Unfortunately the schedule beckons and as much as I’d love to just dig in the heels and take my time in the odd spot along the way, the reality of a required 400 km’s a week is constantly knocking on my door. A finish line with a set date, a constant reminder that this is the furthest thing from a holiday.

The diminutive characteristics of most Central American countries coupled with my demanding schedule means that I have been crossing borders thick and fast. Leaving Nicaragua to enter Honduras, a stretch of tarmac only 145 km’s long that needed to be navigated, I crossed her in a day and a half. Too short a time to gather a great deal of info, but at a very quick glance this rather poor nation in the Americas boasts a big friendly personality.

Before I knew it I was crossing into El Salvador, country number 12 on the agenda and with a required 400 km of tarmac here to traverse giving me a little more time to wrap my head around things. Not able to find a map on the border I was forced to rely on road signs and my vague memory of the layout of the country when plotting the route online. I was funneled into the capital as a result where I finally tracked down a map and was rewarded with the most magical Pacific coastal route I have had to date on the trip.

El Salvador with its rolling hills and volcanoes in the interior, mouthwatering coastal plains in the lowlands had now also just popped into the top ten favourites on the trip thus far. The most densely populated country in Central America, it’s not a cyclist’s paradise but I managed to track down a few decent campsites on the Pacific coast that helped to swing the balance in her favour.

I am now in Guatemala the third last nation on the Americas expedition. There is still a huge amount of mileage that needs to be navigated but border crossings are now starting to slow down a touch which is great news. It can be a bit tricky keeping an eye on all your gear and doing the necessary paperwork with the immigration officials, so tricky that I had some gear stolen on the Honduran- El Salvadorian crossing.

Currently in the town of Escuintla sporting a broken rear derailleur, the gear changing mechanism on the rear of the bike gave way 20 km out of Escuintla which turned out to be a long hot 5 hour walk to push the rig in. At the mercy of some spares being bussed in from Guatemala City and I’m sitting watching the clock tick by as the ever pressing schedule looms.

35 weeks have now gone by since rolling out of Buenos Aires 13 653 km’s and 13 nations ago. Myself and the currently wounded Little Ms. Sunshine have now saved over 2 tons of carbon emissions as a result of pedal power and human steam. The aim to advocate the bicycle as a powerful tool in the battle against climate change and as a phenomenal and practical means of carbon free travel is truly coming to fruition. Now having reached the lofty figures of 2047.95 kg’s and the humble two wheeled bicycle has now certainly earned its right to be counted.

Reaching the western half of the country was a relief as the countryside started to take shape and the distance created from the capital leant itself to slightly less busy roads. The Pan-Americana just far away enough from the Pacific coastline not to be able to see her unfortunately nor benefit from her sea breeze

The three day boat crossing coming over from Colombia to navigate the Darien Gap meant I had now fallen behind schedule somewhat and I’d have to try and claw back lost time over the coming weeks. Rolling hills and exceedingly hot days in the saddle making it tough to clock up more than the already serious average of 400 km’s a week.

Reaching the town of Chiriquí before tacking north across the interior of the country in search of the Caribbean coastline of Almirante a good 600 km North East of Panama City. Leaving the Pan-Americana and tacking across the Chiriquí Mountains would take me back up and over 2000m above sea level before dropping down into a coastal rainforest that hugs the Caribbean.

Panama crossed in a flash as I rolled through the Sixiola border crossing into an extremely expensive Costa Rica. Not keen to hang around in a country where a cold beer would set you back anywhere from 3-5 dollars. Refilling the fuel tank becoming a bit tricky, I put the hammer down and have now crossed into Nicaragua country number ten where beer is once again affordable and sleepless nights are a thing of the past.

Humidity and frequent border crossings on the agenda as I make my way through these tiny little countries. Honduras next on the list, sporting a stretch of land no longer than 100 km’s that needs to be traversed before entering El Salvador. Little Ms. Sunshine is hanging in there with various roadside tweaks and mechanical sessions a frequent occurrence. Keeping the rig in good running order is a constant battle as the rigours of Central American roads take their toll on my gear.

