Planning Expeditions :: The Dream vs. The Realities :: Photos from HimalayasX2011

12 minutes ago

Brian Perich

• Hey Lars,
  I can probably afford the time off (60 days in summer) and complete segments of the expedition, like...Northwest2012, riding the Alaska Highway through Alaska, Yukon, NWT, Yukon and B.C. to Vancouver.
  
  Then look at other sections, as you suggest. I can't afford an entire Panamerican ride, that is certain, and my wife wouldn't endure it well.
  
  China was a great experiment into expeditions, I think I did my best to explore from a paper map, and although I was stopped from entering Tibet from Xinjiang/Uyghyur Autonomous Region, it was a surreal episode cycling in the northern Himalayas for a few days. I was forced to turn back to Yecheng and Kashgar, where I left my Chinese companion (Bruce Liu) and flew to Urumqi and Chengdu, Sichuan to begin the second leg, the toughest, through Sichuan and down to the borders at Lugu Hu, over to Lijiang, Yunnan and north to Deqin where I finished out.
  
  It's tough without a social mechanism in place, like Jolandie Rust in South Africa, she has people buying countries she will ride through, a strong community backing. Here in Korea, to be honest, the Expat (Western cyclists) are mostly competitors, I am excluded from their clubs because of what I do, blog and ride hard. So, without community backing here in Korea, I can only cycle so far alone.
  
  Your thoughts are always welcome, thanks for plugging for me, I seem to have a good international audience on my blog, share all information for free, but no donations come through that medium. I need to find another way. 
  
  
  My foundation supported, ETE http://www.etelive.org/ was started by Antony Jinman, now a Polar Explorer, he started with nothing but heart, arctic experiences and finally a strong media campaign in the UK, and his former university took interest too. He kept trekking Baffin Island in Canada for several years, build a reputation in Arctic exploring, and finally received considerable contributions for his expeditions and foundation start-up. I can't imagine that feeling right now. But I support him and his work, it's helped me launch, at least small expeditions and that's something for me, out of nothing to start with. I have loads of equipment all personally invested, enough to travel around the world, financing more travel is the difficult part.
  
  Warm wishes,
  
  Brian
  Skype: prof.brian.perich
• 
  

Education Through Expeditions

www.etelive.org

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 Haligul, a nurse in Toksun, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China

 Camping in the Borohoro ranges of the Tian Shan Mountains, China

 Supporting non-profit foundations while adventure bicycle touring

 With the help of local sponsorship - An Dae Gi (Gangneung Bike Mart, Korea) helped to build a recycled expedition bike from 2008 components and frame with 10000km already on it

 Smooth sailing across the Northern Silk Road, China's G315

 Learning to read signs in Chinese simplified pinying

 Sharing the roads with truckers, and a few passenger cars en route to Aksu or Kashgar

 Riding about 50 kilograms of bicycle and touring equipment

 Meeting friendly Uyghur truckers and sitting down on the edge of the desert for some melon

 Riding solo in distant spaces

 Discovering new places

 Camping in desert plains south of the Tian Shan Mountains

 Learning to conserve hydration with double masks

 Riding a mountain bike instead of a traditional touring bike

 Having a taste of luxury after squatting continuously on the road side

 Signing in with my guestbook, recording email, sending out photos of the expedition 

 Riding into dust storms and having locals offer a ride through it

 Being alone on the road, following the mission, the HiamalayasX

 When I met people, we would all gather together because there's a bike traveler

 Choosing the right tires, like the Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour tire, at 1.1kg a piece

 Watching sandstorms brew out over the Taklamakan Desert in infrared

 Experiencing the simple joys of surviving and exploring new places

 Taking calls from my wife and children who were visiting my family in Canada

 Waking up each new day, with another road ahead of me and the desire to travel on it

