who will make this journey, either as staff or as a rider.  We did a small group ride yesterday mainly to make sure out gears, brakes, etc were working.  I saw a pyramid in the distance...very exciting.

Breakfast tomorrow is at 5am, on bikes at 6:30 and will ride between 129 and 155 km, past the pyramids.  I'm hoping for a stiff tail wind.  I don't expect any internet for at least another 7 days.

I will try to add some photos later.