After 33 weeks cycling solo through the Americas I have managed to accumulate 12761 carbon free km’s and crossed ten countries. The amount of carbon emissions that would have been emitted had this journey ben done in an average sized American sedan is now fast approaching two tons and sits on a scary 1914 kg’s.

Stay tuned for the final 3^rd of the Americas leg of the Global Wheeling Eco Charity Bicycle Ride!

Starting to make a serious case for the humble bicycle in my attempt to advocate this phenomenal machine as a viable tool in the battle against climate change and promoting its ability to traverse some of the planet’s most dangerous and testing conditions. Surely we can adopt the bike in our urban existence to a greater extent and I would like nothing more than for this expedition to help realise these aspirations.

Having traversed the Andes from east to west and then further north on the continent from west to east, I’m looking forward to battling more manageable altitudes as I tack north through Central America, however only time will tell what conditions lay ahead.

Leaving Medellin , Colombia’s second largest city with only 400 km’s remaining on the continent I trekked north towards to the town of Turbo. There is no road connecting Colombia with Panama and the Darien gap stands as an insurmountable obstacle. Thick tropical jungle and swamp, home to rebels  and the Drarien gap refuses to be navigable by bicycle.

I had to source a series of small boats to get around the jungle and after 3 days I would arrive in Carti on Panamanian soil. A two day ride into this super modern capital, Panama City with its skyscrapers and busy roads, a far cry from the Darien, I plan to tackle the Panama Canal first thing week 30 and start battling north East on a new chunk of land.

After 29 weeks here in the Americas the odometer reads 11 404 km’s and a pollution saving as a result of being fuelled by human steam of 1710.6 kg’s!!! The project is on track with donating one bicycle every month for the duration of the ride and 7 bikes have now been handed over to Cape Town residents that would otherwise not have the opportunity to own a bicycle. Please keep supporting and donating as we still have loads of work to do and more bikes to muster!

Making my way from the border state of Nariño at roughly 3000m above sea level, I dropped down a few notches in altitude as I entered coffee country in the department of Cauca. Home to only some of the world’s finest coffee, Cauca boasts the reputation of being a stronghold for various factions of Colombian rebel groups and guerillas.

Crossing the bridge into Cauca with a stiff warning from the military not to travel at night and to try and cross the department as swiftly as possible, advice I was keen to heed had my path not been hampered by “paro’s” protests by the coffee industry and its labour force. The country of Colombia was on lockdown for a week and the road north was blocked by large trees, broken glass, burning tyres, protesters wielding sticks and trucks backed up as far as the eye could see.

My trajectory through Cauca would not be swift nor would it be easy, I would have to find a way through these blockades in order to stay on top of my rather demanding schedule of 400 carbon free km’s per week. My days spent trying to sweet talk my way through heavily manned blockades and lugging my bike up and over trees and broken glass.

A section that would normally have taken a couple of days consumed most of the week as there were numerous blockades I was not allowed to pass and was forced to camp out there over night before finally wangling my way through. Pointless swimming against the tide I adopted an approach of if you can’t beat them, join them. Singing the tune of the Cafeteros I managed to navigate the protests virtually unscathed coming out the other end with a few broken spokes a bust tent and numerous flat tyres as a result of all the broken glass on the road. In my opinion a small price to pay for a situation that could very easily have gone the other way.

Reaching Cali marked the end of my flurry with the coffee producers of Colombia and by the time I had pushed north of Valle de Cauca the roads had been reopened and things were back to normal. Enjoying a very welcomed 200 km stretch of flatlands, I was once again reminded of the luxury of not having to climb huge mountain passes and just how much ground can be covered in favourable conditions on a bicycle in a day notching big 140 km’s stages on the plateau.

