You are talking about a world-class bicycling odyssey here. The African adventure (Cairo to Capetown) has intrigued me now for years, and it is one epic journey that I would prefer to do with another, and like yourself, preferably with an opposite other, opposite meaning woman.

Traveling by velocipede across the dark continent must be extremely economical. "Miles From Nowhere" a book about a married couple who cycled around the world, gives some hair raising and also nice accounts of bicycling from Cairo and going south. I think I might like to try that some time. I would need more information about road conditions. For example, can the trip be completed by touring bike (27 by 1 1/4 inch wheels) or is a trail bike required in some areas?