Cycle Touring Australia // Chris Rishworth guides us in the Outback // Koga-Miyata World Traveller // Bicycle World Travel //

Chris Rishworth cycle touring Outback Australia using Solar and Dyno Power

Read about his adventures at the CGOB journal. 

Mongolia X Journal 14 // Determination is not destiny // You land where your path leads you // Mongolia Mountain Bike

Today, another eventful day on the expedition. I cycled 8 hours covering 75km for the day and try to take naps along the dirt track leaning on my backpack or sitting next to my mountain bike. There are no trees and no shade to be found for miles. It's ironic. Days ago (photos above), I rode from 1350 meters at the center of Ulaanbaatar in the continuous rain. My journey stopped suddenly with an accident but after replacing the rear rack that bent when I cycled through an open manhole on a busy, flooded street west of the city center. 

Before the disaster unfolded, I was here in the photos above. Nairamdal - a beautiful area just north of the capital city of Mongolia and well worth a visit for an overnight trip. Here I met friendly people, began to appreciate the green Steppe grasslands that begin all around the undeveloped hills surrounded by 1500 meter mountain peaks and followed a thin line on my loaned Garmin GPS. It might look like Scotland Highlands around here, although I can't confirm this because I would only be referencing from movies with natural scenes and landscapes like this. I'm a bit lost right now, because it's dirt track - is this what the rest of Mongolia will be like, if it is, it will be a certain challenge to cross over land like this. Following GPS is best and recommended always in Mongolia when there are so many roads alike, or no roads at all. I found it easier to navigate off the pavement than I did on it, which is a bit ironic isn't it?

Amateur today, perhaps I will still be an amateur cyclist tomorrow - but I will be the best one that I can be while doing it. It's raining lightly, I crept up the mountains at a snail's pace with a heavy loaded Lynskey mountain bike. At the moment, I can feel the cool mist against my face and it's refreshing to be here finally after a few months of preparation. I spent another 10 weeks at a fitness center in the Spring "Yellow Dust" season in Korea (nasty stuff! Living West of China isn't a dream come true for air quality, and Korean industry certainly contributes to it as well, as they rise to become a industrialized Superpower smog emitter), missing the poison again this year and prepared physically to cover all ground in Mongolia. 

What is amazing is the air quality in Mongolia - immediately noticeable improvement over South Korea once you leave the somewhat smoggy capital of Ulaanbaatar. When the air quality is this good, it reminds me of the good things about traveling "Out West" whether in North America or Asia, it seems true. 

I've learned from preparation and successfully launching my own independent expeditions using mountain bikes, that determination is not destiny, because anything can go wrong and it will - to test your wits. I have managed to minimize damage to a certain degree so far, but I with 24 hours of starting from UB, I have lost communications (iPhone dearly departed in a leaky Arteryx Goretex jacket pocket), I cycled into an open manhole on a busy roadway bending my rear rack carrier (to be replaced), and was mugged when I reach the city of Ulaanbaatar (thief only taking away from cycling gloves, but an important piece of protective equipment since there is so little while mountain bike touring). 

I have already invested myself to be here (expensive flight, Pro discount investment into a Lynskey frame, previous equipment purchased to document the journey, provide protection and reliability - is all very expensive when you add this all up). So, determination is only half the ingredient to success, it takes planning, budgeting money for many expenses, physical training, and some travel experience to do all this. Yet, I am still an amateur today, and probably the same tomorrow - but I have prepared for this moment all my life, so no matter what road I follow, what tree will fall to block my path, what equipment will fail - I will eventually find a way to make things work, I always make an effort do this in my life (even if I am only successful 1 in 10 times I try, it was probably worth the effort, right?). 

While out exploring like this, or while living in foreign countries without leave for years and years (to have the financial means to do this - Explore with a mountain bike). I planned ahead for years, bought the right equipment and had the support of my family in Korea (wife says, "okay" - that is support enough) and I saved from working for quite a few non-stop years without leaving the county (I can count year 9 in Asia starting already). That is the secret to my new freedom to ride bicycles over borders and explore. There is no hidden sponsorship, some dream manifested in companies supporting me, and when I fall and get injured in Mongolia, as I did. I was on my own or traveling with the Nomads, receiving their love and kindness, their goat, yak and horse milk, bread, butter and 'arroz' cheese in exchange for what I was carrying - Mongolian customs. I was also one of the lucky ones, middle aged and locked to family to support but still managed to go out there to explore the world. 

Some people envy what I am currently doing with expeditions - Please don't. I ride only to inspire others to try because after all, we are all amateurs living the dreams on this Earth and only God knows what is going to happen next. I ride with strength prepared ahead of time in mind, body and soul. And weather and terrain will beat me down, and life will kick me around - but I ride with more determination, perhaps it helps to reach my destiny, but the road is unknown and anything can happen. Living through it, and telling tales of the adventures is part of that journey back home. Tomorrow is another day, so work towards living the dream because most of the best dreams planning and put into reality - do not happen overnight. 

Another reminder about bicycle touring lifestyles is to remember the risks, two world cyclists riding through Thailand were killed while following their dreams on cycles, they lived the dream until the tragic end, but they lived and left some special experiences to share with others. Very memorable and it will be sad for their families and loved ones who will miss them the most.

Mongolia X Journal 13 // Where the pavement ends // Riding Northwest // Microadventure // Brian Peric Expeditions // Lynskey Performance //

I survived some very rough sections of dirt roads. Today, I will try and reflect on what is beautiful about life. Cycle touring only fills a small percentage, or two months of my years in Korea. Family is beautiful in so many of it's compositions: couples, newly weds, one child, or multi-child units. I come from a family of 5 siblings, twin elder sisters (Beth and Chris), a younger brother (Steve) and sister (Nancy). Living in my family unit growing up started my world of adventures. My parents wanted to give us the world through North American road trips. We camped most of the time with the occasional mechanical breakdown, we stayed in Super 8 Motels across the central and eastern United States. Growing up traveling in the summers and winters starting from Canada was a lucky break. Today, I sit and reflect on past travels in America while camping out beside Steppe tracks of Outer Mongolia, which is really - a long way from where I started out.

