Correspondence with Polar Explorer and Everest veteran mountaineer - Eric Larsen // Explorers // Advice on overland expeditions // Mountain bike treks // Mongolia Solo 2500km Crossing 2012

 2012 Solo Crossing 2500km or 1553 miles and accumulated 40,000 meters altitude in Outer Mongolia. Now, I have professional explorers and world touring cyclists asking for advice. Eric Larsen contacted me a week ago to ask for logistical support for Mongolia. In 2010, Eric Larsen became the first person in history to successfully complete expeditions to South Pole, North Pole and the summit of Mount Everest in a continuous 365-day period. In 2006, Larsen completed the first ever summer expedition to the North Pole.

 2014 Cycle to the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia

 Reaching the 5 Saints in 45 days overlanding.

 My top of the world expedition experience made public on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

100 miles a day experience in 2013 crossing North America in 30 days, 3400 kilometers, 2000 miles.

Re: Polar training courses Inbox x Brian Perich Mar 29 to Eric, Rob Hi Eric, CC: Rob Hill, IDEAS 

 I went through tough terrain to follow-through and finish my 2500km 1553 mile journey. On finishing and returning to Korea I had to get back into work but had terrible physical complications. This was my second official bike expedition after China and the Himalayas in 2011. I returned two years later, last summer, to ride directly to the Gobi and out east to Khentii. In total, I covered 3700km in 65 days, 2500km in 38 days pedaling on the first trip+7 days resting/recovering. I wore the old Pearl iZumi shoes when the Walk-n-bike shoes I ordered to replace them came sized smaller than a decent fit. As a result, with very little padding, I took a beating scaffolding the mountains north and then west to Khovsgol and Altai. I walked a great deal, sand deserts and the mountains climbing up while pushing the bike loaded. I still support Rob Hill from the IDEAS foundation of Canada, he is also a professional mountaineer. Let's include him in this conversation. I have lost touch with Antony Jinman, and failed to get sponsored. I did have one-off support from Lynskey Performance for their titanium frame, but I had to buy-in at cost, then they dropped me before I had finished my 2012 trip. I am considering a frame building course to 1.build my own frame 2.learn the trade for potential small business 3.do more expeditions with my own hand-made equipment. My website revealed my routes (MongoliaX2014), and the routes across the Gobi to share finally with others, because like you, I have been contacted for the route by quite a few professional explorers/cyclists, and nothing was ever offered in return which is the nature of of casual online connections and information gathering....meanwhile though for me, I had to bitterly try to finish my physio, chiro, and steroid treatments to recover and resume a normal life in Korea. I successfully completed the journeys, but that was the end game for me. Not much happened next for me except returning to teaching in Korea, which ended in January of this year (department closure/university takeover/school challenges for my children Korean-only environment/pollution issues affecting my training and whole family's health conditions and the consideration of potential employment and betterment for my wife to return to the workforce - much on my plate). Now, I am on a new challenge living in North America where I have no foothold at all - except family here to connect with. So, my personal survival expedition in North America has now completed it's second month. I spend 10 years in Asia (China and South Korea). I am currently in Windsor, Ontario returned to my parents home while supporting my two children and my wife whom after a 9 year hiatus raising children, started working finally after two months search. I am currently unemployed with foreign credentials from Sweden, they won't hire me in Canadian-sector education with foreign credentials and there are few jobs/if any available anyways. I am overlooked for factory or other jobs, even in temporary staffing - I am untouchable.So, I am considering frame building as my next move. If you are planning an expedition for Mongolia, in the summer or winter, I would like to join you - no holds barred. If you cannot accommodate me, I can still offer the routes (2012/2014) on my website in return for nothing. I know the Mongolian language, understand their culture and have some connections there, very kind people some whom I met that I won't even know where they have migrated to now, others are settled in the cities or train wild horses. It's an amazing place to challenge yourself, discover and explore. I would like to carry on exploring and connecting there, even guiding, but I don't have the business finesse/panache to fuel adventures they way you do. Thanks for writing, in confidence. If you have any collaborative ideas, I would definitely like to hear from you again. -- Brian (Windsor,ON)

Update from Altai Taven-Bodg National Park basecamp, thanks to my friends who came to support the expedition this year....
Posted by ONE - Arctic2Argentina - Eco-Expedition of the Americas & Asia Expeditions on Friday, September 14, 2012

 Eric Larsen on Fatbike starting the attempted first ride to the South Pole. 3 completed in 2014.

