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.html
Anyways, 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.
