7 hours ago
Brian Perich- Hey Sean,We're both bike junkies in Korea and I saw your post on Eddie's Tibet photo. We met back at the inaugural Han River Endurance, I think that is when I met/lost most contacts in cycling in Korea. The outcome of that event was torture for me.Tim and Arden first approached me through Cycling in Korea group on FB. Once inside my little world, they picked my brain about the Arctic2Argentina, the expedition I announced attempting back in 2009. I instantly made enemies inside the Expat community; you may ride with some of them or know them today. Word travels far in Korea without any efforts. I befriended both Tim and Arden, we talked a lot about cycling and Tim decided to take it upon himself to coach me, and get involved in fundraising efforts for 2012. Tim is a great guy, charismatic and knowledgeable about everything to do with cycling, from planning events to knowing racers personally in the US circuits, to showing me his inside auctions on eBay, offering me free components (XTR, etc) and it seemed, asking for nothing in return. I didn't take the free offers though, I felt guilty taking something for nothing. Instead, I asked for his trust and support. I received a good lesson in trusting people, really opening myself up, and getting completely deceived.We planned the Han Endurance Cycling Classic as a team, I collected all the money, sent messages out and tried to support from remote-Gangneung. I could not get donations from local Seoul bike shops, buy the food and drinks or scout the route. Tim and Arden were tackling everything, and for a while, competing for #1 spot putting on the HECC 2010 last November. Almost a year has passed, but it isn't completely behind me.I didn't collect a cent from that event, meaning the event was staged as a start for other fund-raising towards expeditions, but the profits should have come back to help me fund gear for 2012. However, there were already objections about where the event money would be spent in Arden/Tim Travis' circles of friends invited, nobody knew me, nobody wanted their money given away, they wanted more prizes and food, etc. This caused more conflict and stress as the event approached, finally, I decided to ride and assist in hosting the event (really I wanted to ride, enough with planning, messaging guests, collecting and forwarding money to Arden and Tim, naturally I wanted to prepare for riding Canada-Argentina, couldn't I ride?). Just before the event launched, Tim and I broke it off, after a discussion about what the event would lead to, who's in charge, and he expecting me to bow out and send a message to all invited that they prepared the event, I did so and wanted to keep them as friends not competitors. Too late. He decided to either cancel the event or not have me participate, Tim took me off friends on FB, and Arden came to control everything. We staged the event, they provided what was promised, t-shirts, food, refreshments...but Tim wasn't finished with me yet.
[American in Korea, Tim Travis, his larger in life photo smugshot photo below]
I had ordered $1000USD in product from REI.com for the expedition, I have no sponsors, there is no mystery there, I am not a brand in cycling, nobody really knows me, I cycle alone 99% of the time in Korea, and I briefly had Tim/Arden taking interest in my future/potential expedition. Tim received my order from his military contact, who delivered, but Tim decided to really [deceive] me, keeping the REI order and telling me to file an insurance claim instead. He was bluffing and it now involved Gareth Barker, Gareth's friend in Louisiana who made the purchase on my behalf (receiving his REI point benefits, ordering everything through http://downtheroad.org to benefit the real bicycle touring pro Tim Travis, Bicycle Touring Entrepreneur]
Everything was legit on my end, benefiting other people, trusting a group of people inside Korea, and putting faith on the wire for my adventures here, and outside Korea. I lost everything in that arrangement, albeit having the equipment finally returned through social connections. I contacted Tim's military contact, and CC'd Gareth, his friend Micheal and anyone involved with me, they all knew the situation and Tim returned the stolen equipment. My equipment mysteriously appeared in Tim's apartment, the story was that he had been drinking in a bar in Itaewon, met the "mail guy" from the base, and he tracked down my package.According to a sociological classification, a Sociopath like Tim can tell a lie, convince anyone about anything, he's bright and intelligent, he can also be a cunning cheat. Tim infiltrated my life, took my dream at the time of adventure bicycle touring and used it as a weapon against me. Tim and Arden went on immediately to form the Han River Riders group, of course, after all their cunning foul play, they didn't invite me. I would later see my former student, (Mingyu Kim) whom was invited by me to the Han River Endurance Cycling Classic, participate and continued to be involved and posted to the group. Since both Tim and Arden worked together cheating me out of the fundraising efforts, Tim went even further attempted to steal the $1000 REI order and only after collective social networking pressure, contacting his friends and our mutual contacts, he had was left with no excuses - give it back, or keep it and see a legal case brew. It all went down that terrible road of jealous nicks, tricks and lies.
Who is really cycling in Korea?
Bring it on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Local sponsorship in Korea - An Dae Gi, Gangneung Bike Mart THANK YOU!
Finally, I was temporarily allowed in the Han River Riders but all posts, or comments deleted. I like the new website, I cannot see anything on Facebook...as important posts were made my people who blocked me from their content. I left the group. I see this - http://www.han-river-riders.com/index-2.htmlAnyways, it probably doesn't help sending out this message to you, but I am a person of endurance, and I endured all the above while living in Korea, cycling becomes secondary to survival here.Jared Mitchell...also CC'd a group of cyclists met through him in 2009, and royally [disrespected] me over just before leaving for his ride to Europe with Katie, David and the Scottsman. My wife booked their winter ski packages and hotels through the winter, after only one tour from Seoul-Daegu together, they mocked me and laughed at the rat bike I rode, the clothes I wore, the ride I planned for Argentina. It seems competitive is part of the nature for some, or many hardcore cyclist enthusiasts. Until Korea, I have never met this type in my world, apart from some hardcore mountain bikers in the mountains out of Santa Rosa, CA. My cycling world in Korea was the escape from teaching routines, the grind, the repetition and isolation living here with my family. Now it's nothing but a hole to ride in. Maybe I deserve it, God works in mysterious ways, I am a believer and try not to cross others, as I would want to be treated. The world doesn't work that way, it doesn't care, as a whole society here; you are either in (the Koreans, Expat cliques, clubs) or out. I am definitely out and working on an expedition and future to be out of Korea for the better.
downtheroad.org
Bicycle touring around the world and cyclings best bike tours with bicycling international travel pictures.
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