ON Jack O’Shea (11-18) has finished his incredible solo cycle ride across Africa. Over the last four months, Jack has travelled across eight different countries and battled diverse and challenging weather conditions and terrains to reach his end goal of Cape Town, South Africa.
Jack set off from Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya on the 6th March, and his arrival in Cape Town makes him the youngest person to have every cycled this distance solo and unsupported in Africa before.
During his four-month ride, Jack travelled through Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. The journey has been slow at times, with 2-inch-long acacia thorns resulting in dozens of punctures along the way and deep sand in Malawi seeing him cover just 4km in 90 minutes. He’s wild camped and taken shelter in police stations, community centres, schools, on farms and even in a shed during a particularly bad storm. Encounters with wild animals include giraffe, hippos, snakes, elephant and dozens of warthogs blocking the road in Namibia.
Challenging conditions, including fierce head winds, torrential rain, rough terrain and loneliness have at times taken their toll on his mental and physical well-being but he says the people he has met on his journey and the support he has received from family, friends and via social media have spurred him on to complete his challenge.
Jack has been raising money for two charitable causes: the Explorers Against Extinction conservation campaign 2019 and funds to help Kitale School in Uganda become self-sustaining. Jack describes his challenge as “life-changing” and says he was inspired by the Real World Conservation Trust's patrons who include Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Colonel John Blashford Snell, Levison Wood, Benedict Allen and Pip Stewart. He cites one of his most memorable moments as coming face-to-face with the last two northern white rhinos in the world at Ol Pejeta in Kenya. He also visited the anti-poaching canine unit, who Explorers against Extinction funded a new conservation arms/ammunition Spaniel for. Jack says the motivation for supporting these specific charities, was to “try and make a difference to the continent hosting me on this adventure.”
So far, Jack has raised over £5000, and is aiming for a target of £6000 – one pound for every kilometre cycled. You can donate here.
Jack returns to the UK soon, where he will take up his place on a Paramedic Studies course at university in London. He will make a special appearance at Explorers against Extinction’s conservation event, ‘On the Edge’, at the Royal Geographical Society in London on 14 November 2019 where he will be presented with a special Young Explorer award by one of the charity’s patrons, Colonel John Blashford Snell.
Well done Jack on an amazing achievement!
