Friday, May 20, 2011

Groove Korea Magazine - A Special Edition on Cycling in Korea 2011

When I ride, I like to do this...ride it all day long!
Riding in the sky, Hwy 7 (Goeseong-Busan) unfinished in 2009
Sin Hyup near Samcheok, Gangwon-do, 2009
Everyone can ride and it isn't always pretty but it still feels good!
Do you enjoy cycling on rocks? I do.
Dozens of MTB clubs in Korea, but MTBK group is English on Facebook
1 Day of Cycling in Korea
Cycling in Gangwon Province of Korea
Fueled on fruit, thanks to my friend Murray DP!
Reclaimed tidal flats on Daebudo Island (near Siheung/Incheon)

Surisan, Ansan, Korea
Ulsan airport, Korea (I ride so I don't fly)
Hammering out a storm on Daebudo Island, 2009
Bicycle touring on Daebudo Island, 2009
Freedom in a bike. Escape from the daily life of stress and commitments
This feels good. You should try it today!
Bike-lite camping near Wonju-Chiaksan, Gangwon-do, Korea
Cycling around Surisan, Ansan, South Korea
Cycling in Korea - With Sun-hee at Surisan
This is more addictive than smoking -and healthy too!
Sunrise over Chiaksan Mountains, Wonju, Korea
Koreans find the way to make a path, Sun-hee on Surisan
Brian Sullivan takes on Cycling in Korea!
You should always wear a helmet, I gave mine to a friend (:
Cycling builds strength, character, endurance and friendship
Passing a group of Korean MTB riders in Ansan
Tunnels are interesting in Korea, they are everywhere too!
Ben takes to Cycling in Korea. Touring 240km on Hwy 7 (Eastern coast Korea)
My 1994 Kona Explosif. Used Cycling in Korea.
South of Gangneung, Gangwon-do, Korea
Bicycle touring requires patience, skills in packing and determination to reach the destination
Ben exits Donghae 1 tunnel, South bound for Pohang, Gyeongsannamdo Province
Riding through mountains is a unique experience in Korea
My lucky number is "7" and I like this highway in Korea.
Free parking for bicycles in Korea
What goes up, must come down. Hwy 7 offers it all to Cycle tourists in Korea
Passing bridges on the free ride across Korea
Those mountains in the distance can be crossed using intersecting highways (Hwy 35 & Hwy 59) to Taebaek
This is my Nirvava while living and teaching in South Korea 2001-2002, 2006-2011
Donghae Grand Hotel, with Asian architectural influences (entirely concrete)
Matt Lamers, Groove Korea Magazine

Hi Brian, I'm the editor of Groove Korea magazine and I am arranging a special sports issue. Would you be a good person to talk to to answer a few questions on the facebook group Cycling in Korea?


If so, the Qs are below. I came across this group quite late in the month and we are nearing the end of production, so if you have time to fill me in as soon as you can, I would appreciate it.

1. When is the registration period?

2. How much does it cost?

3. Where do you ride? How often?

4. Who should people contact if they’re interested?

5. What’s your name/age/how long in Korea/ are you both a cycler and organizer?

6. Can you also give me a few paragraphs on what either cycling in general or your group does for the your community? How does it help expats form a community? What does it do for the people involved? (coping, making friends, networking, keeping fit, interacting with Koreans, etc.)..


Hi Matt,

Excellent, would be glad to support this group. Cycling in Korea was originally formed by Duncan Davidson of New Zealand and this Cycle-friendly Kiwi has since returned to his homeland, but the group has continued to live on, connecting riders all over Korea, and there are now several administrators that announce group rides. All members are welcome to post their rides (upcoming and past experiences in Korea) and this helps connect riders.

1. When is the registration period?

Open, just join the group and leave a message on the board. Someone will usually answer your question (about sourcing a new bike in Korea, Where to ride, What kind of bike to use in urban, rural, offroad or touring conditions). There are a variety of conditions in Korea, the landscape, topography and routes are quite diverse, I suggest trying them all. There is another great group to join, MTBK (Mountain Biking in Korea) on Facebook and Jerry leads many weekend rides for all levels in different areas of Korea, if you want to ride hard or easy, enjoy company of bike-friendly people, make friends and connections in cycling, and enjoy some BBQ's and refreshments, they have it all.

There are also 645 current members in the Cycling in Korea group, 115 current members in the new Han River Riders group! One member (Eddie Glayzer, Administrator) is now cycling across China, Tibet into Nepal and India...he was fueled on Cycling in Korea, now he's riding the World. You can follow-up on his adventures @ http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/thecyclingvagabondcrazyguyonabike.com  Bicycle Touring: The Cycling Vagabond, by Edward Glayzer

Topic: Bicycle Touring Categories: Tour diaries, Equipment lists, Expedition touring bikes, Offroad, 6-12 months, WorldLocales: Asia, South Korea, China, Tibet, Nepal, India Year: 2011


2. How much does it cost?...The cost of joining is free. If the event is staged (12 hour Han Endurance Classic HECC last year hosted by several members and myself, was a paid-event where entrants rode their top mileage along the Han River, it was a challenging event to host too! Myself, Tim Travis and Arden John worked together to organize the 2010 HECC event. They have planned both a 6-hour and 12-hour endurance for 2011 (Contact either Tim or Arden). Anyways, I will still promote events with the Han River Riders, as it is most active in the Korean cycling community.