 Eric Larsen on his triple grand slam North / South Poles and Everest Expeditions called Save the Poles.

 Eric Larsen on his Surly Moonlander

Eric Larsen leading Antony Jinman on a North Pole expedition with ETE.

On Sun, Mar 29, 2015 at 12:38 AM, Eric Larsen wrote: 

Hi Brian -- I hope you are doing well. I was just doing a bit of googling and came across your video of Mongolia. I'm in the beginning stages of looking into a trip there and I'm curious to learn more about your route, etc. Do you have a web site that shows your track? Thanks! Think Snow! Eric -- 

It's Cool To Be Cold www.ericlarsenexplore.com Adventure * Achieve * Inspire Eric Larsen Explore 3840 Broadway St. #27 Boulder, CO 80304 Phone: 218.370.9137 
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/EricLarsenExplore 
Twitter: @ELExplore www.ericlarsenexplore.com 
 Begin with one step...

On Sat, Feb 1, 2014 at 9:15 AM, Brian Perich wrote: 

Hi Eric, I have wondered about taking these courses for years. Now the years of the Fat bikes in Antarctica make me want to take steps closer, although reasonably, I realize I may never have funding available to do it. I would be eligible for your course in 2015, I am still in South Korea this year and will move back to Canada next January. I know there a lot at stake and on the take for sponsored polar travel, and I have not been successful gaining support with cycles, despite my biggest effort crossing Mongolia entirely unassisted in 2012. 

I watch Antony Jinman and supported ETE in faith from the beginning, the same with Robert Hill at IDEAS Foundation of Canada, now both are professionals either semi-retired like Rob, or developing like Antony. And I watch you, and I see myself in Korean EFL classrooms and know I am in the wrong place. I budgeted XXXXX from savings to complete three treks on bicycles, western China from Urumqi, across the Tian Shan mountains and Taklamakan on the Tarim route to southern Silkroad to Yecheng into the Aksai Chin mountains and back to Kashgar for a flight to Chengdu and back across Sichuan and Yunnan Himalayas in 2011. I lost 23kg training and completing, 1/2 while in China for 60 days. 

In 2012, I trained again for 10 weeks (gym no bike) and setoff on 2500km and 40,000meters of Outer Mongolia, daily peaks 18-20% grade, no switchbacks, 2300km was offroad, 1 year of medical assisted recovery. And I took an easy 3400km 30 day trek on pavement from Grand Rapids, MI to Banff National Park in 2013. I want to do more with exploring, I know what it takes (having done it without the sponsors cash-equipment) and while supporting Rob and Antony's non-profit foundations. 

Thanks for listening, Brian -- 

Brian Perich Adventure Cyclist, Explorer, Father, University Lecturer 

Ambassador at IDEAS, Intestinal Disease Education & Awareness Society, Canada 

Korean-World Micro Blog 

A2A Expedition project 

Facebook groups, 1, 2, 3 

Facebook profile 

Twitter: Cycleagain 

Media Sample 1 Media Sample 2

Correspondence with Polar Explorer and Everest veteran mountaineer - Eric Larsen // Explorers // Advice on overland expeditions // Mountain bike treks // Mongolia Solo 2500km Crossing 2012

 2012 Solo Crossing 2500km or 1553 miles and accumulated 40,000 meters altitude in Outer Mongolia. Now, I have professional explorers and world touring cyclists asking for advice. Eric Larsen contacted me a week ago to ask for logistical support for Mongolia. In 2010, Eric Larsen became the first person in history to successfully complete expeditions to South Pole, North Pole and the summit of Mount Everest in a continuous 365-day period. In 2006, Larsen completed the first ever summer expedition to the North Pole.

 2014 Cycle to the Gobi Desert in southern Mongolia

 Reaching the 5 Saints in 45 days overlanding.

 My top of the world expedition experience made public on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

100 miles a day experience in 2013 crossing North America in 30 days, 3400 kilometers, 2000 miles.

