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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

MTB: Mountain Biking in Daegwallyeong, Gangwon-do, South Korea & Expeditions across China's Himalayas 2011

Two perspectives of MTB (mountain biking). The first is using a mountain bike as a Touring Bicycle and riding across western China (Xinjiang/Uyghur Autonomous Region), the Himalayas, the Taklamakan Desert, Borohoro ranges of the Tian Shan, Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces all in less than 60 days. 
 Northern Himalayas of Xinjiang/Uyghur Autonomous Region, China
Rivers running directly out of the snow water melted Himalayas, mighty old mountains, a place of beauty and majesty is up there while riding on a bicycle of any kind. A place to experience and to enjoy!
Solo 60 day Mountain bicycle touring adventure

Meeting a Sino-Tibetan family with their yak herd and cabin, hammering down rough roads in Sichuan, climbing over the landslides in Jolong, climbing peaks, riding through valleys, and meeting smiling people throughout the journey are all highlights of expedition travel.

These are raw photos and a video of the expedition. Enjoy! [Music: Jason Mraz and Jack Johnson]

I supported IDEAS foundation
Intestinal Disease Education & Awareness Society
http://nogutsknowglory.com

And a second non-profit, ETE
Education Through Expeditions, UK
http://www.etelive.org

Find out more, check those links. Thank you & hope you enjoyed the video.

Brian Perich

Cheers!
The second perspective is traditional mountain bicycle riding as pictured here in Gangwon-do, Daegwallyeong, Pyeongchang-gun, South Korea in winter. Bicycle touring requires a heavier frame, a hardtail or motionless rigid bicycle frame. Mountain biking, Cross-county (XC) or downhill (DH) in this case requires a lighter, stronger, dual-suspension bicycle equipped with shock absorbing attachments at either the front fork or integrated into the bicycle frame itself. Cross-country (XC) mountain bikes use Carbon, Aluminum, Titanium, Scandium, or Steel frames. Most have hydraulic or cable disk brakes, calipers, and steel rotors attached directly to the wheel hubs ranging in size from 160-203mm. Some mountain bicycles are equipped with 185mm front rotors and 160mm rear rotors for sufficient braking power. While 203mm rotors are reserved for Downhill bicycles that tend to be heavier, with longest travel suspensions, equipped with the strongest wheel sets, often with solid axles.

 An Dae Gi  - local sponsor of the HimalayasX2011 expedition, Gangneung Bike Mart owner and operator invited me (and my 1994 Kona Explosif, built and maintained by  An Dae Gi) on an 1100 meter downhill session finishing with some Cross-Country (XC) riding at the end of the day. I am wearing a Joe Jocket Ballistic jacket, make for motorcycle touring, with Kevlar foam inserts for protection, great in all recreational sports and insulated for winter use as well. I wear Pearl iZumi Overmits for warm fingers and a pair of cycling gloves for comfort/grip underneath in winter conditions.

The Daegwallyeong, Pyeongchang-gun MTB experience is worth the trip from Seoul or other areas of Korea. Cycling is a way of life, a way of freedom and personal expression and a way to connect with your community or the environment all around you. Enjoy the rides!

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About the Korean-World Author

Brian Perich is now an English a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher, father, and adventure cyclist based in South Korea.

Between 1994-1998 - Brian completed his own adventures with motorcycles. His motorcycling marathons took him across the United States and central/western Canada, while traveling solo over an astounding 24,000km in 60 days! He endured 900 mile/1300km days in the motorcycle saddle and apparently loved every minute of those adventures.

Today, he has given up motorcycle adventures altogether, but finds an outlet for his enthusiasm in outdoor recreation while bicycle touring and micro-blogging about those experiences.

While employed as an English teacher in South Korea, Brian has became an advocate for bicycle touring on his mountain bikes. The Korean-World blog originated from those small adventures in Korea, now expanding to covering his recent HimalayasX expedition across western China, the Taklamakan Desert, the northern Himalayas of Xinjiang/Uyghur Autonomous Region, the corrugated back roads and mountains of Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces. Brian successfully completed his expedition with 3200km/1800 miles of pavement, on/off road MTB adventure cycling.

Brian is now supporting several non-profit foundations through expeditions: IDEAS Foundation of Canada IDEAS is the acronym for Intestinal Disease Education and Awareness Society which supports the IBD community, those suffering from IBD-inflammatory bowel disease, also known as Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis.

The second non-profit foundation is ETE.ORG - Education Through Expeditions, UK which supports educational outreach programs inside schools around the world. ETE connects explorers with students in the classroom, through an interactive online program in development (Beta).

Brian is asking his readers support for sponsorship to begin his upcoming 32000km 18000 mile expedition across the Americas - Arctic2Argentina2013, and needs your support! Please contact him if you are interested in helping out.

Email: bpexpedition@gmail.com
Skype: prof.brian.perich
Twitter: Cycleagain
Tel: 010.8075.5121
Location: Gangneung, Gangwon-do, South Korea

Cycling in Korea, Warning: always wear a helmet! (I gave mine to my friend)

Cycling in Korea, Warning: always wear a helmet! (I gave mine to my friend)

Brian's friends have also been...Cycling in Korea!

Brian's friends have also been...Cycling in Korea!

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