Passing the towns of Periera and Manizales I trekked north in search of Medellin, Colombia’s second largest city with just under 4000 000 people sitting in an Andean valley at 1500m above sea level. I would have to tackle a 41km climb from the village of La Pintada which sits at a humble 500m above sea level, tackling the pass of Minas at 2700m before dropping down into the city of Medellin. A climb that would take the lion’s share of the day, I rolled into Colombia’s second largest city well after dark.

This will be the final blog on South American soil as only 500 km’s remain on the continent as I push north in search of a way over to Panama. The Darien gap standing between me and the next nation on the agenda, the crossing will not be a straight forward one as there is no road connecting Panama and Colombia and a boat or series of boats will have to be used to negate the Darien.

After 27 weeks in the saddle South America is coming to an end, the odometer reads 10896 carbon free km’s with an official CO2 and pollution saving of 1647 kg’s!!! If the humble bike and its ability to traverse huge distances with zero negative effect on the environment has still not impressed you… Well what can I say?

Stay tuned as Central America beckons.

Week 24 starting with a gradual incline as I left the urban sprawl of Santo Domingo, heading directly east towards those towering giants in the ever nearing distance. By this stage of the expedition I had traversed both the Bolivian and Peruvian Andes but nothing could prepare me for the immense gradients posed by the Ecuadorian section of the range.

The mission; to reach the Ecuadorian capital Quito and cross the Equator before weeks end. I had set out a handful of natural markers on the expedition to be reached for psychological reasons. These markers would reaffirm my progress and help to section the trip into “bite” size pieces preventing me from being overawed by the enormity of the 20 000 km 50 week trek. My reward for crossing the equator, a stiff drink and a much needed shave.

Bisecting Quito, the equator was my third marker on the trip and a box I was aching to tick. A mere 150 km north east of Santa Domingo and a grueling two day climb that would snap my chain and leave me on the verge of getting off the bike and being forced to push my 50kg rig up inclines that felt like brick walls.

Cliff face on one side of the road and a sheer drop on the other I was left with virtually nowhere to camp. I was forced to pitch my tent on the shoulder of the road in a patch of mud, arriving in the Capital drenched and broken. I had just recently pushed my physical limits to the max notching up 1900 km’s in  three weeks  coming out of Lima towards Santo Domingo. Coupled with the 2 day trek in the mountains which included a 52 km nonstop incline and my body was on the verge of shutting down by the time I rolled into the Ecuadorian capital.

Arriving in every major city with a to do list as long as my arm generally including laundry, blog, finding spare parts and charging electrical equipment, Quito would be no different. I found a rundown old hotel in the Historic center of the city for $10 a night and systematically worked through my list before pushing north towards the Colombian border and the 7^th country on the Americas leg of the expedition.

Now firmly in the grasp of the Andes once more I trekked north at high altitude battling the range in a south north trajectory through the border towns of Tulcan on the Ecuadorian side of the border and Ipiales on the Colombian. Crossing into Colombia at roughly 3000m above sea level on a Sunday, I found myself at the mercy of a day of rest, something rather foreign to me on this expedition. I would have to spend a night in a rough $5 motel in Ipiales  waiting for the shops to open to source a local map on Monday morning before pushing north.

Colombia, a country I had been looking forward to entering would not disappoint as I rolled out of the border town of Ipiales in my final country in South America, instantly impressed by its natural beauty and friendly people.

Colombia like my home country of South Africa has been at the mercy of some fairly bad press over the years and earned itself a” reputation.” As I sit here high up in the Colombian Andes at the end of week 25 and the start to the Colombian chapter of the expedition, I have nothing but praise for this vibrant nation that has been fiercely challenging on a physical level but a real breath of fresh air.