Re: Polar training courses Inbox x Brian Perich Mar 29 to Eric, Rob Hi Eric, CC: Rob Hill, IDEAS 

 I went through tough terrain to follow-through and finish my 2500km 1553 mile journey. On finishing and returning to Korea I had to get back into work but had terrible physical complications. This was my second official bike expedition after China and the Himalayas in 2011. I returned two years later, last summer, to ride directly to the Gobi and out east to Khentii. In total, I covered 3700km in 65 days, 2500km in 38 days pedaling on the first trip+7 days resting/recovering. I wore the old Pearl iZumi shoes when the Walk-n-bike shoes I ordered to replace them came sized smaller than a decent fit. As a result, with very little padding, I took a beating scaffolding the mountains north and then west to Khovsgol and Altai. I walked a great deal, sand deserts and the mountains climbing up while pushing the bike loaded. I still support Rob Hill from the IDEAS foundation of Canada, he is also a professional mountaineer. Let's include him in this conversation. I have lost touch with Antony Jinman, and failed to get sponsored. I did have one-off support from Lynskey Performance for their titanium frame, but I had to buy-in at cost, then they dropped me before I had finished my 2012 trip. I am considering a frame building course to 1.build my own frame 2.learn the trade for potential small business 3.do more expeditions with my own hand-made equipment. My website revealed my routes (MongoliaX2014), and the routes across the Gobi to share finally with others, because like you, I have been contacted for the route by quite a few professional explorers/cyclists, and nothing was ever offered in return which is the nature of of casual online connections and information gathering....meanwhile though for me, I had to bitterly try to finish my physio, chiro, and steroid treatments to recover and resume a normal life in Korea. I successfully completed the journeys, but that was the end game for me. Not much happened next for me except returning to teaching in Korea, which ended in January of this year (department closure/university takeover/school challenges for my children Korean-only environment/pollution issues affecting my training and whole family's health conditions and the consideration of potential employment and betterment for my wife to return to the workforce - much on my plate). Now, I am on a new challenge living in North America where I have no foothold at all - except family here to connect with. So, my personal survival expedition in North America has now completed it's second month. I spend 10 years in Asia (China and South Korea). I am currently in Windsor, Ontario returned to my parents home while supporting my two children and my wife whom after a 9 year hiatus raising children, started working finally after two months search. I am currently unemployed with foreign credentials from Sweden, they won't hire me in Canadian-sector education with foreign credentials and there are few jobs/if any available anyways. I am overlooked for factory or other jobs, even in temporary staffing - I am untouchable.So, I am considering frame building as my next move. If you are planning an expedition for Mongolia, in the summer or winter, I would like to join you - no holds barred. If you cannot accommodate me, I can still offer the routes (2012/2014) on my website in return for nothing. I know the Mongolian language, understand their culture and have some connections there, very kind people some whom I met that I won't even know where they have migrated to now, others are settled in the cities or train wild horses. It's an amazing place to challenge yourself, discover and explore. I would like to carry on exploring and connecting there, even guiding, but I don't have the business finesse/panache to fuel adventures they way you do. Thanks for writing, in confidence. If you have any collaborative ideas, I would definitely like to hear from you again. -- Brian (Windsor,ON)

Update from Altai Taven-Bodg National Park basecamp, thanks to my friends who came to support the expedition this year....
Posted by ONE - Arctic2Argentina - Eco-Expedition of the Americas & Asia Expeditions on Friday, September 14, 2012

 Eric Larsen on Fatbike starting the attempted first ride to the South Pole. 3 completed in 2014.

 Eric Larsen on his triple grand slam North / South Poles and Everest Expeditions called Save the Poles.

 Eric Larsen on his Surly Moonlander

Eric Larsen leading Antony Jinman on a North Pole expedition with ETE.