I've left the Herder hauling dirt's lot, he had a log home build from big northern Mongolian timber adding an addition to the main building, a wooden barn used for his various equipment and welding tools, and he was industrious too - a handyman, jack-of-all-trades and well known to many in his small town. We rolled through the dirt roads between tracks of tall wooden fences, everything was painted maroon as a weather-beater paint on these divisions of permanent Mongolian settlement. It was only possible to see in with an invitation to stay from a local. Since I hitch-hiked into town with the dirt load, we toured first and caught the eye of his local friends, this was great -really rolling cool into a totally different neighborhood in Central Asia with my host. I can appreciate the generosity of being offered sheep head, onions and potatoes -this was a real treat. I ate a tongue cooked tender along with muscles from all around the lower jaw, delicious.

When I left town, I found an ATM and stocked up on Mongolian Turguts and turned out onto 100km of pavement today. What I didn't see ahead of me on that smooth as the Silk Road were swarms of seething flies again. So, today was cut short, some dirt track and about 20km out on blacktop pavement and the heat attracted swarms of flies, big and small and all hungry for cruising sheep on bikes, like me! Since there were no herds in the immediate area, I was game for horse fly bites, and the gnat flies that like to drink my sweat. It's tolerable until they start doing tumbles into your face and eyes, then all hell breaks loose on the side of the road with the Tilley Endurable T3 hat which I normally wear as an all purpose sunscreen and fly hammer to swat and kill as many flies as I can. It's a little insane in the heat to have to stop the cycle and kill, but the other option is being eaten alive, I take what precautions I can without the DEET. Next time, bring mosquito repellent to Mongolia (mental note).

Finally, this early afternoon I have camped with the paved roadside still in sight. I pushed the Lynskey mountain bike up the hillside, grassland is nicely cut by roaming herds of domesticated sheep, goats, horses around here, over the hills are probably Ger camps, as Mongolians are living in many remote pockets of the rolling terrain, you might see them about anywhere here, or none at all for hours on the bike.

Camping out, relaxing, and recording. It's great to wipe away the early days sweat with wet napkins, change clothes, and snuggle into a sleeping bag on the Thermarest mattress:  this is peace - even though it's just past noon and I haven't made enough progress, I am still loaded with 5 liters of water, good for the night.

Little did I know, the Korean trio that I shared my route with (Hak Jun, June and Chris) are now competing with me now to cross Mongolia, Wow, what a wonder since they are pursuing a $9500 book writing contract while I am just riding to support educational non-profit foundations and see more of the world from a mountain bike. They are riding mountain bikes, Korean models with two Chinese carrier racks I modified custom and assembled myself - to help them do it. What's amazing - helping others and having them compete with you immediately afterwards with the route map I shared with them to assist them. Well, it is worth the experience to remember who I helped, why I helped them - and that's important to me right now.

I awoke at 1200 am and decided under moonlight with a cacophony of  flies now departed for their sleeping holes, I put the bicycle back on the road to complete the fastest stage of the entire expedition. 80km more pavement was waiting out there, swiftly I was rolling smooth, probably apart from leaving Ulaanbaatar, the only place I could roll without putting less than 1 horse of human power to get to the next destination, which is another patch of arid, sandy soil Steppe grassland to camp. There isn't 'development' out across here, but I do come across towns that punctuate long paragraphs of roaming landscapes.  I am determined to keep moving, to make more progress to get across Mongolia solo by mountain bike.

Time and pressure, is the trepidation building before taking the expedition.  I have a great deal of freedom to be in this situation, nobody leading the way except me and nobody sent me here - I roam alone supported by my wife on occasional text messages and friend support who have donated their time, interest, equipment (SFC Tim Copeland) and a donation already (Malcolm Wesley Wrest sending me off with money for the bus ride home when I return to Korea) and Don Erwin at Lynskey Performance, USA. These supports are integral to success in Mongolia. It helps if you have a team, it can have implications on how you cope, even if you cannot connect while riding through the unknown. These scattered text messages (Malcolm, James Penlington, Mi Sung) are important, I keep them on the SIM card for moral support.

I rolled for about 4 hours (80 kilometers) and this was amazingly smooth sealed blacktop heaven. At the end of the pavement the road ends, drops off into the dirt tracks which continue across Mongolia. It's crazy to be cycling in two worlds, one mostly undeveloped - just beat down dirt, rocks and Earth soil and sand and the other is one I am familiar to in North America, China or Korea - pavement made from either concrete or stone and tar sealed roadways. If you are looking for pavement, don't come to Outer Mongolia.

I camped wild eyed at a full moon washing over the rolling landscapes, I past the town in a few minutes silently, only a few dogs barked breaking total silence and no flies buzzed in my ears - heavenly. At the end of this pavement, I went to the side of the tracks and pitched the Northface tadpole 2, my home away. After a catnap for a few hours, a golden sun opened the blue horizons. I jumped up about 700 am today and look,   - there were the 3 Korean amigos! It was a surprising coincidence to meet there because they had stealth passed my tent on the side of the paved road without  'hello' while the swarms of flies had driven me into my tent. I was delighted to see them again, they looked - disappointed. I sent June back into town to collect a few liters of water from the store since they have stocked up and stayed in town themselves.

In Korea, my occupation directly involves teaching adolescents in a university - and while on adventure I try and lend a hand of support (4 hours of rack drilling/modification and assembly - done!) and of course, I worked hard to travel overland in Mongolia and saved for this - without return to Canada in over 6.5 years. Supporting my family, my students, my wife and children and then following a road to a big adventure. I will turn 40 in January 2013.  So, this journey is important as it is for others trying to realize the same dream.