Breaking the 10 000 km mark in the Americas coming down a 40 km descent in the Colombian Andes will be a moment I will not forget for a long time to come. Reaching the 10 000 km mark in South America takes my total to 41 000 carbon free km’s on a bike, of which  25 000 across 27 countries have been dedicated to the Global Wheeling initiative since October 2010. I am spending my days in awe of natural beauty flying down mountain passes at a million miles an hour or crying out from pain as I ascend huge 30, 40, and 50km climbs that I could only imagine existed had I not been in the Andes.

The 1.5 ton figure has now been reached and surpassed as the amount of pollution saved as a result of travelling by bicycle impresses me more every week. Boasting a new top speed of nearly 90 kmph, I trek north to the top of the continent in search of a way to Central America.

A two hour affair at a rather relaxed Latin American border crossing and I was once again at the mercy of tracking down a local map and getting my hands on some new currency. The border town of Haquillas a mere 5 km from the Peruvian frontier would serve as my first pit stop and attempt to iron out a few of the necessaries.

Ecuador operates on the US Dollar, managing to track down a few green backs at the local market posed no major hassle provided you had your wits about you; the map on the other hand would be a bit trickier. Managing to source an extremely basic version of an Ecuadorian map, I rolled into country number six cycling virtually blind relying mostly on road signs to navigate and plot my way north.

A dangerous way to travel solo by bicycle, as it now becomes virtually impossible to plan ahead adding huge pressure on your food and water supplies as you’re now uncertain as to when the next “refueling’ spot will be. Fortuitously Ecuador is a rather small nation and distances between towns are fairly kind to the solo cyclist.

The Ecuadorian capital city of Quito is firmly nestled high up in the Andes at just below 3000m above sea level. The realisation that I would have to traverse the Andes for a second time in a matter of months was now sinking in as I plotted my route north through the relatively flat countryside. Banana plantations and sugar cane fields keeping me company during the day and providing shelter by night. I cycled north on the E25 parallel to these towering giants to my east knowing that come week 24 I would once again be embroiled in yet another monstrous battle with the Andes.

The humidity factor now causing major problems as my tent has turned into an oven and getting a full night’s sleep since crossing into Ecuador is a luxury I no longer enjoy. Each new country and terrain brings with it a new set of challenges and it’s imperative to have the ability to morph and change your approach accordingly to stay on top of the extremely demanding schedule of 400 km’s a week. Doing it with very little sleep is posing a huge challenge though and one I am struggling to factor in.

This blog comes to you from Santo Domingo and marks the end of the flatlands for a while. The road tracks back into the mountains in search of the capital and the crossing of the equator. After 9493 carbon free km’s the latest CO2 reading and quantity of pollution saved as a result of travelling on human steam is sitting on a staggering 1423.44 kg’s!!!

Viva pedal power!

Navigating my way out of this huge metropolis that took the better part of a day and roughly 50 km’s of urban sprawl before I was once again swallowed by the coastal desert. Peru seems to have all the natural boxes ticked as it boasts mountains, jungle and coastline, hugging the coast north of Lima however is a hot windy dustbowl of a desert.

I tacked north on the Pan-American Highway, two days ride and roughly 200 km’s from the capital I entered a small town to restock on supplies and had my odometer stolen off the handlebars of the bike. A bit tricky to put 8000 km on an odometer and a piece of equipment vital to the project, I kicked up a royal stink and got the local police involved.

Leaving things in the hands of our trusty friends in blue I returned but not 2 hours later to find the odometer had made a miraculous reappearance unbeknownst to anyone involved or the police or so they said. I pushed north with my gear firmly strapped down as I tacked up a few more miles through the desert.

The Pan-American Highway weaving its way through coastal dunes as it takes me north. I am now battling trucks and buses again on this busy thoroughfare and the quieter back roads of the Andes are a thing of the past unfortunately.

Less than 1500 km south of the equator now after 21 weeks in the saddle and the days are starting to get intensely hot and windy. My eyes now set on reaching Ecuador country number six and the penultimate nation in South America. Provided things stay on track the next blog will be written on Ecuadorian soil.