The Han River Riders group was created to bring every rider within Korea together.
The Han River Endurance 2011 is a paid-for event, this year is the same as last with 25,000won entrance free for adult riders, 10,000won just for barbeque. Event invitation now open: 

" River Romp" 6 Hour Endurance Cycling Challenge
Location: Han River Bike Path next to the Ichon 7-11
Time: ‎8:00AM Saturday, May 28th


4. Where do you ride? How often?

I personally ride mostly urban, rural and long-distance routes across Korea. I consider myself an adventure cyclist now, accumulating over 10,000km over the past two years -you can read about journeys here (mine and many others, Korean-World is dedicated to Cycling in Korea and Adventure Cycling Expeditions: http://korean-world.blogspot.com/

5. Who should people contact if they’re interested?

If anyone is interested in starting to ride, or joining group rides (on and offroad or touring) post messages to the wall, contact Han River Rivers, or me directly for more information: Brian Perich @ 010.3037.5126 - tesol2000@gmail.com

I'm proud to support support Cycling in Korea (& Global) and Han River Riders communities in Korea.

6. What’s your name/age/how long in Korea/ are you both a cycler and organizer?

Brian Perich, 38, Father, Teacher, dedicated supporter of Cycling in Korea, living in Korea for 7 years, starting expeditions this summer in western China and Tibet (autonomous region). I have really enjoyed and immersed myself into Cycling in Korea since returning in 2007-2011. My blog chronicles that transformative experience on two-wheels, I'd love to share it with you!

7. Can you also give me a few paragraphs on what either cycling in general or your group does for the your community? How does it help expats form a community? What does it do for the people involved? (coping, making friends, networking, keeping fit, interacting with Koreans, etc.)

I think the two groups support the general idea of i love Cycling community, Cycling International and the locally-grown, long-standing group  Cycling in Korea and the new ultra-mileage event group Han River Riders can support members of the Expat & Korean community share in amazing cycling experiences either independently (regionally as we are located all over the country) and collectively with group rides organized by dedicated and supportive people who love bicycles and the things we can do with them. Cycling in Korea is a great way to make new friends, learn more about the incredible riding across the country and finally best -experiencing it for yourself! I use Cycling in Korea to fuel my preparation for future expeditions around the world and while living in Korea, it's definitely one of the greatest experiences of my entire life. Get fit, stay positive, reduce stress, and help others get on their road to success and stay on it while living overseas. Dreams come true, when you learn to face your fears and live your dreams! Everyone is welcome to join the group, and I would personally like to welcome everyone to Cycling in Korea -and remember to visit the Korean-World, where I talk all about it in a blog running since 2007. If you need to find a bike to get started, don't hesitate to contact me, you will be riding around the country in no time. Peace and enjoy your time in Korea, it is an amazing place. ^^

Regards,

Brian Perich

Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea

010.3037.5126 or tesol2000@gmail.com

http://korean-world.blogspot.com/  Brian's Adventures in the world of Cycling & teaching English

2 comments:

LBJ said...

Great photos!
That trail riding looks amazing. I recently did some travelling with my Montague folding bike but nothing like that. I'll definitely check out your riding group in Korea - maybe I'll see you out there!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the positive comments and the link for others to check the folding bike option. I'll ride anything with two wheels & the truth. Keep cycling & sharing the positive energy with others.. Brian

Please share the free inspiration and adventure cookbook with all your friends and families (:

Ted Simon Foundation

About the Korean-World Author

Brian Perich was an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lecturer for a decade, father, and adventure cyclist based in South Korea.

Previously, Brian has led Canoe adventures in Quetico Provincial Park, Atikokan, Ontario, Canada (1993/1999); led Grand American camping adventures (2000); lived at Paramahansa Yogananda's SRF Ashram for 5 months (see the film "AWAKE"), formerly worked in titanium welding at Agilent Technologies, formerly worked in Winery industry in Marin County with Kendall Jackson in California; Surfing and Meditation continued for several years in California, British Columbia, South Korea, Yoga training in California 1999-2000.

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! Brian endured 900 mile/1300km average 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 on his mountain bikes.

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 expanded to cover his recent trek down the TransMongolian highway to the Gobi Desert, cycling 900km east through the Khentii grasslands and in 2012 crossing Mongolia in 45 days, 2500 kilometers 1553 miles. HimalayasX expedition Brian previously cycled across western China, the Taklamakan Desert, the northern Himalayas of East Turkestan Xinjiang/Uyghur Autonomous Region, the corrugated back roads and mountains of Kham Tibet. Brian successfully completed his 2011 mountain bike expedition with 3200 kilometers / 1988 miles unsupported, on/off road MTB adventure cycling.
Brian has completed his second mountain bike journey, MongoliaX expedition - Crossing Mongolia 2012, an unsupported mountain bike MTB expedition across 2500km of Outer Mongolia from Ulanbaatar to Altai Taven-Bogd National Park bordering China, Russia and Mongolia.


In 2013, as a sequel to a trilogy of cycle tours, Brian enjoyed a more leisure bicycle tour onboard his Koga-Miyata World Traveller seeing the northern tier of the United States and western Canada covering 3400 kilometers / 2000 miles in 30 days. This North American cycle tour was called Totherocktour. Enjoying the adventure of bicycle travel and every great conversation started while traveling on the road - has refueled his inspirations to cycle around the Earth. In 2013, while he cycled solo from the Great Lake State of Michigan, United States to Banff National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. He weaved through local communities and reconnected with friends, family and community after spending almost a decade in Asia.


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 researching support for a 18000 kilometer bicycle expedition across the Americas: North, Central and South America - ONE -Arctic to Argentina
Please contact him if you are interested in helping out.

Twitter: Cycleagain
Location: Gangneung, Gangwon-do, South Korea or southern Ontario, Canada.

Thanks for visiting my Journal from Asia

I hope you enjoy the updates!

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

Brian's friends have also been...Cycling in 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)

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