 Reaching the highs in northern Yunnan Province, after 45 days on the road

 Joining teams of Chinese cyclists on their mission to Lhasa, Tibet

 The urban and the rural, the mountains and the valleys...I saw it all

Expat Cyclist Plans Mammoth Journey -Korean Times, Wednesday July 15, 2009

Brian Perich heads out onto the open road in a recent cycling trip in Korea. The 36-year-old Canadian, who organizes the informal local cycling club Cycling International, is planning a mammoth journey from the Canadian Arctic to South America in aid of two North American charities. / Courtesy of Brian Perich By Bryan Kay Staff Reporter Canadian Lays Groundwork to Recruit for Trans-American Charity Effort From Alaska When Brian Perich arrived back in Korea late in 2006, it was perhaps only a matter of time before he bought a mountain bike and started to pound the tarmac snaking around the country. Indeed, it wasn't long before the 36-year-old Canadian, who lives in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, picked up a bargain basement set of spoked wheels to help quench his thirst for the open road. The founder of Cycling International, an informal group of Korean and expat cyclists set up in February 2007, has a goal of seismic proportions: to bike from the Canadian Arctic, as far south as he can possibly go ― and he wants fellow enthusiasts to join him for the ride. Perich, originally from Windsor, Ontario, can trace his love for cycling back to the 1980s when he was part of several road-racing clubs [Caboto & Maple Leaf Cycling Clubs, Windsor, Ontario]*. ``(Back then) I was not really into it. But it must have been about 1990, though, when I came across touring," he explained. ``So, I took a few friends, we got up early, and in 10 hours we did 240 kilometers. And we cycled back.'' [Grand Bend, Ontario] There began a love story that has spiraled 19 years ― taking in Canada, the United States and Korea ― involved a flirtation with motor-biking thousands of kilometers, and now has the English teacher aiming to head for Anchorage, Alaska, in 2012 to embark upon his mammoth journey across the Americas. The grand plan has the dual aims of raising cash for charity and as an outlet for his energies. And Perich hopes to encourage others to join him on the trip ― or at the very least join one of Korea's cycling groups. ``I started out around Ansan, then Suwon, then toward Pyeongtaek,'' he said. ``From there I started to go out to the east coast… and eventually all the way down to Busan. ``Over the course of the last two years, I have been meeting random people. That's what brought about Cycling International, through a Facebook group. It is just about trying to get like-minded people together.'' But the ultimate goal is his trans-Americas mission, which he has dubbed ``One Cycle, One Man (+Riders), One Charity, Global Bike from the Arctic.'' ``What this is ultimately about is training and preparing for the ride to the Arctic all the way down, perhaps all the way to the bottom of South America,'' Perich continued. ``I want to get people inspired. I've already got a company ready to give me a discount for a bike.'' The charities he has earmarked as the beneficiaries of his fund-raising effort ― the Canadian and American branches of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation ― are to act as a guiding network for the arduous journey. The non-profit organization Get Your Guts in Gear would be the spur, helping organize presentations at key locations [several US locations, 200 miles rides]* on his route, where he says he could stage motivational presentations that could lead to donations to the cause. ``The cycling is more a means of survival for me here. The teaching thing is done for me. I want to pour myself into this. After motorcycling for so many years and with the emphasis on the environment and being green, this seems like the right thing,'' said Perich. ``There are so many people who have accumulated thousands of kilometers doing things like this, and there are more organized cycling groups here in Korea worth looking into.'' Anyone interested in finding out more about cycling groups in Korea or Perich's Arctic mission can contact him at 010-2657-5126 or email tesol2000@gmail.com. bk@koreatimes.co.kr Source: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2009/07/177_48460.html

Sharing cycling and nomadic ideas in the ESL classroom, Saturday mornings in Korea

Nic,

I am super-happy for you on accomplishing 50,000Km already, more to come no doubt down your OPEN road. You needed an Xtracycle to bring a woman with you http://www.xtracycle.com/cargo-utility-bicycles.html

I've got 1 important question for you about sizing a Koga-Miyata, I am finally through riding Made-In-China, and ready to make the move into bigger touring when I leave Korea in 2012. I'm in contact with Kogausa and want to order a KM-World Traveller, since locating a late-model @ discount, I need to guess the correct frame SIZE. Hmmmm. They are not available in Korea, so I will not SEE THIS BIKE until it is shipped. I sat on a Surly Long Haul Trucker in Seoul, Korea...a 60cm and it was way too big for me, then a 56cm seemed ok. The Koga Miyata being offered to me is a 54cm. I have an Italian racer friend, also 175cm tall, he said the 54cm would be alright ^^.

I'm 5'9" or 5 feet 9 inches, 175.26cm HEIGHT. Would a 54cm Koga be the right fit, this is a tough question, curious what size you ride & it must be comfortable fit, seeing 50K already gone by...incredible job!!!

I share your stories with my Korean ESL students, we've been discussing becoming "Nomads" and a few are interested in this subject, as I continue to push the Dream of Cycling (transamerican) with them every Saturday morning when we meet for our 3-hour lesson. Discussions usually include stories about you, Alastair Humphreys [ LINK: Hitlist on right--->], Antony Jinman [LINK: Hitlist on right---->], ...all the adventure heroes currently doing expedition work that I use as my virtual classroom, outside the ESL classroom. I've learned a lot about freedom, planning, equipment, determination, and finding satisfaction from reading your blog (and my own Hitlist on blogger^^). It's been amazing following your journey live, just hope you fix that XP problem soon, my Canadian friend [Brian Sully, arrival to Korea, photos above] asked about you, he thought you might be almost in NYC right about now, funny how your world is getting all over the world, amazing inspiration to all of us common people!!! Can't wait for your sequel (next stage) and a book at the end of this, I want to sponsor my son to follow in your Legendary Moves on the bike, for this work(out) and dedication , you'll be always remembered as a great cyclist at this time of your life. Bravo, bravo, bravo & Live Strong!

Ride Earth - Photostreams on Flickr

Time to Jump into June, it's been a quick transition of months with cycling in weekend spinning mode (mountains with Murray a few weeks back), a trip to Jeju Island with my family, and next weekend's prospect of the Beach Blanket Apocalypse in Sokcho happening on Saturday. Options are to load the bike to Express to Gangneung and connect with Sokcho on Friday night, will be quite late then. The rest of the weekend will encompass this Beach affair with drum jams, swim-swim in the Pacific, and launch South on bike for more training Sunday-Monday. Prime weather predicted for cycling since the dry spell is now, and Monsoons are sure to come!

Ride Earth Photostreams on Flickr [LINK, FOR VIEWING PLEASURES!)

Ride Earth is a Collaborative-World-Cycle-by-Mountain Bike. I really enjoy reading their blog (or seeing their updates on Flickr), whichever progress line is equally digestible, in printed words, or the amazing photostreams, it's definitely worth a look at their adventure off the beaten-tracks (Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia...) Hope to see them on the other side of the world soon!