Don Layh traded courtroom for a 9,000-kilometre cycling journey through 10 African nations
For most, retirement is a time to slow down. For Don Layh, it was just the beginning of a new adventure, one that would take him across a continent, push his physical limits, and reshape his understanding of the world.
On October 1, 2024, Layh retired from the Court of King’s Bench after a decade on the bench and a distinguished legal career. But rather than settling into a quiet life at home, he set out to do something extraordinary: cycle from Cairo, Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa. A 9,000-kilometre odyssey that would span 10 countries, extreme weather, stunning wildlife, and unforgettable human encounters.
The trip began on January 16, 2025, at the Great Pyramids of Giza. Layh joined 15 other cyclists through TDA Global Cycling, a Canadian company specializing in supported long-distance expeditions. The tour, once a race, now a rigorous but accessible group ride, is a test of stamina, spirit, and adaptability. And at 70 years old, Layh embraced it with determination and curiosity.
Training, Planning, Packing
Layh is not new to cycling. In 2023, he soloed Iceland’s rugged 1,500-kilometre Ring Road. He and his wife, Jan, had also cycled 6,000 to 7,000 km through Europe in 1977, camping and cooking their own meals along the way. But Africa, he knew, would be different.
Preparation began months in advance, training daily on a stationary bike through Saskatchewan’s long winter and organizing gear with precision. Riders were limited to two bags: one accessible at nightly campsites, the other available every five or six days on rest stops. Layh carefully weighed clothing, tent gear, medical supplies, spare tires, spokes, and tools, adjusting his packing list daily. “There’s only so much space,” he said. “And only so much weight, 23 kilograms max.”
His concerns about his age were addressed early. “They told me, ‘We’ve had other 70-year-olds do this. If you’re in good health, you’ll be fine,’” Layh recalled. Riders were encouraged to cycle at their own pace. Support trucks provided a safety net, and some participants, regardless of age, chose to ride partial days when needed.
Life on the Road
Each morning began before dawn. Cyclists packed tents in darkness, grabbed breakfast, and hit the road with the sunrise, taking advantage of the cooler hours before African heat soared to 40°C. Daily distances averaged 140 km, though some days stretched over 200. A marathon day in Botswana saw riders push 218 km in a single stretch.
The route passed through Egypt, Sudan (planned but rerouted due to instability), Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa, offering a front-row seat to Africa’s vastness and complexity.
“Africa is a continent like no other,” Layh said. He was struck by its linguistic and cultural diversity, with over 2,000 languages reflecting deep tribal roots. In countries like Uganda and Zambia, where half the population is under 20, the energy was palpable. “Hundreds of schoolchildren in uniforms would wave and shout as we passed. They’d never seen cyclists dressed like us, helmets, jerseys, and padded shorts.”
Layh noted the continent’s booming population and the challenges ahead. Africa’s population is expected to double to 2.3 billion by 2050, a “population explosion in the making,” he called it.
More Than Miles
The cycling was only part of the journey. In Tanzania, the group paused in Arusha and swapped bikes for jeeps, heading into Serengeti National Park. There, they were awestruck by wildlife: giraffes, elephants, zebras, wildebeests, lions, leopards, rhinos, and more. “Our guide said over 500 safari vehicles enter the park daily,” Layh noted.
They also cycled around the base of Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, enjoying rare clear skies. The snow-covered volcano, sadly, is disappearing. “Eighty percent of the glacier is already gone,” Layh said. Scientists predict its ice cap could vanish entirely by mid-century.
In Uganda, riders boarded a ferry across Lake Victoria, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake, and saw signs of climate disruption. Shorelines were flooding, and the source of the Nile, where water exits the lake, had become a torrent. The contrast between desert regions like Namibia and Africa’s mighty rivers, including the Nile and the Zambezi, was staggering.
One of Layh’s most exhilarating experiences came at Victoria Falls, on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border. Spanning 1.7 km, the roaring cascade was first seen by Europeans in the 1850s. Layh took to the skies in a microlight aircraft for an aerial view. “It was absolutely breathtaking,” he said.
A New Vision of Retirement
Layh’s journey challenges long-held ideas about aging and retirement. He encountered riders of all ages, including a man with a hip replacement and a woman in her 50s who inspired others by riding at her own pace. “You don’t have to give up just because you’re getting older,” Layh said. “Ride your own ride. There’s no shame in using the support truck. Just do your best.”
The trip also left a mark on those around him. “One woman told me, ‘I was always afraid of getting old, until I met you.’”
Now back home in Langenburg, Layh isn’t finished. He’s considering another TDA trip, from Tuktoyaktuk to Panama, and dreams of cycling through Europe with his grandchildren. “Cycling is still going to be part of my retirement plan,” he said. “I want to do something with my grandkids before I get too old. And cycling in Europe is very civilized.”
His story is more than a travelogue. It’s a reminder that retirement doesn’t mean retreat, it can mean reinvention.
One of the things that prompted me to do this,” Layh said, “was to be a role model for my grandkids.”