Race to Cycle to the South Pole 2013 // ICE Trikes race to the South Pole // Maria Leijerstam beats two other male contenders //

British adventurer Maria Leijerstam has braved savage conditions to become the first person to cycle to the South Pole from the edge of the Antarctic continent. Maria, aged 35 from Wales, raced two men for the title and arrived at the pole hundreds of miles ahead of her nearest rival.

After 9 days cycling Maria completed the 400 mile expedition at approximately 1am GMT on the 27th December 2013. Despite starting days later than her competitors Maria made quick progress on a recumbent trike designed specifically for the challenge by Inspired Cycle Engineering. The custom-made trike is stable and aerodynamic, which has allowed Maria to focus her energy on progressing through the gale-force winds and hazardous terrain.

The cycles design is based on a standard ICE Sprint recumbent trike with modifications to ensure it can tackle the rigorous challenge ahead. The frame is made, as standard, from aircraft-grade steel selected for its strength and fatigue resistance. It is fitted with 4.5 inch-wide snow tires for unsurpassed traction and float over snow and ice. The gears are effectively twice as easy as a standard mountain bike, which would allow Maria to climb 1-in-3 gradients.

The ability to climb hills with relative ease meant that Maria could take a shorter route to the pole than her competitors, which required scaling the formidable Transantarctic Mountains; a similar route to that of Scott and Amundsen in their legendary South Pole expeditions. On the recumbent trike Maria was able to ascend the Leverett Glacier, despite strong headwinds and deep snow, to reach the polar plateau.
"The trike is amazing. It's completely stable, even in extreme winds and I can take on long steep hills that I'd never be able to climb on a bike" said Maria.

With the mountains and glacier behind her Maria then faced over 300 miles of the polar plateau. The snow, wind and sastrugi made progress slow and arduous, but by cycling in 12 hour stints Maria continued to progress 25-35 miles (40-60km) each day.

After a well-deserved celebration, call home and rest, Maria will return to her home in Wales where she will no doubt start planning her next mammoth expedition. Huge congratulations to Maria from everyone at ICE Trikes!

Other South Pole Explorers on bikes:

The South Pole Epic, Daniel Burton

Juan Menendez Granados

Eric Larsen, Cycle South Expedition 2012

Post by Brian Perić.

Racing over 400 miles from the edge of the Antarctic continent Maria Leijerstam hopes to beat two other male contenders to claim the world record. 

Outer Mongolia - by Mountain Bike // Mongolia X Project 2012 HD

Outer Mongolia - by Mountain Bike // Mongolia X Project 2012 HD from Brian Perich on Vimeo.

This video is a 13 minute trailer part of the MongoliaX2012 expedition project on a mountain bike.
Last summer, I completed a challenging 2500 km overland expedition across Outer Mongolia between Russia and China. The expedition lasted 45 days, 38 days actively mountain biking across the Steppe grasslands and mountainous deserts and forests of the northern rim.

Accumulating approximately 40,000 meters (131, 234 feet) vertical altitude change across 2500km of arid Mongolian Steppe on a unique route I planned myself.  I wore through 10 replacement rubber truck tube soles I glued on a single pair of SPD-Shimano compatible Pearl Izumi mountain biking shoes and underwent a years physiotherapy following the expedition in the summer of 2012.

I went for adventure, cultural experience, endurance and to experience the world learning through experiencing life on a mountain bike.

For a comparison of altitude changes across Mongolia's rugged mountains:
"Scientists supported by the National Geographic and Boston's Museum of Science were able to operate Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite equipment on the very top of Mount Everest last May and have determined the precise height of the world's tallest mountains. The revised elevation - 29,035 feet (8850 meters), two meters or seven feet higher than the previously accepted figure - was announced Nov. 11, 1999" This article is reprinted from the Mountain Zone web site (mountainzone.com)

My expedition was supported by LYNSKEY PERFORMANCE, USA using their hand-made titanium frame, the M240S. I would like to thank them all for supporting and encouraging expeditions globally.

Over the last several years, I have been working with two amazing foundations working in community, the first is IDEAS which touches very close to my heart.  IDEAS is led by global explorer/mountaineer Robert Hill of Canada, who successfully completed his No Guts, Know Glory 7 Summits Campaign (including Mount Everest in 2010) with an ostomy as a measure to improve his life living with IBD.

