Cycling in Korea: Routes & Microfinancing ideas for adventure cyclists

 Kitting a baby carrier with a seatpost rack (do this for only light weight children cautiously!)

 Mountain bike touring with two children in South Korea - It can be done ^^!

 Cycling the East Coast, Sokcho-Gangwondo to Busan, Gyeongsannamdo, Korea 2007

 Cycling first day with Cho In Gwang in 2007. We also bicycle toured the West Coast of Korea 2008

 Do you have this feeling? Better start cycling if the answer is - NO!!! ^^

 South Korea's northeastern coastline (East Sea and across the sea is Japan)

 Get fit, stay positive, keep cycling!

 In Korea, the roads are paved like Silk, bicycle touring here is as easy as 1-2-3

 Hwy 7, 475km route along Hwy 7 from Sokcho to Busan. See Google Maps for details*

 Making friends on the journey, makes the journey more than a journey, it's a friendship!

 Finding Buddhist temples en route, discover Cycling in Korea

 Andong Masks, Cho In Gwang took another route around Korea starting in Anyang

 Korean crafts and pieces of their cultural heritage

 Bike-lite MTB touring, it doesn't have to be expensive to impress anyone -just ride and enjoy!

 This is a Korean Jim-Jil-Bang (Public Sauna/Family accomodation coed style, $6 a night)

 Fire station in Gyeongju, Gyeongsannamdo. Definite place to visit is Seokguram and Bulguksa located on Mt. Tohamsan nearby the route from Gyeongju to Ulsan to Busan, Hwy 7.

 "Muu" for sale in the Sokcho street markets

All you need is love, and a bicycle to travel on

 Rice is abundant on the fertile plains surrounding Mount Tohamsan, Gyeongju

 Seokguram grotto in Mount Tohamsan, Gyeongju, Korea

 Bul-guk-sa, a gateway to Korean Buddhism

 Enjoy the rain on a long tour in Korea

 East coast of Korea is my Lucky "7"

 Gyeongju, Gyeongsannamdo, Korea is a UNESCO World heritage site.

 UNESCO site. Tombs in the distance.

 Cheongseongdae Observatory, early Korean observatory for the stars

 Cosmos flowers, one of my favorites around the fall season in Korea

 Three story pagota. Pagota is also a language franchaise and publisher in Korea

RE: Michael Rosenfield Raising money for charity...Do you have any idea how to go about raising money for charity on short notice?

I think you website amazing!... BTW
-Mike..October 8, 2009

Brian Perich:

Hi Mike,

I'm glad Jenn Pedde introduced you. Well, short-notice fund-raising...??? I think you should consider setting up an account with http://www.kiva.org/ - A microlending organization, then you set out to make a Facebook group and Website about your tour in Japan. I haven't even started the charity fund-raising yet, as I am training for the big ride and getting media attention well in advance. Kiva is simple, and you can raise money in Korea with a few poker tournaments or other activities, but on short-notice, it won't be easy. You want the message out there, and you should canvass all your friends and family to make a small donation. Later, when you finish the tour, you can take the funds in the Kiva account, and loan them to various entrepreneurs in developing countries, I think this is your best strategy on short notice! Keep me posted on your cycling and charity campaign, & I wish you an excellent bike journey!!

Brian Perich 010.3037.5126
Kiva - Loans that change lives
www.kiva.org
Kiva enables you to loan to small businesses in developing countries...Share..

Michael Rosenfield: June 4, 2011

Brian, I have friends in Ansan near Oido station - how do you normally bike from Ansan to Seoul-what routes? I haven't biked there yet but lived there for a couple months.
-Thanks
Mike
P.S. I listened to your radio interview it was pretty cool. I guess I am a couple years late. You did that 2 years ago-right?..

Brian Perich:

Hi Mike, yeah really the same interview...same plan. From Ansan, good cycling is actually found south of there. Ansan to the park that runs south from Haundaeup Station (Hanyang University in Ansan) towards Sungloksu Station, but continue south in the park, follow the rice fields, there are paved paths throughout and you pass a number of green houses, some main roads, eventually a large overpass you take with the bike and continue towards Suwon (signs for Osan) and you run parallel to the subway train route, finally Suwon, Pyeongtaek, and Cheonan (1/2 way to Daejeon), you can take the subway train back into Ansan, you just cycled 80km or 50 miles. If you spend a night in Cheonan (jim-jil-bang, Public Sauna/Co-ed Guesthouse), the next day you can actually ride to Boryeong-Daecheon beach -where the famous 'Mud Festival' is held every year. They have a wonderful campground in the off season too (now), that distance is approximately 110km. Continuing south, you can cycle all the way down to Buan-gun and Byeongsanbando National Park, or continue the longer haul to Mokpo in Jeollanamdo Province. As far as cycling to Seoul from Ansan, you would follow the subway line from Incheon (Ansan, Siheung, Incheon over to the Han River...or Ansan, Gunpo, Anyang, north through the satellite cities). Enjoy the rides, I lived in Ansan for many years (korean years, 4 in total). I'm preparing a MA dissertation and preparing for an expedition across western China's Takalamakan Desert and Tibet, the Himalayas. Hopefully, a new interview when I get back to Korea.
Peace and thanks for this message, will post to korean-world.blogspot.com