On Sun, Mar 29, 2015 at 12:38 AM, Eric Larsen wrote: 

Hi Brian -- I hope you are doing well. I was just doing a bit of googling and came across your video of Mongolia. I'm in the beginning stages of looking into a trip there and I'm curious to learn more about your route, etc. Do you have a web site that shows your track? Thanks! Think Snow! Eric -- 

It's Cool To Be Cold www.ericlarsenexplore.com Adventure * Achieve * Inspire Eric Larsen Explore 3840 Broadway St. #27 Boulder, CO 80304 Phone: 218.370.9137 
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/EricLarsenExplore 
Twitter: @ELExplore www.ericlarsenexplore.com 
 Begin with one step...

On Sat, Feb 1, 2014 at 9:15 AM, Brian Perich wrote: 

Hi Eric, I have wondered about taking these courses for years. Now the years of the Fat bikes in Antarctica make me want to take steps closer, although reasonably, I realize I may never have funding available to do it. I would be eligible for your course in 2015, I am still in South Korea this year and will move back to Canada next January. I know there a lot at stake and on the take for sponsored polar travel, and I have not been successful gaining support with cycles, despite my biggest effort crossing Mongolia entirely unassisted in 2012. 

I watch Antony Jinman and supported ETE in faith from the beginning, the same with Robert Hill at IDEAS Foundation of Canada, now both are professionals either semi-retired like Rob, or developing like Antony. And I watch you, and I see myself in Korean EFL classrooms and know I am in the wrong place. I budgeted XXXXX from savings to complete three treks on bicycles, western China from Urumqi, across the Tian Shan mountains and Taklamakan on the Tarim route to southern Silkroad to Yecheng into the Aksai Chin mountains and back to Kashgar for a flight to Chengdu and back across Sichuan and Yunnan Himalayas in 2011. I lost 23kg training and completing, 1/2 while in China for 60 days. 

In 2012, I trained again for 10 weeks (gym no bike) and setoff on 2500km and 40,000meters of Outer Mongolia, daily peaks 18-20% grade, no switchbacks, 2300km was offroad, 1 year of medical assisted recovery. And I took an easy 3400km 30 day trek on pavement from Grand Rapids, MI to Banff National Park in 2013. I want to do more with exploring, I know what it takes (having done it without the sponsors cash-equipment) and while supporting Rob and Antony's non-profit foundations. 

Thanks for listening, Brian -- 

Brian Perich Adventure Cyclist, Explorer, Father, University Lecturer 

Ambassador at IDEAS, Intestinal Disease Education & Awareness Society, Canada 

Korean-World Micro Blog 

A2A Expedition project 

Facebook groups, 1, 2, 3 

Facebook profile 

Twitter: Cycleagain 

Media Sample 1 Media Sample 2

Eurasia from the Atlantic to the Pacific // Adventure Bicycle Touring // RTW - Round the World Travel // Journey film // Passing That Way //

[Photo: Ollie Yeoman]
Adventure cyclists traveling around the world is less uncommon as we look through the lens of the web. For inspiration, it's easy to see the amazing world through the seat of cycles. They chose Surly Long Haul Truckers in 4130 steel lugged framesets, a great choice to comfort and reliability. Follow Ollie and Anna's adventures on Passing That Way as they round the world.

Eurasia from the Atlantic to the Pacific // Adventure Bicycle Touring // RTW - Round the World Travel // Journey film // Passing That Way //

[Photo: Ollie Yeoman]
Adventure cyclists traveling around the world is less uncommon as we look through the lens of the web. For inspiration, it's easy to see the amazing world through the seat of cycles. They chose Surly Long Haul Truckers in 4130 steel lugged framesets, a great choice to comfort and reliability. Follow Ollie and Anna's adventures on Passing That Way as they round the world.

Eurasia from the Atlantic to the Pacific // Adventure Bicycle Touring // RTW - Round the World Travel // Journey film // Passing That Way //

[Photo: Ollie Yeoman]
Adventure cyclists traveling around the world is less uncommon as we look through the lens of the web. For inspiration, it's easy to see the amazing world through the seat of cycles. They chose Surly Long Haul Truckers in 4130 steel lugged framesets, a great choice to comfort and reliability. Follow Ollie and Anna's adventures on Passing That Way as they round the world.