IBD is the collective name for Crohns Disease or CD and Ulcerative Colitis ,UC which are chronic, long-term conditions requiring serious medical treatment or surgeries to help those millions of patients around the planet inflicted with this debilitating disease. Inspiration is the key to survival on Earth, no matter what circumstances we live through, there is always a cure to struggles with dedication, determination, positivism and personal growth that comes with overcoming the biggest and almost impossible odds against us.

DO NOT GIVE UP HOPE IN YOU, JUST TRY HARDER NEXT TIME.

Since there is a long road to find a cure, I am in to ride for others who can share my triumphs, and I hope to spread the word about INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE IBD because it's a voice to a community that needs hope and support, I admire Rob Hill for continuing his community work with the IDEAS Foundation of Canada.

The second foundation is linking schools and formal education with exploring - this is innovative and something I strongly believe in. I explored in partnership with Education Through Expeditions, founded by Arctic and Polar Explorer friend, Antony Jinman of Plymouth, UK. Antony has overcome enormous obstables in his life to bring forth adventure into the classrooms, while undertaking expeditions in Arctic regions of Canada. He is an inspiration and a true leader in his community. I was proud to represent his valuable foundation through Adventure mountain biking the globe as an Explorer Ambassador with ETE in 2011.


I am now affiliated with the Ted Simon Foundation, as a Jupiter Traveller as of late 2012. I look forward to supporting the foundation and sharing expeditions with the world, as I ride mountain bikes.

I hope you enjoy the amateur videos, it's a short and I am not a film maker. But I do enjoy new adventures.

Post by Brian Perić.

Totherocktour 2013 // The Road is your Sea // Mighty and Strong with tides and white lines on the road edges, you ride the swells //

The Road is your Sea. 

Mighty and strong with great tides, the rise and fall of the Blacktop drawn with white lines and yellow parallel divides, from these waves on the ribbon of road turning all the way out West, taking that highway on a new quest, your roads, your own ocean, The Road is your Sea.

The mighty ones are tested and true tempered and stand to test out sails to time, hands to oars, rivers to rapids, the rocky escarpments, the oxbow lakes, new tributaries, you are opened to possibilities and challenges what lies ahead, Ride on.

Running risks, overflowing your limits, become like water as you take it all in.

Seek the challenges and roll over them, choose the right rubber to grip, hands to bars, feet to pedals, head to wind, heart to blood, circulate, leather saddles, in a cool breeze, and find rhythm singing your own tune. New tempo, pulling on your pedals, moving ahead smooth and unsettled, the Nomadic traveler, the Dream fighter, the Wanderlust, always remember, the Road is your Sea.

Like a distant ship setting course on westward horizons, the waves carry you on. Dreams become wind in your sails, the greatest escape becoming one with nature around you. We breathe, we feel, we adventure, we breathe deeper, nature releases smells of nitrogen into new rain, dewdrops on leaves of green trees, the fleeing deer over the forest nettles, the flora we follow along ribbons of road as the other animals run deeper in the trees, we are moving along into the light, sunsets ablaze, orange, amber glows, clouds bank level into the steps of the heavens, you ride on, The Road is your Sea.

Between the pavement of our existence, we unhitch from these foundations, stab the sun into the burn of the midnight moon and the night highways open up and light our road, paths reveal themselves under our turning feet, the shapes of movement, the trees silhouette, the lighting strikes, thunder claps and storms cheer for us, shift us forward in our seats, leaning into the winds, dressed in your cape, the rain tarp flaps that's wrapped on your bags, deflecting the clear water, streams on roads run like life reaching out, touching skies, clearing hearts, minds, and souls, the environment is restored and rabbits leap under their small feet, grass bends to wind, frogs croak, all sounds you hear are told in Spring, herds of deer run through summer, falls leaves bronzed and reveal the gold of autumn, buried in winter, whiteness and cold. Seasons change as we ride on, The Road is your Sea.

I once dreamed I had strength, like an ax to wood, striking the line, opening up a cord of warm fires ahead, miles to miles, our engine burns, the road beneath us, ahead and behind us now, we share our thoughts of tomorrow's destinations at roadsides, using all the dormant energy inside you stored and fire up again, the adventures take us outside, for the summer, the journey, The Road is your Sea.

Inside your muscles twitch, tendons tense, iron horses dance in your legs as you sail along this silver road. Now you are working outside in, inside out, turning dreams into clouds and storms into gusting leaves, they fall from trees like snow falls, sweeping and twirling in a dance of spirits, smoke twirls in the night sky, mosquitoes race away, the dew dries, the camp is safe for another night, The Road is your Sea.

