Hi Ry,
The problem with expeditions and adventure travel is the financial considerations that are often overlooked. It takes a great deal of effort to either save for your expedition, or develop a unique idea/type of expedition to attract the right sponsors. As is mentioned on other sites, sponsorship hunting can be as challenging as the expedition itself. It's recommended to select a few companies (from thousands) and contact them directly and develop a personal relationship with someone on the inside. Meanwhile, you should be training and planning your route/means without sponsorship in mind. A full-time employment opportunity can produce enough income saved to launch a cycling, running, walking, skate boarding, etc means of expedition, and it can be done by anyone that is active and enthusiastic about the outdoors. In this case, the planning can take 6-12 months, by that time you will have assembled the right equipment to do the job. For extended travel (World Touring) or extreme adventures, such as Polar Exploration, you will need more than the right equipment, you'll need experience and training from experts (Google: polar exploration training) and time in the Arctic to acclimatize to the sub-zero conditions before setting foot alone on a trek into the unknown. The bicycle is less sponsored, less noticed as a means to expeditions because many people can travel there, compared to mountain summiting, polar and sea rowing expeditions where we are alone, truly alone - this is where the expeditions are going, this is where the money is for sponsors is hiding too.
Tom @ Ride Earth has the scoop on funding long-term travel (bicycle touring is the preferred example, but read more and find out...Thanks Tom, a great post!) I don't have all the answers because I am touring and cycling in Korea, however, over the past few years I have accumulated friends involved in the adventure lifestyle, I use this blog to share this information with others with similar interests. There are no secrets, however, without asking the right questions or these days, 'google'ing for the right answers, you might find yourself at a loss for the right solutions. It's important to persevere and continue your search until you have found the answers you were looking for in the first place. Many adventurers have become successful because they did their research and prepared to set off. The important part of your mission is creating a plan that works for you, and committing the time, energy, resources to reach your goal -the start! From the start, the plan begins to unfold, and you will gain more insight into something you've always had a passion for, but didn't completely understand from the inside-out. It takes initiative to be at the start. It's best to start right away, and enjoy your adventure. When you succeed, remember to report back from the expedition and help others that have similar interests, it's a way to support a community of people with like minds.
The greater your adversities, the greater the challenge, the greater the sponsorship opportunities are available to you. But sponsors generally don't just come along, you'll need to do a bit more selling, prepare your sponsorship pack. Once you secure sponsors, they will expect that you deliver on a promise, to help market their products while on your adventure. It's a business relationship because their product is being featured and marketed through your expedition. In some aspects, this is the commercialism of the adventure industry, but the equipment is essential in extreme conditions, and getting there requires a great deal of support, sometimes in the area of six figures to reach the most remote locations and receive food drops/refill stations. Bicycle touring is less extreme (depending on location), so it's also recommended to use the best equipment suitable for the conditions you will experience. If your cycling in Korea, you don't need much, a bicycle of any kind, a backpack, a rack (saving the weight), and panniers and camping equipment is an option. In this country, we have Jim-Jil-Bangs (public bathhouse/sauna/sleeping rooms) that are co-ed (after the bathing is complete) and they provide you with cotton t-shirts and shorts for the night. It's warm and generally comfortable accommodations (bring your ear plugs to be sure!). All this costs about 9,000 Won per night, camping of course on the beach or in rural countryside areas is free. Korea is surrounded by ocean, so coastal cycling and camping is preferred. Extreme adventures and long-term bicycle touring require the right combination of equipment, see Tim Travis's site Downtheroad.org for all the details on bicycle touring equipment.
Ryan, you should consider something...being young, you have many advantages (a year off work isn't a big decision, you have many years to recover for one!) and expeditions are a place to arrive at amazing destinations, that is why I am doing it.
Cheers, Brian P ^_^!
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