Well, I spent a few minutes with the trio and learned about their battle through the flies on pavement (yes, I was there too, I know this!), but they never mentioned seeing a bright orange tent beside the road. They were preoccupied with making their own journey at the expense of their parents - for the Korean guidebook.

I left them behind for the last time today, following the GPS through the sparse grass fields and along the dirt tracks. The Koreans I met faded to grey specks and disappeared into the rough terrain behind me now.

Ahead is a new day. Luckily, after an hour before crossing a river with a checkpoint before the long concrete bridge, I find this amazing diner - brand new place with gleaming glass windows and Art Deco design using concrete for the the structure and wide and tall modern glass as the side of the wall looking out to a miniature desert. It was out of this world, and a good menu too. I had ridden through some of the roughest terrain and up and over the small desert to an oasis today, another Eden. Amazing. Here, I am just writing to relax, unwind and re-hydrate salted goat milk chai tea and fresh water while I sip soup by the bowl and chow these flat, fried noodles mixed with onions and potato, mutton and chunks of fat  in my bowl. I'm lucky to be alive today, I'm lucky to be traveling in Mongolia unlike other travels, there are no tarmac roads pointed in this direction, you need a compass and a GPS to follow these tracks. Life is - something truly unexpected.

Thanks for reading my journals written while traveling overland in Mongolia on a mountain bike. More adventures are coming soon!!!    Later, I will include a equipment report, one reader commented and asked about what equipment I am using and how the Lynskey titanium mountain bike performed this summer. The equipment is listed in the links above, and all details on equipment performance, maintenance and picks (what I liked, what I would leave behind, what I will bring next time) will be shared in the final print/ebook being developed right now away from these pages. Thank you all for visiting the Korean-World blog. (:

Mongolia X Journal 7 // Chasing dust // Mountains Rising // Desolation Angels, Part Two // Microadventure by Brian Peric

X journals continue from my base, the Northface tadpole, a tent I have called home on the road since the summer of 2011 crossing western China (Uighur Autonomous Region, Tian Shan Mountains, Taklamakan Desert, Southern Silk Road to Karlick/Yecheng into the Aksai Chin Mountains and up to Kashgar. I kept using this reliable tent on through Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces, when I shared the tent with two Chinese cycle tourer friends I met who had sleeping bags without a tent, leaving our gear outside to the unknown passerby in the mountains of Yunnan, who would you find there, right? In the middle of the night, the three of us wedged into the 2-person tent, and snuggled up in our sleeping bags, managing two heads up and one head down, voices were roaming through the nylon tent tarp. I was rustled into action, with my blinding 250 lumen Cygolite, I went outside to see what was happening, two Sichuanese men were looking over our locked bikes in unison, under them were our panniers stuffed with electronics, clothing, camping gear - unsecured, apart from looping the locks we had through the bikes and through the pack straps and loops available there to accessorize it. 

These characters were only curious and slipped away over the mountain pass where they came. An hour later, we heard a car crash, Xavier from Shenzhen rose this time and went to find a drunk driver who swerved the corner, went on two wheels and overturned his car on it's side. He asked for assistance, others arrived at the scene and flipped the car over and he drove home. About 0330am, we heard voices for the third time this same night, when we looked outside our tent, there was a coach bus emptying all it's passengers who were squatting doing their business in the field all around us. I thought I saw it all on that one single night of bicycle touring in western China! 

That memory came from a long time ago now, distances and elevations changes, thousands of hours on the saddles going somewhere - this is adventure cycling, these are the kinds of memories that stay with you long after the ride is over, the destination is definitely not the journey itself - the memories, they you can keep over a lifetime.

In Mongolia, we are chasing dust since leaving the bustling capital, Ulaanbaatar. Immediately, this immense terrain greets you in the morning with a cool sun on your back, winds mild, and the scenery painted evergreen once you track yourself on the mountain bike due West out of the capital.

One of the Korean team, from a trio I met a few days ago, has had a flat, his bungee cords are stretched and frayed, with a loose pannier carrier pack by Merida loosely holding on to his rear luggage carrier rack. I stop and tie knots all over his bungee cords in the serviceable sections of the rope, I cut away the fray rubber strands dangling like a pack of pasta. This rider is unprepared, has the latest $1000 smart phone, solar charger, but his MTB is tired and underserviced as are his attachment choices that keep critical gear from "falling away" on the ride. 

I lent a hand today, showing Hak Jun (HK) how to repair the bungee cords, he needs some education whether he wants it or not. HK is too proud, perhaps thinks anything going wrong is "losing face," this characteristic of Korean cultural mentality is ingrained and obvious from the start. Equipment choices can be a $5 bicycle purchased from a yard sale, panniers can be empty rice sacks and twine rope, anything that hauls camping equipment, the wheels don't fall off and stay true after hammering down the road. Hak Jun rides a late model Alton Mountain bike, Korean branded and built in China, this particular model has rim-applied V-brakes, mechanical cable actuated and they are basic, as are all the components on this Alton. Hak Jun has a set of Schwalbe Marathon tires, but they puncture easily and are well worn. Problems are in the wait for him, doesn't carry a spare chain, spare brake pads, spare brake/shifter cables -NOTHING. His friends have earlier model Blackcat's which are also 27-speed Shimano Deore/Alvio component mountain bikes, Korean branded and built in China. What is so different between these models then? Well, the Blackcat is a reliable mountain bike with higher grade components and some upgrades over the Alton mountain bike, namely the mechanical Shimano disc brakes and 160mm rotors. When we are together for the first time a few days ago at ATTILA BICYCLES, Miga Baaska -Mongolian-sponsored racer and part-time mechanic for the shop was assisting me, while I assisted these 3 Amigo Korean mountain bikers. When I completed the rear rack carrier and re-build them using a hybrid combination of two aluminum luggage carrier with steel connecting rods for supports, I asked for 3 sets of Shimano disc brake pads for them as well. Their brakes are as important as the wheels to move and stop moving while across the rough mountains of Mongolia. Visit the country once, ride for a few hours, you will know to think twice about bringing your spare parts along with you.