After 21 weeks myself and Little Ms. Sunshine (bicycle) have clocked up 8231 carbon free km’s, Carbon emissions saved 1234.28 kg’s and this two wheeled clean green eco machine continues to impress!

After the frustrations of being at the mercy of the Peruvian postal system as customs held my parcel over the festive period.  I rolled out of the mountainous city of Cusco and pushed west with my cargo in tow a few hundred km’s behind schedule. The 12 km climb out of a rain drenched Cusco at 3250m above sea level, a reminder that even a week out of the saddle has dire consequences as my lungs battled through the mountains once more.

Little did I know at this stage that the roads to Lima a mere 1150 km’s of them through mountains and desert would be some of the toughest of my life and yet most beautiful. Dropping down 50 km’s to a humble altitude in Andean terms of 1900m, this jaw dropping descent had me excited and nervous simultaneously as the inevitable and well known laws of nature clearly state what goes up must come down and vice versa in this neck of the woods.

It would be a two day 61km climb out of that picturesque valley and one that would push the boundaries both physically and mentally as I broke through pain thresholds I never knew existed. Reaching the top for only a brief moment as the unforgiving Andes dropped me 40 km’s down the other side through the town of Abancay to yet another low lying valley.

I would follow my new found companion a river for 200km’s and 3 solid days upstream as I tried to gradually claw back some altitude. A 15 km climb at the end of day three delivered me back to an altitude well over 4000m above sea level with snowcapped peaks in the distance and hail storms for company. Winding through the village of Negro Mayo at 4500m above sea level and the towns of Puquio and Chalhuanca as I clawed my way west through the mountains.

The final push up and over the last big pass near the national park of Pampa Galeras and I would be rewarded with a 68 km descent down into the desert that harbours the town of Nazca and its famed lines. The contrast between the two quite something to wrap your head around as you pedal from one world into another.

Reaching the small coastal village of Paracas marked the official crossing of South America from east to west solo on a bicycle and I now had a new partner and nemesis. The Pacific would keep me company on the long hot days heading north to the capital city of Lima as I battled a persistent northerly wind that seemed to never cease nor abate.

Rolling into the 9 million strong monster that is Lima would take some navigating as I once again battled buses and taxis, rapidly being engulfed by this huge Latin beast. A world far removed from the Andes, Lima however sporting decent spare parts and an opportunity to get back on track mechanically before pushing further north in search of the next border and the ever nearing equator.

After 19 and a bit weeks we have a CO2 reading that is now exceeding a ton and starting to reach rather worrying heights. The expedition continues to soldier forward in the attempt to advocate this fantastic humble machine as a powerful and viable tool in the battle against climate change and with stats like this who can argue?

After 7590 carbon free km’s the amount of pollution saved as a result of travelling on human steam is sitting at 1137.95 kg’s !

Rolling through the towns of Pisac and Ollantaytambo, both of which boast their very own set of Inca ruins, not satisfied though until I managed to add the famed Macchu Picchu to the treasure trove of wonders we have been able to accrue on human steam.

Getting ever deeper into the sacred valley in search of this Inca wonder I was able to reach the town of Ollantaytambo on pedal power. From here things would take a twist, unable to continue by road and adamant on reaching the ruins on human steam I continued on foot.

Locking all my gear away in a budget room, I packed a small bag with a few supplies and set off at 11pm on Christmas Eve, travelling by foot through the Andes at night in the hope of arriving for sunrise on Christmas morning. It seems my calculations on foot were leaving much to be desired…

It would be lunch time on the 26th by the time I reached Macchu Picchu after getting lost on a small winding track in the dark taking me far off course. Two days of excruciating trekking along the Andean Inca trail, and it’s surrounding tracks and winding paths. Macchu Picchu had officially been added on human steam but it had come at a price, I had twisted my left knee in the process and hobbled out of the Archeological complex in a bad way.

