By Bryan Kay Staff Reporter Canadian Lays Groundwork to Recruit for Trans-American Charity Effort From Alaska When Brian Perich arrived back in Korea late in 2006, it was perhaps only a matter of time before he bought a mountain bike and started to pound the tarmac snaking around the country. Indeed, it wasn't long before the 36-year-old Canadian, who lives in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, picked up a bargain basement set of spoked wheels to help quench his thirst for the open road. The founder of Cycling International, an informal group of Korean and expat cyclists set up in February 2007, has a goal of seismic proportions: to bike from the Canadian Arctic, as far south as he can possibly go ― and he wants fellow enthusiasts to join him for the ride. Perich, originally from Windsor, Ontario, can trace his love for cycling back to the 1980s when he was part of several road-racing clubs [Caboto & Maple Leaf Cycling Clubs, Windsor, Ontario]*. ``(Back then) I was not really into it. But it must have been about 1990, though, when I came across touring," he explained. ``So, I took a few friends, we got up early, and in 10 hours we did 240 kilometers. And we cycled back.'' [Grand Bend, Ontario] There began a love story that has spiraled 19 years ― taking in Canada, the United States and Korea ― involved a flirtation with motor-biking thousands of kilometers, and now has the English teacher aiming to head for Anchorage, Alaska, in 2012 to embark upon his mammoth journey across the Americas. The grand plan has the dual aims of raising cash for charity and as an outlet for his energies. And Perich hopes to encourage others to join him on the trip ― or at the very least join one of Korea's cycling groups. ``I started out around Ansan, then Suwon, then toward Pyeongtaek,'' he said. ``From there I started to go out to the east coast… and eventually all the way down to Busan. ``Over the course of the last two years, I have been meeting random people. That's what brought about Cycling International, through a Facebook group. It is just about trying to get like-minded people together.'' But the ultimate goal is his trans-Americas mission, which he has dubbed ``One Cycle, One Man (+Riders), One Charity, Global Bike from the Arctic.'' ``What this is ultimately about is training and preparing for the ride to the Arctic all the way down, perhaps all the way to the bottom of South America,'' Perich continued. ``I want to get people inspired. I've already got a company ready to give me a discount for a bike.'' The charities he has earmarked as the beneficiaries of his fund-raising effort ― the Canadian and American branches of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation ― are to act as a guiding network for the arduous journey. The non-profit organization Get Your Guts in Gear would be the spur, helping organize presentations at key locations [several US locations, 200 miles rides]* on his route, where he says he could stage motivational presentations that could lead to donations to the cause. ``The cycling is more a means of survival for me here. The teaching thing is done for me. I want to pour myself into this. After motorcycling for so many years and with the emphasis on the environment and being green, this seems like the right thing,'' said Perich. ``There are so many people who have accumulated thousands of kilometers doing things like this, and there are more organized cycling groups here in Korea worth looking into.'' Anyone interested in finding out more about cycling groups in Korea or Perich's Arctic mission can contact him at 010-2657-5126 or email tesol2000@gmail.com. bk@koreatimes.co.kr |
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