I built a reliable rack system for the student using the English name Chris.  Another rack was drilled on the night at ATTILA and assembled the following morning- June 28, 2012. I helped them prevent an inevitable breakdown, even suggesting they purchase spare brake pads. Since Shimano entry-level mechanical brake pads do wear out quickly on mountain terrain, I know this - since completing 10,000 kilometers of touring with the same model of Blackcat inside Korea before rebuilding it completely with components from a 2008 Gary Fisher Hifi Deluxe mountain bike, everything part except the frame applied to a 2008 Blackcat aluminum hardtail. (Thanks to AN DAE GI, Mechanic genius and sponsor of both expeditions in his workshop in South Korea). Of course, I know cheap mountain bikes, this is my domain for touring and general XC moutain biking too, I started out exactly that way many years ago. 

Miga Baaska provided 3 sets of brake pads for the 3 Koreans, although 2 of their bikes were disc equipped, one was actually V-brake equipped without seeing the bike, since the owner Hak Jun was already lounging carefree in the Seoul Hotel on Peace Avenue in Ulaanbaatar while his 2 colleagues were scrambling looking for replacement rear carriers at 2200 hours night! A little late for repairs! Until they met me of course, I give myself a pat on the back for helping them - thanks enough, and I found a safe place to sleep for the night. Tomorrow would be a very big day. If we can ride 100 kilometers out of the city without breaking down, hitting an open hole, or being hit by a car - we would be OKAY.

We leave UB behind, following Peace Avenue from the Seoul Hotel, since I am now in a race to keep with the group (they have telecommunications - Galaxy smartphones and we can communicate with my wife in Korea sending updated messages, I need to stick with them as long as possible until I replace my phone somewhere on the road). I knew from the short experience already in Mongolia, Day 1, June 27, 2012 - that I now need to shed as much weight as possible since the roads are horrible in the city, and rough off-road tracks will definitely be no better. In the hasty process of unloading equipment, losing the rear Ortlieb Rollerback classics and all the equipment and clothing inside (including 3/4 of my medical kit and accidentally my water purification systems x2!) I am ready to ride across Mongolia now, no matter what will stand in my way, nature, natural weather conditions and storms...basically, I had no idea (what I don't know at the start would become crucial and critical issues in the next six weeks ahead) all of the big adventure is yet to come, some say "Bring it on!" I just say, "I'm about ready, better get moving, times going, time to go!" My techniques for endurance mountain bike expeditions include: preparation with good quality components built by a licensed mechanic, solid tent/sleeping accessories, spare parts on tour, tools on tour, skills to repair or adjust as needed on expeditions, nutrition needs met, medic supplies, and a setup that I can be comfortable in the saddle for 8 hours a day - all all ingredients of adventure touring.

"Off we turned out onto the concrete roadwork, and quickly paced ourselves out of light traffic since it was early, about 0830 am and we have a whole day ahead of us, sunshine and good weather for a change since yesterday - things are definitely looking up ahead for us all."

Turning out from Peace Avenue onto the West highway, we are now leaving the dusty section of rough pavement and gravel around the factory complexes and rail yards, we are flying out of the concrete jungle into the green lush hills dotted with Ger camps on the hillsides surrounding, we are riding beneath an intensely lit sun dampened only by light dust and overcast smog on the horizon above the city. The breeze is warm and coming in from the northwest, keeping us comfortable and smooth rolling once the pavement begins. The blue skies are appearing from the dust as we ride out, a cloud behind settles down over the city of Ulaanbaatar - we have made it back to the journey.

We roll the smooth pavement and rise and fall from 1350 meters above sea level, the Great plains, the Steppe grasslands take over scenes in all directions. Sheep and goats herd together, and some scatter through the plateau as Nomadic herders ride horseback and keep their flock moving, munching and well exercised. We have a sun high above us at 1200 noon, we rest by a Tibetan Buddhist white stupa, a spiritual center of energy, we visit the memorial site and ride over broken glass, Genghis Gold vodka bottles have been consumed here, shots left as offerings, and the glass broken as prayers are sent.

We camp out riding up dirt tracks, we have grass fields in all directions, the sun slants forward West, it  sends orange glows across the landscape, as light tanned and white cows chew and grace the grassland around us. Boiling rice and ramen noodles, the Koreans set to enjoy kimchi-inspired instant noodles, I mix protein with water and snack on figs and apricots. The sunset swirls into the blue twilight, stars twinkle, coffee is brewed and shared between us, photos taken of the scene until the wind sweeps over the steppe and sends incantations and swills and moans from distant animals and passing herds through the night. The preparation to begin a long journey has now begun, irreversible dreams of the journey ahead begin to take root and rise to the surface at dawn.

Today, we awaken to fire the stove, boil rice and kimchi noodles, I take multi-vitamin supplements and protein, we pack and cycle while the air is cool, the wind is light and scenery and untouched. Across the highway we return from a kilometer away on the plains. We roll smooth and the journey is easy. 

Hak Jun descends after a large climb as the hills turn the altitude up, Mountains take the terrain higher and we speed down the other side. If this sums up the journey mountain bike touring in Mongolia - we are set to make incredible distances, it will be easy. Screeching metal comes together and wails from Hak Jun's front rim brake. We stop, we inspect and see there are no rubber pads left now. He has no spares, and those 3 sets they purchased earlier are useless to him, his bike unseen while rebuilding racks at ATTILA until 2400 hour were all disc, while Hak Jun lounged in his hotel room, I sat outdoors in the dirt with June and Chris, the Korean duo, while doing the rack replacements. In all, I spent 3 hours on their rack replacements customizing them to fit/reinforce them. However, even the foresight for extra brake pads was no use, since the V-brake pads were needed. Here, some 60-70 kilometers out of the central capital, what should we do?

