WT: Letters to Jonathon Hill, activist cyclist supporting Live Strong - Cancer Foundation Charity

Hey Jon!
[ You can follow Jonny's progress as he rides across America supporting the Live Strong - The Lance Armstrong Foundation - in 202 days!!!]

Great to hear this update (mobile too, cool!). I still haven't established a site, but have been featured in newspapers (Korea Times) and interviewed on KBS World Radio (30 minutes) with a video feed online, a few local newspapers with free distribution in Windsor, ON, Canada. The cycling and new foundation that backs me IDEAS - Intestinal Disease Education and Awareness Society of Canada - is going great. Robert Hill is taking a team up Kilimanjaro now, and finally completing his 7-Summit Series on Everest in the spring (he's a Crohn's disease survivor and founder of this wonderful society).

Reasonably priced bikes: Surly Long Haul Trucker, $1095USD +plus Tubus racks and Ortlieb panniers , check Ebay.com since your in the States, search for a complete package. Other bikes I can suggest to you...searching for a moment... This ESL teacher had a great idea and wonderful website setup, bought the Surly LHT and fully-equipped it, had the website going, then had a falling out with his co-rider and it completely vanished, he sold the bike (I saw it posted on boards in Korea) for little, and I tried to contact him without reply. Unusual situation, anyways, he provides a valuable list here:

RECKLESS COGNITION TOURING BICYCLE GUIDE

I decided on the decked out (racks and complete Shimano XT) 2009 Koga-Miyata World Traveller, from Eric @Commuter Bikes in Santa Barbara, CA. I asked for a scratch n' dent or charity discount and he provided two options, a scratched 2009 KMWT or 2007 KMWT at discount. If you want something beyond the ordinary, this is the machine without an engine. The 2007 models he still has in stock, so compared with the list above in recklesscognition... it's an expensive item, but built for World Bicycle Touring. For the Continental US, I would check the list and choose the best fit. Cheaper panniers and gear are also available through eBay, you'll need rain covers for all of them though, I haven't sourced anything beyond the bike at this point. I am leaving for Alaska in spring 2012, hopefully, more media and some sponsors will be attainable for the additional gear required.

My blogs: Korean-World and Arctic to Argentina 2012 Expedition

Warm Wishes, Brian in S.K.