Shanghai to Rome by Touring Bicycles // Adventure Cycling with Ollie and Anna Yeoman // Round the World Cyclists // Passing That Way //

Adventure cyclists traveling around the world is less uncommon as we look through the lens of the web. For inspiration, it's easy to see the amazing world through the seat of cycles. They chose Surly Long Haul Truckers in 4130 steel lugged framesets, a great choice to comfort and reliability.
Follow Ollie and Anna's adventures on Passing That Way as they round the world.

Shanghai to Rome by Touring Bicycles // Adventure Cycling with Ollie and Anna Yeoman // Round the World Cyclists // Passing That Way //

Adventure cyclists traveling around the world is less uncommon as we look through the lens of the web. For inspiration, it's easy to see the amazing world through the seat of cycles. They chose Surly Long Haul Truckers in 4130 steel lugged framesets, a great choice to comfort and reliability.
Follow Ollie and Anna's adventures on Passing That Way as they round the world.

Shanghai to Rome by Touring Bicycles // Adventure Cycling with Ollie and Anna Yeoman // Round the World Cyclists // Passing That Way //

Adventure cyclists traveling around the world is less uncommon as we look through the lens of the web. For inspiration, it's easy to see the amazing world through the seat of cycles. They chose Surly Long Haul Truckers in 4130 steel lugged framesets, a great choice to comfort and reliability.
Follow Ollie and Anna's adventures on Passing That Way as they round the world.

Cycle Touring Australia // Chris Rishworth guides us in the Outback // Koga-Miyata World Traveller // Bicycle World Travel //

Chris Rishworth cycle touring Outback Australia using Solar and Dyno Power

Read about his adventures at the CGOB journal. 

Cycle Touring Australia // Chris Rishworth guides us in the Outback // Koga-Miyata World Traveller // Bicycle World Travel //

Chris Rishworth cycle touring Outback Australia using Solar and Dyno Power

Read about his adventures at the CGOB journal. 

Cycle Touring Australia // Chris Rishworth guides us in the Outback // Koga-Miyata World Traveller // Bicycle World Travel //

Chris Rishworth cycle touring Outback Australia using Solar and Dyno Power

Read about his adventures at the CGOB journal. 

Race to Cycle to the South Pole 2013 // ICE Trikes race to the South Pole // Maria Leijerstam beats two other male contenders //

British adventurer Maria Leijerstam has braved savage conditions to become the first person to cycle to the South Pole from the edge of the Antarctic continent. Maria, aged 35 from Wales, raced two men for the title and arrived at the pole hundreds of miles ahead of her nearest rival.

After 9 days cycling Maria completed the 400 mile expedition at approximately 1am GMT on the 27th December 2013. Despite starting days later than her competitors Maria made quick progress on a recumbent trike designed specifically for the challenge by Inspired Cycle Engineering. The custom-made trike is stable and aerodynamic, which has allowed Maria to focus her energy on progressing through the gale-force winds and hazardous terrain.

The cycles design is based on a standard ICE Sprint recumbent trike with modifications to ensure it can tackle the rigorous challenge ahead. The frame is made, as standard, from aircraft-grade steel selected for its strength and fatigue resistance. It is fitted with 4.5 inch-wide snow tires for unsurpassed traction and float over snow and ice. The gears are effectively twice as easy as a standard mountain bike, which would allow Maria to climb 1-in-3 gradients.

The ability to climb hills with relative ease meant that Maria could take a shorter route to the pole than her competitors, which required scaling the formidable Transantarctic Mountains; a similar route to that of Scott and Amundsen in their legendary South Pole expeditions. On the recumbent trike Maria was able to ascend the Leverett Glacier, despite strong headwinds and deep snow, to reach the polar plateau.
"The trike is amazing. It's completely stable, even in extreme winds and I can take on long steep hills that I'd never be able to climb on a bike" said Maria.

With the mountains and glacier behind her Maria then faced over 300 miles of the polar plateau. The snow, wind and sastrugi made progress slow and arduous, but by cycling in 12 hour stints Maria continued to progress 25-35 miles (40-60km) each day.

After a well-deserved celebration, call home and rest, Maria will return to her home in Wales where she will no doubt start planning her next mammoth expedition. Huge congratulations to Maria from everyone at ICE Trikes!