I phoned Naran at ATTILA and asked for assistance. Naran needed some time to finish business at the shop, would make some phone calls, and then let us know. We were standing by the 60 kilometer "blue" marker, they are common on the first 100 kilometers out of Ulaanbaatar. Standing by the marker, I gave Naran our location - since we needed someone to send parts to us, he generously offered support - sending his wife and Miga in her new Toyota Prius on some very hard roads out of the capital. Going back to Ulaanbaatar was near-impossible for four of us, the intense traffic and roads there, it was truly an escape to finally be out - in one piece! We waited, they finally arrived and carried 10 liters of water, Shimano brake pads and extra spares, sunscreen - it was heavenly-I said a big "THANK YOU" and Hak Jun awkwardly mumbled, "thanks...how much?" and paid them solemnly. He was completely down about being rescued - I won't what was the matter with him, really???

We rolled out together, Chris and his friend June accompanied me, while Hak Jun possessed by a determination to get his "lost face" back, the hapless,  black bandana-clad Hak Jun went out to collect the sun darting away with his mountain bike, leaving 3 of us some 30-40 minutes behind. We found Hak Jun hours later, once the glowing amber sun danced it's path into out westward horizon, all the grassland was golden glow, we had survived and arrived at camp on day 3, our last night together.

On the 4th day of my 45 day expedition project of Mongolia, I would part ways with the Korean trio whom showed tremendous loyalty to their embarrassed "Dear Leader." A title of "Dear Leader" illuminates the Confucius persona in Asia, where a leader is hurt or embarrassed, his friends of the same background will continue to follow him loyally. One day he will be taught a lesson in life, if he learned nothing at all from my support and technical assistance at least we can record that the assistance of Naran, Miga, and the team at ATTILA Bicycles, Ulaanbaatar was tremendous support to our teams and THANK YOU for coming out to assist and support us all. That I do want to remember.

The Koreans were now on their own, following the route I shared with them, quite capable despite their serious technical problems. Although we came from the same society in Asia (South Korea) where I have worked for many years in English Foreign language university education, we were quite different in the way we socialize and accept help from others. I provided some skill when they needed it most. They rightly deserve the title, "The Desolation Angels" on the MongoliaX project. 

More adventure journals coming soon! These are my daily thoughts, reflections and experiences written while mountain bike touring across Outer Mongolia.

Thanks for visiting the Korean-World, a blog about Micro-Adventures, Cycling and Exploring from mountain bikes. Hope you enjoy these experiences too!

Modes of transportation: '90 Kawasaki vs. '07 Trek vs. 94' Kona vs. 09' Koga

 Long ago in a land far away (from Korea) I used to travel like this (1994-2001)

 Then I found this...1994 Kona Explosif (Shock) and began to build a touring bike

 Handlebar bag, Large by Ortlieb

 Schwalbe Marathon tires, standard Kevlar durability

 I built this Trek 6500 SLR series recently

 Hayes Hydraulic brakes, tested and satisfying stops on 1000m descents

 Shimano XT rim brakes and Tektro brake braces, a cable pulley

 Wheetsets, Mavic Crossland SUP tubeless converted to clinchers

 Mavic hubs require straight replacement spokes, note to self

 Columbus MAX OR frame tubing, steel is really strong & light

 Nice steel rack, not fancy, just functional

 Shimano Deore LX caliper brakes and 9-speed shifters

 Lizard brake braces and Shimano XT rim brakes, low maintenance

 Trek 6500 springs to new life!

 Groovy shapes and fast brakes

 94' Kona Explosif setup for bicycle touring

 Packing for demonstration, require waterproofs & missing a trailer!

2009 Koga-Miyata World Traveller, have this in cold storage waiting to travel.

   

Cycling in Korea :: Essential touring, & where to ride?

Choose the roads where nobody goes. Off the beaten-path should be emphasized more on this blog. Even in a densely populated country (as this is) you can utilize the offroads (rice fields, can you see them from your window in Korea?) or any tributary (river walks) in Korea are usually bike accessible. For longer tours on the East or West coast, you will experience traffic along "route 1 -Western, route 7 -Eastern" however, there are numerous other secondary roads snaking North-South that most people just never explore. Along the East Coast, I have discovered route 456 (East-West) from Gangneung. From North to South (Gangneung to Taebaek (route 35) or Jeongseon-railbiking! and back to the East coast to either Samcheok or Donghae, it's epic cycling in the mountains and along the rivers through the coastal mountain  passes. Both route 35 and route 59 cut along rivers flowing between the coastal and Eastern (Pyeongchang-gun) ranges dividing the countries Gangwon-do Province to the East and Gyeonggi-do Province to the West (at Wonju). I hope to compile a comprehensive guide to the Best Tours in South Korea (while I am at it myself, and others here -please email your routes, I'll gladly share/post to other riders/readers in Cycling in Korea group on Facebook, or here in blog. Meet other riders and share ideas!

Be sure the crew is well hydrated, bring snacks too. As a group, we enjoy pasta prepared the same-day, grapes, apples, or raisins when seasonal fruit isn't available (or too expensive). Use reusable rubbermaid containers. While cycling solo, I usually pack an emergency 300g of sun-dried raisins, a few apples and at least 3L of water (1L per hour).

Mega-Korea Touring Route 2012 (Click link to see locations)

View Larger Map

For starters, find the best location to meet up. I tend to text message a few riders and hope that one is available to ride. We meet in Gangneung at the Lotte Soju Factory (aka Barf Factory), they offer spring/distilled water to the public on tap.