Still sporting a broken back wheel I had opted to bring in a spare rim via post. Sent to the city of Cusco I trekked out of the valley back over 3000m above sea level in search of the prized cargo. Arriving to find that Peruvian customs had blocked my parcel at customs in the capital Lima and all operations were closed until January 2^nd.

So this Blog comes to you from a rain drenched Cusco as the wet season sets in here in the Andes and I sit idly by watching the clock tick away as I fall further and further behind schedule as I wait for Customs to re-open and hopefully iron out this new challenge!

I should be sitting on 6800 carbon free km’s by this stage of the expedition but setbacks see me nursing a rather low 6327 km’s with an injured knee and the pressure starts to mount to try and claw back the deficit to get back on schedule. After 17 weeks the amount of pollution saved is sitting on a staggering 949.05 kg’s!

Surprising even myself with the sheer amount of landmarks and treasures that we (my trusty steed Little Ms. Sunshine & I) were able to navigate and add to the treasure chest of wonders that we have been so fortunate to see thus far on the expedition.

Still high up in the South American Andes in the city of La Paz, I waited with baited breath as a promised replacement back rim was en route from the city of Cochabamba to the local Sunday market in Al Alto. A few days of nail bighting anticipation and a bit worried about my fitness levels tapering off whilst waiting for the rim, I decided to put this human steam theory to the test on foot.

The Huayna Potosi snowcapped mountain peak towering at 6088m over the city of La Paz had been catching my eye for days. I decided to climb her. Already at an altitude of just under 4000m in La Paz I made my way to lower base camp at 4800m. From here it would all be on foot as myself and my local guide Mario packed our gear into backpacks and hiked up to high base camp at an altitude of 5130m.

Acclimatizing for the afternoon, we set off at one in the morning donning our ice climbing gear and headlamps as we slowly clawed our way through the dark abyss of night. Five hours of lung busting climbing we would reach the summit in time for sunrise and watch that big ball of fire start her shift for the day from a perch where I could almost touch the sky.

Using a completely different set of muscles I descended from Huayna Potosi a rather worked and knackered man. Pressed for time with just three days left on my Bolivian visa and still a couple of hundred km’s left to the Peruvian border. I would reach the Sunday market to find the replacement rim had not made the journey west and I would be forced to push on with a broken back wheel.

Reaching the border of Peru with hours left on my visa, I managed to navigate my way through without having to cough up any Gringo-Tax. I had reached the banks of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world at 3800m above sea level exhausted and somewhat relieved.

Peru, country number five on the expedition would bring with her a fierce storm with torrential rains that would welcome me with a bang. Flooding my tent, I woke on the banks of Lake Titicaca, well and truly reminded of the intense power of nature and just how vulnerable I was camping alone up here in the Andes.

Heading north through the mountains, navigating the towns of Puno and Ayiviri I would soon reach the heart of Inca country. This fascinating culture and its ruins dotted through the countryside would make for new surroundings and it would not be long before the idea of camping in one of the archeological sites would soon set in.

Pikillacta, a pre Inca site and home to the Wari civilization that bordered the famed sacred valley would be the site that scratched the itch. Arriving just before dark I managed to enter the site undetected and after some serious off road navigational skills and carrying my 50kg rig up and over some winding paths I managed to find a spot to pitch the tent for the night.

Sleeping alone in huge ancient, mystical ruins was a box I was determined to tick and I would certainly not be disappointed as I spent the night in awe of this majestic archeological site with not a soul for miles.

Now if that’s not a rather jam packed two weeks on two wheels then I don’t know what is… The expedition takes a bit of a detour as it snakes through the sacred valley in search of a few more ruins before tacking directly west in search of the Pacific coastline and warmer climes. The next blog will celebrate the crossing of the continent from east to west.

The information we have all been waiting for and the official CO2 reading after 15 weeks and 6193 carbon free km’s is a staggering 928.95 Kg’s of pollution saved !