Other South Pole Explorers on bikes:

The South Pole Epic, Daniel Burton

Juan Menendez Granados

Eric Larsen, Cycle South Expedition 2012

Post by Brian Perić.

Racing over 400 miles from the edge of the Antarctic continent Maria Leijerstam hopes to beat two other male contenders to claim the world record. 

Race to Cycle to the South Pole 2013 // ICE Trikes race to the South Pole // Maria Leijerstam beats two other male contenders //

British adventurer Maria Leijerstam has braved savage conditions to become the first person to cycle to the South Pole from the edge of the Antarctic continent. Maria, aged 35 from Wales, raced two men for the title and arrived at the pole hundreds of miles ahead of her nearest rival.

After 9 days cycling Maria completed the 400 mile expedition at approximately 1am GMT on the 27th December 2013. Despite starting days later than her competitors Maria made quick progress on a recumbent trike designed specifically for the challenge by Inspired Cycle Engineering. The custom-made trike is stable and aerodynamic, which has allowed Maria to focus her energy on progressing through the gale-force winds and hazardous terrain.

The cycles design is based on a standard ICE Sprint recumbent trike with modifications to ensure it can tackle the rigorous challenge ahead. The frame is made, as standard, from aircraft-grade steel selected for its strength and fatigue resistance. It is fitted with 4.5 inch-wide snow tires for unsurpassed traction and float over snow and ice. The gears are effectively twice as easy as a standard mountain bike, which would allow Maria to climb 1-in-3 gradients.

The ability to climb hills with relative ease meant that Maria could take a shorter route to the pole than her competitors, which required scaling the formidable Transantarctic Mountains; a similar route to that of Scott and Amundsen in their legendary South Pole expeditions. On the recumbent trike Maria was able to ascend the Leverett Glacier, despite strong headwinds and deep snow, to reach the polar plateau.
"The trike is amazing. It's completely stable, even in extreme winds and I can take on long steep hills that I'd never be able to climb on a bike" said Maria.

With the mountains and glacier behind her Maria then faced over 300 miles of the polar plateau. The snow, wind and sastrugi made progress slow and arduous, but by cycling in 12 hour stints Maria continued to progress 25-35 miles (40-60km) each day.

After a well-deserved celebration, call home and rest, Maria will return to her home in Wales where she will no doubt start planning her next mammoth expedition. Huge congratulations to Maria from everyone at ICE Trikes!

Other South Pole Explorers on bikes:

The South Pole Epic, Daniel Burton

Juan Menendez Granados

Eric Larsen, Cycle South Expedition 2012

Post by Brian Perić.

Racing over 400 miles from the edge of the Antarctic continent Maria Leijerstam hopes to beat two other male contenders to claim the world record. 

Race to Cycle to the South Pole 2013 // ICE Trikes race to the South Pole // Maria Leijerstam beats two other male contenders //

British adventurer Maria Leijerstam has braved savage conditions to become the first person to cycle to the South Pole from the edge of the Antarctic continent. Maria, aged 35 from Wales, raced two men for the title and arrived at the pole hundreds of miles ahead of her nearest rival.

After 9 days cycling Maria completed the 400 mile expedition at approximately 1am GMT on the 27th December 2013. Despite starting days later than her competitors Maria made quick progress on a recumbent trike designed specifically for the challenge by Inspired Cycle Engineering. The custom-made trike is stable and aerodynamic, which has allowed Maria to focus her energy on progressing through the gale-force winds and hazardous terrain.

The cycles design is based on a standard ICE Sprint recumbent trike with modifications to ensure it can tackle the rigorous challenge ahead. The frame is made, as standard, from aircraft-grade steel selected for its strength and fatigue resistance. It is fitted with 4.5 inch-wide snow tires for unsurpassed traction and float over snow and ice. The gears are effectively twice as easy as a standard mountain bike, which would allow Maria to climb 1-in-3 gradients.

The ability to climb hills with relative ease meant that Maria could take a shorter route to the pole than her competitors, which required scaling the formidable Transantarctic Mountains; a similar route to that of Scott and Amundsen in their legendary South Pole expeditions. On the recumbent trike Maria was able to ascend the Leverett Glacier, despite strong headwinds and deep snow, to reach the polar plateau.
"The trike is amazing. It's completely stable, even in extreme winds and I can take on long steep hills that I'd never be able to climb on a bike" said Maria.