Trek Go-Bug. Definitely essential to add "family" into your next adventure cycling epic. We opted to have a local "cover manufacturer" help us design a durable rain cover (60K won), it'll be featured on the road this fall while we're out riding in the rain. Be sure to vent the rain cover if it's designed in vinyl or other non-breathable fabrics, kids need fresh air! We opted to customize the rear into a flap/roller-clip, it adds some ventilation. 

We salvaged a late model (2003) Lespo mountain bike from a local friend in Gangneung. This was destined for the recycle scrapyard, it was rusty (solid brown chain...like stone!) and all the cables were ceased/rusted out. Do some business with your local shop before expecting anything to happen that's just great service without a negotiation. We repacked the original bearings (bb-spindle in excellent shape, regreased and ready to fly), and replaced the chain and cables, 25,000won. We brought it to a local shop (a place I bought a used Trek Go-Bug trailer, and the Trek tag-a-long trailer for Matthew. 
Happy trails since then. Riding a luggy 19kg bike might be beneficial to the rider too, it mimics the weight on expeditions.

Sometimes you want the "good stuff" as I have over the past 4 years stationed/working/marooned in South Korea. I have settled with the cheaper line of bikes (200-500K range) and purchased in bicycle shops locally (once, a 2006 Lespo Tracker MTB, heavy-bone bike! I cycling the length of the Eastern/Western South Korean coasts, replaced 3 bottom bracket bearing sets, 1 headset, brake pads, fixed numerous flats, but it remained a steady ride for 220,000 KRW and 1000s of Kilometers on the road/offroad light XC. 

The kids needed a trailer to roll with Mi Sung and I.  First opted for a brand-new steel frame/steel wheel trailer in the effect/copied design of a Schwinn, rode a few times - it was solid, but a little heavy. We paid 175K on Gmarket.co.kr.  Next, our used/like new Trek Go-Bug, if you find one (used on eBay.com) definitely buy it. We paid 300,000 KRW used.

Remember, it's the motor under the hood that counts. Cycling in Korea starts with the initiative to see more outdoors, the vigor to pedal, and a bike that fits your budget, while it's important to source the right gear, here's a few tips that might help: 

Search - Gmarket.co.kr and search for "Blackcat" That's a good start to Cycling in Korea. The branded bicycle is basically an imported, unpopularized frame from either Taiwan (higher end) or China (lower end), frames in aluminum (grade unknown) and components differ considerably between a 200,000KRW and 600,000KRW model. These are great bikes, with a few tweaks, upgrades to the tires (Schwalbe Marathon 26x1.5-2.0), you'll be singing. 

There is a local scene for (GARMIN CONNECT, SEE GPS ROUTE!) intense off-road XC MTB riding (Daegwallyeong, Gangwon-do), but plan to bring your bike into Korea 

(QUALITY MTB'S ARE EXPENSIVE HERE IN SOUTH KOREA, BUY IT IN THE USA!!!)

Another option, if your looking for Touring/light XC trail riding around your city, farming fields or similar, then the Blackcat mentioned above, will fit the bill. Always, consider the specifications that are available (forks -Suntour XCM V2 come with many Blackcats, it's a road shock only-as tested, derailler system (Shimano components? Most have model marking, Alvio, Deore, SLX, XT, XTR...from the bottom to the top of the line), the wheelsets are always solid builds in Korea, from Lespo, Alton, ProCorex, up to Blackcat, Cello and the international makers (Merida is popular here, then there's the best of the bikes (specific by model and/or components, don't be fooled by the Branding): Specialized, Cannondale, Trek, Mongoose, Yeti, Kona, Jamis, Surly, Look (expensive!), Santa Cruz, Ellsworth, Ibis, Norco, Giant, and many more...the source for reviews is MTBR

More suggestions - Where to ride in Korea?

1. Han River Cycling throughout Seoul Metropolitan Area.
2. DMZ Mountain biking routes north of Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi-do
3. Daegwallyeong Mountain, 25km west of Gangneung City, Gangwondo (XC and DH)
4. Muju Resort, Awesome Mountain Biking DH routes for experienced riders. 

Next are Cycle Touring Routes for South Korea areas

1. Jeju Island Loop, Free camping and enough smooth pavement to tour for weeks.
2. Southern Korean coast, Busan, Gyeongsannamdo to Mokpo, Jeollanam-do. 7-10 days.
3. Sokcho, Gangwon-do and Busan, Gyeongsannam-do, 4-6 days.
4.  (distance: 475km, Time: 5 days, Route: Hwy 7, Ride Diff: High)
5. Seoul (Seongnam-si), Gyeonggi-do -> Suam, Andong, Daegu (distance: 355km, Time: 3 days, Diff: Medium), 3-5 days
6. Seoul, Gyeonggi-do -> Seoraksan National Park, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do (distance 315km, 2 days, Diff: High) 2-4 days
7. Gangneung, Gangwon-do -> Busan, Gyeongsannam-do (distance 415km, 4 days, Diff: High)***
8. Incheon/Siheung/Ansan, Gyeonggi-do -> Suwon, Pyeongtaek, Cheonan (Hwy 1 to Daejeon*) West to Boryeong/Daecheon Beach, South to Byeongsanbando National Park (or Mokpo*) (distance 355km, 415km to Daejeon, 460km to Mokpo*, Days 3-5, Diff: High)
9. Gangneung, Gangwon-do -&gt Daegwaelleong, Pyeongchang-gun, Jinbu, Taebaek, Imgye, Donghae, Gangneung return (Start Hwy 35...Hwy 456 from Gangneung-downtown..Hwy 35 to Taebaek, West to Donghae*) (distance 257km, time 2-3 days, Diff: High)
10. Seongnam/Bundang/Seoul river trails to metro Seoul (South of the Han River)
11. + others (send updates: tesol2000@gmail.com if you can help list)

[ Notes: *** best route for cycling, camping, sight-seeing, adventure cycling. I personally like all routes (: ]

       

Take On Africa - Charity Expedition with Helen Lloyd - TakeOnAfrica.com

Charity Activist & Adventure Cyclist, Helen Lloyd took a moment while she is cycling across Africa to speak to me about her current mission. Although we couldn't speak to record a live interview together, Helen has graciously taken time to answer some important questions about her 20,000km adventure cycling experience, so let's find out more about it.

