Physical preparation. I have been preparing physically for a few months. Long rides as well as short endurance segments. Working with a biokineticist in Johannesburg, strength training has been high on the agenda. I have at least another 20kg of provisions and equipment to cart up hills in my panniers.
Mental preparation. Maybe my long-suffering wife, Elizabeth, is correct. It is a waste of time to do any mental preparation. That horse has in fact bolted!
Having read a number of books by incredibly talented endurance cyclists and I think that I too will discover more about the limits I have always worked within. I have no illusions about the difficulty of the task at hand. Weather will play its part no doubt.
Practical and logistical. I have spent quite a long time mapping out the route, but I'm sure that up to the day I commence, the route will continue to be tweaked. A lot of input from other cyclists has been invaluable.
Specialized equipment. Light-weight and durable don't always go together. I've settled for light-weight. The list of provisions and equipment is shrinking as the weeks progress. Is it absolutely necessary? Is is really really truly absolutely necessary? If no, it stays.
I will write more about the specific equipment I have chosen to take in a future blog.
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