With the mountains and glacier behind her Maria then faced over 300 miles of the polar plateau. The snow, wind and sastrugi made progress slow and arduous, but by cycling in 12 hour stints Maria continued to progress 25-35 miles (40-60km) each day.

After a well-deserved celebration, call home and rest, Maria will return to her home in Wales where she will no doubt start planning her next mammoth expedition. Huge congratulations to Maria from everyone at ICE Trikes!

Other South Pole Explorers on bikes:

The South Pole Epic, Daniel Burton

Juan Menendez Granados

Eric Larsen, Cycle South Expedition 2012

Post by Brian Perić.

Racing over 400 miles from the edge of the Antarctic continent Maria Leijerstam hopes to beat two other male contenders to claim the world record. 

HimalayasXTour // Mountain biking through // Sichuan Province // A2A Explore

“Love is a bicycle with two pancakes for wheels. You may see love as more of an exercise in hard work, but I see it as more of a breakfast on the go.” 

― Jarod Kintz

What is the route planned for this summer?

ToTheRockTour2013 - This tour is all about connecting with friends, family, community and nature from the Great Lake State of Michigan, USA to the Canadian Rocky Mountains of Banff National Park.

What is this - a bike tour, an expedition, a trip back home (Canada)?

This is all the above. A trip back home to Canada (first in 6.5 years while living in East Asia). It's an unsupported tour with the bicycle once I launch from Michigan and ride towards the Mackinac Bridge. Family is first and adventure is second for me. I spend the winter recovering from the experiences in Mongolia (X journals), so right now I am just making connections to my friends and family - this is vitally important.  Pre-tour with family, and on tour there is so much opportunity to live in the outdoor experiences. There will good times and bad times, moments with serendipity and some days with injuries and despair. But there are so many simple joys, happy thoughts, free spirited songs to be sung as I move along. You can Prepare, but don't over prepare. Take each day at a time. Go explore by doing your own thing, enjoy it and share experiences with others. Life is short but beautiful when you begin to notice more, fear less, open yourself and your ideas about the world around you. There is so much to see and so much to do. Go for it.

- See you out on the road. (:

Why go bicycle touring?

It's a great way to travel and see many parts of the world out of the tourist routes. You can travel over and through international borders, you can meet new cultures in their home environments, you learn languages, you eat delicious and exotic foods, you get exercise, you become more global minded through the process.

How did I get started in mountain bike travel/touring?

I started off with mountain biking in 1988 in and around Windsor, Ontario, Canada and surrounding Essex County of southern Ontario. I explored with my friends Ciro Viviano and Greg Schiller and later as a member of Caboto Velo Club and Maple Leaf Cycling Clubs of Windsor. I started riding BMX, Motocross-styled bikes with suspension, then steel frame Mountain Bikes with rigid forks that worked exceptionally well along the North Shore of Vancouver, British Columbia and through the XC forest trails of southwestern Ontario and Michigan. I progressed with Road racing and 700c wheeled road race bicycles.

“To ride a bicycle is in itself some protection against superstitious fears, since the bicycle is the product of pure reason applied to motion. Geometry at the service of man! Give me two spheres and a straight line and I will show you how far I can take them. Voltaire himself might have invented the bicycle, since it contributes so much to man’s welfare and nothing at all to his bane. Beneficial to the health, it emits no harmful fumes and permits only the most decorous speeds. How can a bicycle ever be an implement of harm?” 

― Angela Carter

Today, I have taken similar machines, both the cheap (aluminum $50 frame in HimalayasX) and the exotic (Lynskey titanium $1795 frame used in Mongolia X) assembled by my friend and professional (AN DAE GI) proprietor of Gangneung Bike Mart, Gangwon Province, South Korea.  Today, I have exceeded most of the mental barriers to 26er mountain bike endurance expeditions, but I also see the sport evolving with Fat Bikes, 29ers, 29er+, and Bikepacking which substantially lightens loads.

Where did I recently travel?