"Sounds excellent Helen... I'll start with some questions:"

1. What is principle reason you have chosen a bicycle as a means of raising awareness for your charitable foundation?

• I actually decided to raise money for charity and chose the Welbodi Partnership after I decided to cycle through Africa. I figured if I could raise just some money to help improve healthcare for children in one of the continent's poorest countries, then it would make the trip worthwhile.
• I decided to travel by bike because I think it provides the best way to meet locals and get to know about life in each country and I am cycling to Cape Town because I want to see the 'real' Africa – not the Africa in the headline grabbing media stories of wars and famines and corrupt politicians or the Africa in the hundreds of charity appeals of starving, malnourished children and poverty stricken, AIDS infected men and women.
• I want to be able to tell and show people back home what the 'real' Africa is like and that's why I'm travelling with a camera and laptop and have set up the website too.

(If you would like to support Helen on her journey, you can donate to her chosen charity, the Welbodi Partnership through her justgiving page: www.justgiving.com/takeonafrica)

2. What are the benefits of bicycle touring, as opposed to motorcycling or even backpacking?

• Bicycling offers an unparalleled opportunity to see a country and meet it's people. I have done a lot of backpacking prior to this trip, but you don't have the same freedom to go where you want – you are reliant on public transport and therefore inevitably spend the majority of your time in towns. The major advantage of travelling by bicycle is the slow pace at which you cover the ground. It means you see so much more – you can appreciate the scenery, you see smaller towns and villages which those travelling on a motorbike or 4x4 would drive straight on through without a glance. And it is this which enables you to meet so many more of the locals, where tourism is often unheard of. You can get a real insight into life in the country you're travelling through and the cultures that pervade.
• If I went on holiday in the future, I would almost certainly take my bike as well. You have the advantage of being able to cycle if you want and if you feel like a break or doing something different, it's easy enough to put the bike on a bus or in a taxi.

3. What essential components make up your kit (equipment) to Take On Africa?

• The main essential is the bike of course. The bike pump, puncture repair kit and multi-tool have all been used numerous times to make them essential.
• My digital SLR camera, lenses and netbook computer too - but that's because I enjoy the photography as much as the cycling and the netbook enables me to write updates for the website without having to spend hours in hot, overcrowded internet cafes and it acts as storage for my photographs.
• I'm also spending significant periods of time away from towns and so the tent and pan set are also proving invaluable too.
• I have plenty of other gear in my bags, but the only other things I would always make sure I have are my iPod, good books, Leatherman and two toothbrushes - one for my teeth and the other for cleaning the bike chain which is suffering terribly with the African dust.
• The bike shorts and change of clothes go without saying!

4. When did your love for two-wheels begin?

• That's a difficult question - I clearly enjoy cycling, otherwise I wouldn't have decided to do this trip, but I probably wouldn't call it a love. I love travelling – seeing different parts of the world and different cultures. Cycling is just a great way to do this.
• My love for travel began at the age of 16, when I applied for a school travel scholarship. I didn't win, but had the opportunity to travel anyway – for a month, trekking in the Indian Himalayas – it was a fantastic experience I shall never forget and is probably the single most defining event of my formative years which has resulted in me writing this interview from Freetown, Sierra Leone, while taking a short break from cycling in Africa.
• Back to the original question however – my real interest with two-wheels began when I had the money to buy a decent mountain bike in my university years. Back in the UK, I will often put the bike in the back of the car and go away for the weekend for some cross-country riding. My regular spots are the Brecon Beacons in Wales and around Dorset (where friends and relatives will kindly put me up for a night) or more locally around the Chiltern Hills.

5. Do you have any far off memories of cycling in your youngest years, where were you and what type of bicycle did you like to ride then?

• I always remember having a bike but I never used to do a lot of cycling as a youngster. I have a scar on my left knee from when I fell off, cornering too fast onto the loose gravel driveway outside the house. I was about six then and cried a lot!
• I occasionally would cycle to primary school and I remember once I took my younger sister along too – we were busy checking the time to see if we would be late when she cycled straight into the back of a parked car. Needless to say, I got the blame – the eldest always does!
• The only other significant memory is of taking part in a sponsored bike ride, visiting all the nearby churches. I had an old, purple, single-speed bike and convinced my dad to come as I was too young to take part alone. I think we covered about 50miles that day and it was probably the last time my dad got on a bike!

6. What is your favorite style of bicycle? When did you start bicycle touring?

• My favourite style of bike is a hard-tail (front suspension only) mountain bike – I have a Specialized Rockhopper with disc brakes. You really can ride this kind of bike everywhere and it's great fun. Besides the touring-specific bike I bought for this latest adventure, I have only ever had a mountain bike.
• My first bike tour was in 2001, when I cycled around Ireland for three weeks. I had recently bought my first mountain bike and was looking for a cheap holiday (I was a student then). I really knew nothing about touring – I went into a local bike shop and bought a bike rack and cheap panniers (I didn't even know that was what those bags were called). I stuffed them full of clothes, a bike pump and puncture repair kit and hopped on the train to Holyhead and then the ferry to Dublin. It was one of my best holidays, but not that cheap – I discovered Guinness two days in and in true student style, it was the black stuff alone that fuelled me for the 800 miles!

