Diabetic drives 1200 miles (2,000 kilometers) by bike through Sahara
For about two years now there has been an asphalt road that leads almost at a stretch through the world’s hottest region. Starting point of the desert tour was Agadir on the atlantic coast of Morocco. At first the cyclists took a detour into the mountain landscapes of the Anti-Atlas. After the steep descent into the Souss plain, the adventurers got back to their main route toward the Sahara. The route led them along the African west coast from Morocco to the Western Sahara, which is currently under the administration of Morocco, via Mauretania to Senegal. After 40 days, their journey ended in Dakar, destination city of the world-famous rally Paris-Dakar in sub-Saharan Africa.
Active life due to good self-discipline
Geri Winkler has been a type 1 diabetic patient for 24 years. His body isn’t able to produce the essential insulin which regulates the level of blood sugar and thus controls the metabolism of the organism. At the age of 28, he was diagnosed with diabetes. For the globetrotter, the diagnosis was a shock. Extreme sports seemed almost unimaginable. Today, the chronic metabolic disease even is compatible with high performance sports. Reliable, easy-to-operate measurement technology to check blood glucose levels, improved therapeutic options and of course a good self-discipline make it easier for diabetics to lead an active life.
Due to this discipline, the mountaineer and marathon runner succeeded in bringing his type 1 diabetes, which requires a self-dependent treatment, into harmony with his spirit of adventure. Apart from his sporting equipment, Winkler travels with measurement devices and insulin therapeutics and can therefore always meet new challenges without having to restrain himself with regard to his wanderlust. Winkler’s medical equipment already proved of value both in the Himalayas and in the desert.
Pure romance: sunset in a tent restaurant in the Mauritanian desert
A dream: Cresting the seven summits
In the autumn of 2005, Winkler took to an exceptional journey that led him from the banks of the Dead Sea in Jordan – 1,348 feet (411 meters) below sea level – to the summit of the Mount Everest at a height of 29,035 feet (8.850 meters). He started by bike to cover a distance of 4,700 miles (7,600 kilometers) in length from the Dead Sea to Katmandu. Afterwards, he continued on foot. In the five months of his tour, Winkler overcame 30,366 feet (9.000 meters) in altitude and thus probably is the first diabetic, but also the first person in history to climb a “30,000-footer”.
The adventurer wants to continue to travel and to lead an active life. It is his dream to climb each of the highest summits of the seven continents. To achieve his dream, he relies on endurance, will-power and modern diabetes equipment which allows him a high degree of flexibility. Winkler already climbed six of the seven summits before he embarked on the Sahara tour. The mountaineer injects the insulin as required – therefore, he has to be able to rely on his metering device. That is why he uses a device that can perform ten measurements once a sensor disc has been inserted. Apart from the mountain hikes, Winkler’s major projects so far included the Vienna marathon, a cycling tour of the Baltic states and a solo trek through the Sahara.
Advice for patients
Every body reacts differently to medicines. Therefore it is impossible to tell which medicine works best for you. Please consult your physician.