Across the Korean peninsula 2007-2010, Deserts and Himalayas of western China in 2011, and across the isolated Steppe of Outer Mongolia in 2012, but I am hitting hard pavement and visiting friends and family across North America this summer (: 

Who did I support?

I supported the IDEAS (Intestinal Disease Education & Awareness Society) 

led by Mountaineer Explorer Robert Hill.

I supported ETE (Education Through Expeditions)

led by Polar Explorer Antony Jinman

I am also a fellow of the Ted Simon Foundation as a Jupiter Traveller

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.” 

― Ernest Hemingway

MONGOLIA X 2012 STATS:

TOTAL DAYS: 45

TOTAL ALTITUDE: 40,000 meters / 130,234 feet of altitude change on course

TOTAL DISTANCE: 2500 kilometers / 1553 miles

DAYS ON: 38 days pedaling

DAYS OFF: 7 rest and injury days

FOOD CONSUMED: 2000 grams of powdered protein, 45 mega-packs of vitamins/minerals,

12 jars of pickles, 20 liters of grazing Goat, Yak or Horse milk, Wild onions, Fresh water fish, Mutton, Sheeps tongue, 6 bowls of noodles/meat/fat, 5 kilograms of yak/goat cheese, 12 fish.

BODY WEIGHT: Start 95 kilograms. 10 weeks cross-fit 85 kilograms. Completion 72 kilograms.

DAMAGE: cracked and repaired front rack plate, bent/cracked rear carrier rack, 1 replaced, 1 repaired. 

PHOTOS TAKEN: 1500

SONGS PLAYED: 0

HIMALAYAS X 2011 STATS:

TOTAL DAYS: 45

DAYS ON: 38 days pedaling

DAYS OFF: 7 rest and injury days

ALTITUDE: N/A meters / feet of altitude change on course

DISTANCE: 3200 kilometers / 1988 miles

FOOD CONSUMED: 20 loaves of Nan bread, 2 kilograms of oatmeal with raisins, apricots and dates, 45 mega-packs of vitamins/minerals, 1.5 kilogram of Gatorade (making 50 liters)

6 jars of pickles, 10 liters of grazing Goat milk, 8 bowls of noodles/meat/fat, 2 kilograms of rice.

WEIGHT: Start 96 kilograms. 10 weeks cross-fit 85 kilograms. Completion 70 kilograms. 

EQUIPMENT DAMAGED: Rear wheel split 360 degrees, repaired with block of wood, hammer and electrical PVC tape roll, 1 bicycle tube patch.

PHOTOS TAKEN: 1500

SONGS PLAYED: 14

Sichuan welcomes, mother and daughter, giggles and lunch with their family 

 This is my life, now or never!!!!

这是我的生命，机不可失，时不再来！！！ — with ONE - Arctic2Argentina - Eco-Expedition of the Americas & Asia Expeditions.

 Older brother home from college to help his mother and siblings with the summer planting

 Beef bone soup and rice...and a bike wash

牛骨汤和米饭... ...自行车洗

I kept the upper fork stanchions clean (an old cotton tube sock) and the rest of the bike was covered in mud 

我一直上叉支柱清洁（旧棉管袜子），其余的自行车在泥覆盖（：

There's a local woman there, hauling her greens! 

 Friendly families, this young guy is a student on summer vacation returning to help his mother and younger brother and cousin

友好的家庭，这个小伙子是一个暑假的学生回国，以帮助他的母亲和弟弟和表弟

 Control center but no petrol engine is required to explore here

 lush vegetation that grows exceptionally well in Sichuan along the fertile mountain valleys

 Road conditions, very muddy!

And just a little further down the S214 we find the water buffalo in a herd 

 Peace!

 The boys of Sichuan mountains. — at Jiuzhai Valley National Park (九寨沟）

 The future generations in Sichuan Province, in the mountains together again

 Nurture to nature. I unloaded from the hitching episode and rested on the mountain for a while to recover from the shake up. — with ONE - Arctic2Argentina - Eco-Expedition of the Americas & Asia Expeditions and Antun Čolig in Mianning County.

You just never stop moving in the Himalayas

Riding a water buffalo, first I have ever seen in person!

骑水牛，首先，我见过的人！

Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use.

- Charles M. Schulz