On My Bicycle: Cairo to Cape Town in a Podcast

I cannot believe how freaking long it has taken to get all this posted but finally the full audio series/podcast is out on sound cloud and iTunes.

So why has it taken so long? Well that could take a book in itself to explain. I think after cycling the 10 526kms across Africa I was on this high. I was going from radio interview to radio interview, speaking engagement to the next and being the scenes my life was kind of falling apart. Everything around me was changing. When the dust finally settled I felt so unsure of myself, so beat down by life that I felt like complete shit. I suddenly wasn't proud of anything in my life.

Find your way again, it will be the greatest thing you ever decide

And then you grow up. Time does that and Im grateful that I had it, many peoples lives end long before they find any clarity or meaning. I was fortunate enough to have that time to wrestle with ideas I had harbored for way to long.

Some Advise: If this is you, if you are in the biggest hole you of your life perhaps try some of the following

1) Cut off the dead branches: 
Don't get me wrong, you are not cutting people out of your life because you think you are better than them or because you don't need them. You are doing it for other reason. You need to hear your own voice again. Dive deep into your thoughts, your passions and who you are. So slowly withdraw from the people you need to

2) Find Help: 
Do not find a spiritual leader for help when you need help with psychological things, it will only confuse you more. Go to a professional who can guide you in the right direction.

3) Time: 
Don't make to many decisions all at once. Take your time, grow in stature in your new role in life. Learn to trust the person you are becoming, I understand that is hard, but if you have taken a step back and decided to start making conscious decision to improve life and the things around you then its time to trust the new you.

Just some tips and thoughts on that, theres many different ways to skin a cat, perhaps find something that helps for you.

So here it is, the podcast finally! Go enjoy it and let me know what you think. If you want any questions answered email them to me, will be happy to address them in the next podcast keeganlongueira@yahoo.com

Listen to the Podcast here: Cairo to Cape Town  (sound cloud) or follow the "Podcast Link" on apple

This is what the podcast will look like on Sound cloud

The Nissan Trailseeker adventure

What sort of a name is the; Nissan Trailseeker? Some sort of mystic battle set in the heart of Gauteng? A battle between smog and cars to see who triumphs in finding the smoothly crafted trails in amongst the hidden forests?

I have always loved my mountain bike, training in Nelspruit for the season ahead

I wasn't familiar with the races and only competed in the National Mountain bike series last year. My dad had been pestering me about entering another race. He could smell my weakness and lack of fitness uploaded on the god of cycling-strava. One week before the race I let down my guard and decided to enter us into the Third race of the series at Curro Hazzeldean. 

"Well somebody needs to do the 40km as well so we can get the feel of the whole day, so I will do that one,"I said, clearly hiding my true thoughts about doing the 70km. 

The morning of the race was bitterly cold as if every single bit of bad weather had finally broken through from Cape Town during our winter period. The elites and other 70km participants hurried off at 7:30 and left me peacefully in my car to absorb some heat and motivation before deciding to brave the conditions. The profile indicated the race would be fast, full of single track and generally flat. Unlike the National MTB Series, the profile was truthful, there were no horrid surprises, bull runs or sharp climbs the required climbing rope and picks to escalate. Don't get me wrong, I love the National series, its a true test of character and if you are serious about cycling its a must, and besides who would pass up the chance to see grown men cry. 

The name of the race described perfectly what it was all about. Its as if thousands of cyclists head out into the farmlands of Pretoria in search of trails. We twisted and turned out of town and entered the single tracks with less than 10km on the watches. The tracks were immaculately smooth and fast which is pleasant change to the technical single tracks which test your talent every conceivable second. We headed over jeep tracks, district roads. We headed over bridges and smooth obstacles. The fact that nothing was angled sharply uphill or downhill made it an incredible race for beginners and those looking to post fast times as well. It was even perfect for an unfit semi retired 23 year old cyclist lavishing in the limelight of his glorious Cape Epic in years gone by. 

Jokes aside, this race fed me some inspiration. I returned home to the car, and despite the cold was motivated to enter the next Trail seeker. The team at advendurance have rely put together a top race for the whole family. Theres stalls for food and coffee and race merhcanadise, theres music playing and kids jolting around on their bikes. It helped me remember why I had joined this incredible sport.

With all the variations of adventure races and mountain bike races going on, this is certainly a classic and must remain a race series on the calendar curled by top cyclists and those looking to have some fun on some trails. 1:39 minutes on the 37km course was far from admirable but it signals for me, the start of my training for many adventures to come.