2014 - A2A

                               A2A: Adriatic to Atlantic 2014

A 3 month cycle through the vineyards of Europe in aid of rhinos

Our Route - We did it as planned plus an extension into Brittany at the end. It's all on the posts.

Our planned route across Europe

We will start in Dubrovnik, Croatia on the 1st of May. Our route will take us along the Croatian coastline and then through Slovenia in order to bypass the Alps. We will join the cycle track along the Murr River in south-east Austria and then cycle north-east to Vienna where we meet the Danube. We will follow the Danube cycle path (Eurovelo 6) through Austria and southern Germany, and then join the Rhine at Lake Konstanz. Just north of Basel we will follow the Rhone-Rhine canal to the Doube and then Saone Rivers. From there we will cross to the top of the Loire River which we will follow west to the coast.

Wine on Route

Our route across Europe takes us through many exciting wine-producing regions. Starting with the Pelesac Peninsula (Plavac Mali grapes), Korcula (Grk) and Istria (Malvasia and  Refosco grapes) in Croatia, we cycle through the Postravje Region of Slovenia (Laski Rizling grapes). Then the southern Styria or Steiermark (Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Welschriesling) and Wachau/Krems (Riesling and Gruner Veltliner) regions of Austria, and the Baden in Germany. Wobbling west from the Rhine, we go through the south of Alsace (Riesling, Pino Gris, Gewürztraminer and Sylvaner), Burgundy (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay) and finally the length of the Loire (Sauvignon Blanc, then Cabernet Franc and its renowned Chenin Blanc).

Cycling for Rhinos

More than 20 rhinos are killed illegally each week in South Africa, and most cruelly so. The number is increasing. For what purpose? Not to relieve hunger or to provide meat or leather, but to feed a fictitious myth that the rhino horn contains some magical ingredient that cures numerous ailments and promotes various forms of success. And yet rhino horn provides no more benefit than chewing one's own fingernails.

It is somewhat ironic that rhinos have brought out both the worst and best in human nature. On the one hand, the rhino horn trade is driven by greed, lust for power, indiscriminate cruelty, the exploitation of ignorance, corruption in high places, and a selfish lack of concern for the future of the great natural heritage of our planet. On the other hand there are people who have committed their careers and indeed their lives to the protection of this ancient species. And this often with limited resources and little remuneration.

The rhinoceros has been roaming our planet for 40 million years. We cannot stand back and watch the extinction of this magnificent animal. The extinction of the rhinoceros as a result of human greed and ignorance would be a massive indictment of the state of our so-called "modern civilization" and a huge loss for future generations.

The fight against the scourge of rhino poaching and the illicit sale of rhino horn is complex and multi-faceted. There are many organizations involved in different aspects of this struggle. After much research, we have selected the "Unite against Poaching" initiative under the auspices of the SANParks Honorary Rangers as a worthwhile cause. Should you have a similar interest in the conservation of this vulnerable mammal, please consider donating to this organization. We know that they will greatly appreciate all the help they can get.

Links to rhino information

Why does a rhino horn cost $300 000?
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/05/why-does-a-rhino-horn-cost-300-000-because-vietnam-thinks-it-cures-cancer-and-hangovers/275881/

Rhino poaching statistics from stoprhinopoaching.com
http://www.stoprhinopoaching.com/statistics.aspx

Information about rhinos and rhino poaching from Unite Against Poaching.
http://www.uniteagainstpoaching.co.za/about-us/rhino-info