ECU grad explores Africa by bike

John Stowe, a 2002 graduate of ECU, wanted one final challenge before returning to ECU as a graduate student. He had worked with Outward Bound. He had led small groups of high school students on bicycle tours. He had biked from Seattle to New York on a three-month journey. All of these experiences, along with a lifetime of cycling, led to his most recent adventure through Africa.

"I wanted to do something that was more challenging. Why not Africa? I got on the Internet and googled it and there it was: Tour D'Afrique," said Stowe.

Tour D'Afrique is the brainchild of Henry Gold, the founder of the tour. Gold began the tour in 2003 and was one of the first riders. Developing the tour had been a goal of Gold's for more than a decade. Once funding was available and the route was deemed safe, Gold set the ball in motion.

With Cecil Rhodes' concept of connecting Africa through railways from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa, Gold mapped the tour. Along with it being an historical route, Gold set up the tour to include places with which he was familiar and areas where it would be feasible to get food and water.

It costs over $11,000 to participate in Tour D'Afrique. Stowe began saving his pennies and even said he would have been willing to sell his car if it came to that. Fortunately, Stowe was able to save and raise the money necessary without having to get rid of his vehicle.

In January 2009, Stowe flew to Africa and began preparing for the tour.

Riders may participate in the entire tour or come in for pre-determined sections. In 2009, there were 59 riders from 11 different countries who rode all the way from Cairo to Cape Town, four of whom were from the United States.

Stowe explained that the group became very close through their interactions and shared experiences. "We were like a family by the end of this thing," Stowe remarked. Along the way, the riders set up camp together and shared meals with one another.

One of the perks of the tour was having supply trucks that would follow the tour carrying items the riders may need and scouting the routes. Along with that, a Canadian man named James would accompany the riders and cook their meals. Stowe commented that the food was one of the best parts of the trip. James would often go to African markets and purchase local foods to prepare for the riders. With a full breakfast in their stomachs and the sun in the sky, the riders began their daily ride.

The riders would normally ride 75-80 miles daily and were free to do so at their own pace. On some days, Stowe would ride with others on the tour and other days he would simply listen to his iPod and enjoy the scenery. Some days, he even rode with locals who were traveling or going to work.

Stowe was very interested in meeting and conversing with the locals who were equally interested in what these foreigners were doing. Stowe was impressed and surprised to learn how much many of the locals knew about the United States and its politics. One man in Lusaka, Zambia caught Stowe's attention when discussing our president and mentioning, "[Obama] represents, to us, a black man in power who is doing the right thing and is not corrupt … it raises the bar for a lot of African leaders."

One of the main humanitarian goals of the trip is to assist the communities through which the riders travel while also donating bicycles to healthcare workers and teaching the locals about the advantages of using bicycles as a means of transportation. According to Stowe, local medical workers can reach 10 times as many patients by using bicycles as their means of transportation than by simply walking.

The tour went through 10 countries and the riders were able to see ancient temples along the Nile, Ethiopia's Simian Mountains, Mount Kilimanjaro and Victoria Falls.

Stowe concluded his 7,500-mile adventure in Cape Town, South Africa this past May. Before he headed home to the States, he gave his bike to a local who was waiting at the bus stop. The man was extremely appreciative because bicycles in Africa are somewhat analogous to pickup trucks in America, according to Stowe.

Stowe credits this trip as one of the most rewarding experiences of his life. He clarified that statement by noting that it is not for everybody. It is really fun to think about cycling across a continent but many people do not know how grueling it becomes. However, Stowe would "recommend it to anybody who had the courage or experience to get out there and do it."

Henry Gold, founder of the tour, seconds Stowe's assertion. "The sense of achievement felt by each and every participant cycling those last few feet of the 7,500 mile event is beyond words," Gold said in a press release. "It is one of those rare moments in life when everything seems to be crystal clear, when you feel secure about yourself, your life path, your place in the world and when you say to yourself, 'After this, I can do anything.'"

Now that Stowe is home, he is preparing for a return to ECU as a graduate student. Upon receiving a degree in counselor education, and possibly an MBA, Stowe would like to begin a career working in the outdoor field. He would love to work with UNICEF and help children internationally. "Whatever job I choose, it has to be challenging," Stowe commented. Judging by the challenge he has just completed, John should be for ready for any challenge that life throws his way.

Read more about Stowe's journey at www.theeastcarolinian.com.

This writer can be contacted at news@theeastcarolinian.com.