Preride prep

The trip is booked and the preparation has begun.  I will be using the bike that I rode through Africa.  I took the bike to the local bike shop for a complete overhaul.  It certainly needed it.  The bottom bracket was squeaking and complaining, the rear brake was hanging up due to rust in the cable tubing and the wheels were a bit out of true.  Heck not just the wheels were out of true...  I wonder if the bike shop could put me back in true.  :)   Which brings me to my level of readiness and prep.  I have been riding 4 to 5 times a week for 25+ miles at a time since Africa.  So that would put me in fairly decent shape for the trip.  The only issue would be the elevation.  Chicago does not have any hills or significant inclines.  The trip has only significant hills and inclines.  Therefore, the physical readiness is there for mileage (to a degree) but there is certainly a gap in terms of climbing readiness and prowess.  The only cure for that is the trip itself.
I have read the trip info and looked over the daily route agenda.  They express that this trip is 75% on paved roads and 25% unpaved/rough surface.  But then I have seen the pictures from the trip they ran a couple of years back.  The roads we will be taking are not the main roads leading through the countries.  We are taking the more rural back roads that do not receive the ongoing repair and attention that we take for granted.  So even the paved portion can be problematic.  Here are a couple of pictures of the "road" conditions I will be facing...

What do you think?  Easy riding, right?!  I know, you wish you could come along.  But unfortunately it is sold out.  You can only come along with me on the blog.  So strap yourself in and enjoy the ride.