Free your wheels, turn up and out another rising portrait, a horizon, ever changing landscapes, winding and falling road. These winds are taking your sails up there, out there, opening forbidden skies that we once only dream of, are now alive, new energy is yours now, today, forever, the Road is your Sea.

- Original poem, Brian Perich - Written - September 25, 2013

Ride on.

About the journey: Totherocktour was a bicycle journey with a purpose of connecting through #good conversations with friends, family and North American community from the Great Lake state of Michigan to Banff National Park's Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada. The serendipity of bicycle travel is explored and chronicled in my latest pedal-powered trip through America traveling by bicycle and camping on the side of the road, in homes of family, friends, and communities that open to me. I traveled solo 3400 kilometers (2000 miles) to the Canadian Rocky Mountains of Lake Louise and completed the ride in Windsor, Ontario, Canada my place of birth in 30 days.

My parents George and Cathy, and sister Christie, Beth, Nancy and
my younger brother Steve together in Spring Lake, Michigan

In the summer of 2013, I took a chance, I took another ride of my life. 19 years passed since I first motorcycle toured the northern tier of the United States, cutting a line from the Great Lake state of Michigan, I followed the eastern coast of Lake Michigan northward through Grand Haven, a small lake shore community.

Striking up good conversations along the way, I started reconnecting with my family through a reunion we call "Zeunion" after my maternal grandfather's lineage in Switzerland, the Zehnder family reunion.

Meeting Tony Esteves, Inspirational Facilitator in Calgary

TONY ESTEVES, INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER

I had good conversations with many individuals that reached out to speak with me, talk about bikes and life, the freedom of the road, and for some, they shared stories about their lives. That is what this journey was all about, learning through conversations and finding inspiration it certainly brings in that serendipitous process which unfolds with every "Unexpected Connection" which are often inspirational moments that we can harness to connect with others and improve our lives. These revelations happen as a life changing process. Unexpected connections are explored by my good friend who I have reconnected with after 16 years.

Tony Esteves, is a unique person who works as a Inspirational Facilitator and was born in Canada. Tony has taken important steps in a life changing process to step out and begin a speaking tour around the world. Contact Tony for more inspiration and motivation to improve your outlook on life. 

UNEXPECTED CONNECTIONS with Tony Esteves of Canada.  

Personally, I use bicycles to find inspiration through adventure and to make connections with others. My inspirational friend Tony, teaches others about the power of concentration to change the way you see and experience the world and the people around you. Need more INSPIRATION? Talk to Tony.

Zeunion family reunion in Spring Lake, Michigan

Back in Canada after working 7 years in South Korea. My means of living involves teaching the  English language to non-native learners in university settings in Asia. After a career move from a nursing and medical field debacle in the State of Michigan 7 years ago, I came back to America with experiences in university education as a professor (whereas I had been previously a student in the American education system), already crossing the Himalayas of China, the Taklamakan Desert by mountain bike, meeting Nomads, Tibetans, Sichuanese and Yi in Yunnan. I have crossed Outer Mongolia solo in 2012, I have dined on sheep head, drank horse, yak, goat and camel milk with Nomads and in South Korea raised a family of my own with a Korean wife.

My return in 2013 for Totherocktour was no coincidence, it happened because I had planned a bicycle tour of the Americas in the making five years ago, now I am living part of that experience this summer.  The following week in Windsor, Canada was a brief whirlwind visiting my friend Chris Howe in LaSalle, Gino Pignanelli at his radio program while on-air at the University of Windsor, visiting my friend and Chiropractic doctor Greg Hillan-Cooper for a much needed adjustment and seeing my family in LaSalle, Ontario.  I only had a few days to reach out to local friends, visit immediate relatives and find some small projects to help my parents.

We found such a project. My nephews and I started cleaning up a woodpile beside my parents house. With the help of my nephews Rian, Aedan, Benjamin, and Justin at my parents residence of the last 40 years. We did a fantastic job that afternoon, with thanks to the guys for contributing their time, they ate freezy pops from grandpa's refrigerator in the garage, I drank Vernor's Canadian Ginger Ale that I haven't tasted ice cold in years.  I was also bitten and treated for a bite by a spider, wood or deer tick. I didn't like the last part, whatever bit me, hurt and turned my armpit rock solid, a red ring, and a weeks worth of antibiotics were treatment after a night of muscle spasms, fever and cold chills rocked my body. I fully recovered 12 hours later, quite relieved that the situation had passed before the 3400 kilometer (2000 mile) 30-day bike journey had yet to start. I was close to the beginning of the pedaling and didn't want any disasters to derail my bike-train to the Rocky Mountains, another dream trip ahead!