7. How long is this journey? Do you have a strict itinerary or are you taking in the sights along the route? What are a few highlights of your journey so far?

• I planned a detailed route for the whole journey before I left and expected the ride from Cambridge to Cape Town to be about 20,000km. My actual route however has deviated hugely from the original plan already, but I always thought it would - for example I intended to cycle through Portugal, but ended up staying in Spain so I could cycle with friends and Guinea Bissau was never on the original route but the two-week tour in the south of the country has been one of the trips cycling highlights.
• I've made sure I have plenty of time so that if something interests me or I need to avoid certain areas, I can easily re-route. In the first quarter of the two-year trip I have already cycled over 9,000km. On the other hand, I have imposed some vague deadlines of places to be by certain times but that is purely from a climate perspective - I didn't want to be cycling in the Sahara mid-summer and I'm hoping to avoid the rainy season although I think this may be wishful thinking.
• What is important in bicycle maintenance for ultra-distance cycling? What is important on a daily or weekly basis? Do you have any regular pre-ride checks to keep everything moving?
• I'm not the right person to ask these questions - I'm notoriously bad at bike maintenance and until this trip have happily taken my bike to a professional for a thorough service when it's condition deteriorates so much I can barely cycle any more.
• On this trip, I don't do any regular maintenance. When you're riding your bike long distances everyday, I think it's much more important to listen and feel how the bike rides. And as soon as you start to hear noises, it's best to check the source of the problem and solve it as soon as possible. This way, I'm hoping to avoid any catastrophic failures.
• During the first four months of this trip I cleaned the bike with a bucket of water once and oiled the chain twice. I'm using a Rohloff (for its supposed low maintenance requirement), so I've also had to change the oil in the hub once. In the last two months however, the dusty African roads have taken their toll and I have to clean the chain and re-oil it once or twice a week.

8. What do you eat? Have you experimented at all with freeze-dried foods, or alternatives to fresh when fresh food is unavailable? What is the best road-cooked meal you have ever prepared?

• My diet varies greatly depending on the region I'm cycling through. In France I lived on baguettes, cheese, fresh fruit and red wine and Spain was similar, but I often ate tapas washed down with a beer in the evenings. After two months in Morocco, living off the hospitality of strangers who are now my friends, I was sick of tajines and the sweet tea that is drunk in every street cafe.
• Now I'm in West Africa, when I'm cycling I either buy a cheap, local rice and sauce dish or will cook myself over a small fire in the evening. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to the cooking - pasta with tomato-based sauce is almost always on the menu, but when you add some onions, garlic, chilli and spices and have been cycling all day, it tastes pretty good! The rest of the day I make do with what I can buy locally – bananas, oranges, bread, nuts are all readily available in even the smallest village.
• I haven't really experimented with freeze-dried foods – they're not readily available in this part of the world. Another cyclist I'm with has some packets of powdered mash potatoes – they're not very appetizing, but it means you can at least eat in the evening even if there's nowhere to cook or buy dinner, which has happened once. But I'd only use it as a last resort.

9. Have you experienced any rough/unforeseen weather conditions? If so, how do you deal with it? What preparations are necessary to enjoy cycling in the rain, wind, sun, snow, fog, etc..?

• Even though I plan my trips around the weather to a large extent, I have still been very lucky. Apart from some grey, wet days at the start of the trip, the weather has been excellent.
• Cycling through the Sahara was hot, even though it was November, and I used up a lot of suncream during this period. The only time I really suffered though, was after I'd been to a hammam in Morocco and the full body scrub had removed not only the dirt but also all the dry skin that had been protecting me – one day cycling later and I had red arms radiating heat that were covered in hundreds of tiny blisters. A painful experience I've made sure not to repeat!
• More seriously though, a decent lightweight waterproof makes cycling in the rain much more tolerable. Sunscreen is vital when spending long hours riding through the middle of the day with no shade and although I don't find it necessary to wear one, many find a hat is one of the best forms of protection from the heat.
• The biggest challenge I have found with the heat is making sure I'm carrying enough water. On some days through the Sahara, I was carrying nearly ten litres of water, when places to refill were few and far between. I also found myself craving for salt, which I would apply in huge quantities to every omelette I would devour at cafes. This was my body telling me I needed to replace the salts I was losing from the constant sweating.

10. How do you find a place to camp? When you've found "free camping" is it possible to have open fires, or should one be stealth and leave no trace?

• I usually start looking for somewhere to camp while there is still plenty of light. Sometimes, you have to cycle a long way before you can find somewhere suitable especially if I need to cook.
• I often cook on an open fire (I have broken two multi-fuel stoves on this trip already and not been able to fix either) and so the camp spot needs to have a small clear area and a small amount of wood I can collect.
• I always look for somewhere I won't be seen or found. The problem in West Africa has mostly been that villages are often closely spaced and there are almost always people walking along the roads. And there have been many times when I have been found, but I've never had any problems. People usually just want to check I am OK and that there are no problems. Many seem very pleased that I am taking the time to visit the country and stop in places most tourists would never even travel through.
• I always try to leave the camp spot in the state I found it in however. Of course, the remains of the fire will be there, but I don't think this is a problem as long as it is properly put out (I wouldn't want to accidentally start a bush fire!).

11. Are you keen to write a book about Adventure Cycling? How would you describe this future book in two sentences?

• I doubt I'd write a reference-style book about Adventure Cycling and writing a book about some big adventure seems a little clichéd and the market is quite saturated already. That said, I would like to expand on what I have written in my blog, making use of all the additional notes I have taken – it would be great for me to have a full detailed account to read in the future and reminisce about! But that is more a personal aim and a long way from a published book.
• I never intended to write a book, but it's a question I'm regularly asked and it's got me thinking... if I could come up with a novel way to write about the trip, then definitely maybe.

Thanks Helen Lloyd & Safe travels to you, keep the rubberside down!!!