The last test would be to get from gate to gate in the different airports we were about to embark into. This test was to become a real test but I hadn't realized that yet. SFO was as usual crowded but 2hrs 15 min seemed adequate for us to check everything in and get to the gate. Our American Airlines line was not only long but just creeped forward. We had packed two bikes in each bike box, one Schwinn road bike and one Scott MTB, along with an assortment of equipment, race food and spares. My actual bike box carried only one set of spare wheels and lots of spares and race food. We got through ticketing without too much excess baggage charges and had 30' to get to the gate which without encumbrances was about 3' away, we were still within the zone of making it I felt. Security was next and that was when things started to turn sour. We all went to the same line and all the riders had neatly packed their new tubes of toothpaste and mouthwash in their carry on bags, almost all got the same lady screening them, I didn't and after I had been cleared I started to notice there was some sort of a hang up. Humm a language barrier, so I went to help out the situation.

The security personnel was explaining to the rider in front of her all the options he had with these now forbidden articles of toothpaste and mouth wash, either go back out and send it home, throw it out and a some other option I think and she started to go into more explanations when I said politely to here that he is from Rwanda and does not understand what you are saying, we have a plane to catch and that she could just throw out the items, please, no she had to finish her ordeal, when it was done she went to the next rider and started the whole thing over again, all the riders were in the same place and were tagged for extra scrutiny, Rafiki had someone else and was ready already, I sent him to the gate. Nyandwi was next and got through, he went to the gate. As she started in on Nathan I asked her please just throw away the toothpaste and mouthwash, they can't understand you, we need to catch our flight. She turned to me and said that if I did not stop she would call her supervisor. So I shut up and watched at a distance trying not to look at my watch every 15secounds. With Adrien the last to be searched we had about 8 minutes to departure, I told Adrien that I was going to go to the gate and make sure they hold it open. The Security agent was slowly taking her time as she explained to Adrien all the reasons why he shouldn't bring toothpaste and mouthwash on the plane with him, I ran to the plane and the agent at the door said that she was closing the gate and would not wait it was about 3 minutes to departure by then. I pleaded with her and she didn't budge on her decision, she wanted to close the door. I see Adrien down the corridor to help him and by the time we get to the gate the gang way was closed and the agent at the plane. I open the gangway door which I think was supposed to be locked and rushed to the plane. The agent stood bewildered at the open door of the plane and said that we could not board the plane, she would not let us.

"What do you mean all we have to do is get on and all will be fine" nope she said it was now full and she would take care of us at the counter, she did not seem to care that we had a flight to catch in Chicago and the Brussels flight only operated on Tuesday's and Saturday's. So the plane did leave and she feebly attempted to try to help us out but ended up sending us to the ticket counter up front. Not much could be done except get us to Chicago a few hours after our scheduled flight left. There seemed to be delays in and out of Chicago so I had a glimmer of hope that if we were on time and the Chicago-Brussels flight was delayed we might possibly make the flight. I also was able to get a message to Chicago to escort the riders to the next gate when they arrived which did happen.

Our flight was delayed 3 hours to Chicago so that even the delayed Brussels flight had already left by the time we got there. As it stood in SFO we were going to have to wait in Chicago until Fridays flight to connect to the next Brussels-Kigali flight. In Chicago I went from one ticketing agent to another until I found a really good one that found a way to rout us through Washington Dulles to Johannesburg South Africa and up to Kigali Rwanda from there, it would leave the next day and get into Rwanda on Wed. evening one day after the other riders would arrive, I was fine with that but there was a small glitch, she couldn't ticked the Johannesburg-Kigali flight only reserve our places on the flight. Again I was ok with that, we would have to make do when we go in to South Africa. That flight too only operated on Wednesday's, Friday's and Sunday's so we needed to make that flight. Adrien's visa for SA had expired that day so we could not spend the night in Johannesburg, he couldn't get in.

We only had carry on bags since everything else was checked in with the other flight so that made things easier. But we didn't have much time to get to the gate at a different part of the airport. The flight was on time but I soon found out I had to go through immigration to pick up our tickets and that meant leaving Adrien at the transit area. Hoping to be able to find him again I left to find the Rwandair ticketing counter, when I got there they said that the counter was closed, too late, and besides they had no ticketing possibilities at the counter, they did not take credit cards, oh and on looking our reservations were cancelled because there was no ticket number, they seemed to be content with all their evidence against our being able to board the flight. The supervisor arrived, "how are you going to pay for the tickets" was his first question, "cash" if necessary, I was afraid to ask how much, it didn't matter at that point and I knew that the round trips were costing us about $550. It was about $480. each for a one way ticket, happy with that I pull out $1000 US and hand it to him. "No I can only take South African Rands you have to go to the bank and change the money there" was his response. He pointed the direction to where I could find a bank and I ran off as he pulled out two blank tickets from his briefcase. By my return with the Rand cash he had done the tickets and I set off trying to find Adrien in the maze of the airport, after going through emigration hoping that they wouldn't ask me why I was only in their country for 30', I had to get a new visa on entering in just minutes earlier.

I found Adrien, and we ran off to the now closing gate to our flight to Rwanda‚ It was relief for both of us as we boarded the plane, I knew that there was going to be the whole lost baggage issues ahead but man was I glad to have made it on the flight.

Adrien's family was at the airport to meet with him, Vedaste was there to pick me up. There were great stories of the arrival the day before as the countries cycling hero's came back into town. The press including the TV, radio and newspaper's were their awaiting their arrival. And oddly enough I was in the reception at the Presbyterian hostel I stay at later that evening and on TV was the arrival of our boys at the airport the night before. All of them looking very excited and eager to tell their story. Rafiki told me later that after the airport he had no postcards left, he had no more left to give out there had been so many people there. Unfortunately 6 bikes did not make it and four bags so I would have to return for the next flight on Saturday evening.

On my ride home the next day I felt unusually comfortable in this home away from home. Now so much was familiar and I looked forward to being with and seeing all those who had become my friends. I looked forward to getting on my bike again after so many days and to being back on the road with Team Rwanda.