Down the street where I grew up until my adult life, one of our friendly neighbors was having her 83rd birthday, Mrs. Irene Kapasi. I heard through her daughter Judy, whom I knew all my life and have not seen the past 10+ years while away in Asia and other roads in North America. It was wonderful to be invited to the family party, turned into a community event with neighbors stopping by for a bite of  home-made dinner, some cold beer which I liked, campfire and they roasted pork in Hungarian family style, really nice shared moments, I appreciated seeing and speaking to all of them about my journeys of recent. I stayed late that night talking to my old friend and neighbor Sandy Kapasi, we played high school football together, lifted weights and drank beers together, we cycled together on the Caboto Velo Club and later I joined Maple Leaf Cycling Club of Windsor. Sandy and I both raised families in different corners of the world, it was great to see him again, healthy and positive as he always has been.

A second family contribution project was about to happen at my sister Beth's family home around the corner from my parents - I was designated the Captain of the Repair Ship for two days manual labor. They needed yard work, a garage to clean up and organize, and a backyard which required a second day and second load to the dump - branches trimmed, grass cut and bagged for the municipal recycle Earth program, with Rian Sullivan's help and the help of their next door neighbor, we completed the project - a beautiful yard restored 360 degrees.

What was the trip like, who did I meet, how difficult is it to travel by bicycle through the United States and western Canada? 

The trip was unique, it provided time to stretch my legs on the pedal cranks for a single month out in a natural world and the road, it was filled with nature sounds (crickets creeking, frogs blurping and birds chirping, wind whispering in nature all around me), it was also filled with good conversations all across the country, I couldn't be more pleased with the people I met.  The roads through Michigan and it's respective Upper Peninsula offered forested scenery, views of Lake Michigan, and relative wilderness close to town for your supplies of WIFI and still remote enough to allow bicycle tourists to camp for free about anywhere there is an open patch of land away from the roads. Plenty of farming fields, and other landscapes that offer some seclusion required to safely camp alone and in the outdoors environment - saving money and providing suitable places to sleep anywhere.

I would say for certain, the Northern tier route is really awesome and western Michigan is a great place to get your bicycle or motorcycle touring adventure started.

Following the extreme cycling and trekking I encountered crossing Outer Mongolia in 2012, I definitely wanted something smoothed out and soil close to my hometown to see family again. Since my family came first for reunions and time to meet up after my ride was completed, that left only 30 days to cross 2000 miles of North America. Fortunately, excellent pavement ahead stretches hundreds and hundreds of miles with wide shoulders, although there are few dedicated stretches solely dedicated bicycle lanes (Traverse City to Petoskey, Michigan you find them!) there are shoulders on these roads providing a clear path into Northern Michigan, and on into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Chris and Nancy (my sisters), Dave Piche,George (my dad)

Americans built some of the best quality civil engineered toll-free highways in the world, these highways certainly can carry bicycles on their shoulders too.  And this northern tier is the road less traveled in the United States, a chance to escape while still moving on pavement. It's quite possible as I would learn, without much level of fitness (I had been to physiotherapy for a year, no exercise at all) I warmed up in Michigan crossing hill after hill, to Wisconsin State (crossing two days) and from Superior, Wisconsin onward on northern tier Highway 2, I alternated 60 mile (100 kilometers) and 100 miles (160 mile) days consecutively (4 days, 320 miles, 600 kilometers) reaching Banff National Park, in Alberta, Canada on schedule. It was tough I won't lie, but it was memorable. The journals I wrote  will be released in follow-ups about Totherocktour 2013. Thanks for joining the ride in journals!

View Larger Map

Totherocktour northern tier route from Grand Rapids, Michigan to the Upper Peninsila (U.P.)

View Larger Map
Complete route from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada on the northern tier.

From Windsor, Ontario, Canada my mother chauffeured me to the downtown Detroit, Michigan Greyhound bus station, where when we arrived, a voice moaned and groaned outside as we pulled up to the curb. My mother (Cathy) popped the trunk latch, I jumped out and grabbed my pannier bags, threw the sling of my backpack over a shoulder, and gave "thumbs up" and Mom was driving away from Detroit and back over the Ambassador Bridge to Canada. I am off to Grand Rapids in western Michigan. Thanks for the lift mom, see you in a month!


Inside the station, there were Amish farmers and local African Americans, other Hip Hop-styled youth, some homeless wanderers and other friendly folks like my friend (photo below) a retired automobile industry worker on his way home. He told me stories of going away for a few years and how small situations had snow-balled into a typhoon of change in his life. In short, he made it back and I had respect for the courage and openness in which he shared his recent life journey. That #good conversation, I don't write about the details here, what I discuss with people is something special, private and confidential, as are some of my own misadventures that have never hit the digital ink. I will share some of these moments though, the steps in a simple journey that transformed my life.

The road trip takes us through Jackson, Michigan and as we pass a prison, another passenger across the aisle, a young 20-something guy in hiphop clothing, talking with hard vowels, an accent of the southern United States, he talks aloud about it, talking about his friends that have gone away to do their time inside. At the moment, I start singing Johnny Cash, Cocaine Blues and Folsom Prison Blues, and together we form a chorus of the rough vocal artist and this time passes with the low hum of Detroit Diesel engine doing time beneath our silver bullet Greyhound bus. Time to sing, speak of American life, the rising sun shines outside and we head back out onto the Interstate Highway 96. Time and cities pass by us, our conversations encompass different lengths and topics, it's spontaneous and purposeful. We have both had our life epiphanies, those times unforgotten, rekindled and put back in memories unforgotten space on our shelves of experiences, one day to be remembered, to be shared or to keep.

A new Koga-Miyata World Traveller compliments of Commuter Bicycles, Santa Barbara, California

Dave Babcock, my former employer in my hippy years (1997/1998 winter), when I weathered -20F temperatures in a Ford Club Wagon XLT van next to my friend Greg Schiller with the help of our friend Farmer Fred in Allendale, Michigan. I worked in Dave's office as a secretary, keeping my milk and orange juice in the snow piles plowed outside to clear the parking lot at DRB Environmental Services. Dave asked me one day, about the juice and milk, I explained it was mine and I kept it cold that way. I also explained that I lived in a van down by a river! We ventured outside to examine the design of my mobile accommodations for that long, cold cold winter. It needed to be done. I went on to travel 10,000 miles and would return home to Windsor in the summer of 2001, also the year I left for South Korea.

I think Dave was surprised how I survived within my means (saving money) to the ends (travel) and I saved enough to set off that spring to round North America on motorcycle and later a 40-day restored AMC Jeep CJ-5 project which took me to Vancouver Island from Windsor, Ontario and finally to rest on the fields of Hidden Valley outside Escondido, California two years later. I motorcycle toured south to Phoenix, Arizona and across the Mojave Desert, into San Francisco and north along the American coast to Vancouver by 1986 Kawasaki ZX600R motorcycle and eventually reached Vancouver, British Columbia where I was hit in an automotive accident. Keeping clear of motorcycles, determined to travel more, I found the AMC Jeep CJ-5 a reliable replacement to turn a half horseshoe around North America on this Northern Tier I follow in 2013 on the Koga touring bike I ride on Totherocktour. 

My latest installment of adventure travel is different from the other travels previous because I represent non-profit foundations as a global ambassador, I work as a university professor, raise a family with a Korean wife and our two international children, I am proud of all this development in life. Adventure travel is icing on the good cake that I created with a recipe for life, a design for life, and following a deeper path than I dreamed possible before, now I am setting out on new horizons. And I appreciate having an audience with you, thanks for reading too!

Life is a wheel, a full circle of adventures, and certainly the Road is your Sea.

I visit my friend Dave Babcock and his family 
(first in 1997, again in 2003, again in 2013)...

 We all have many challenges 
(and failures before great adventures) 
but always remember...

TRIALS ARE THE FOOD OF FAITH

Clear roads west Hwy 104 to Grand Haven, Michigan. Notice the wide shoulders for cyclists. 

Friendly meetings Gary Gomer at the Coffee Grounds.

In Grand Haven, Michigan (C-map), the lakeside city that hosts many vacationers, social coffee shops, boutiques, I met Dave, a friendly musical instrument afincando owner of The Guitar Shop and together we spoke to another customer Ashley Livingston. Ashley whom was keen on cycling and his family life as a father - was open to share some good conversation, that I appreciated very much. At The Coffee Grounds, we shared coffee and conversations - dreams of bicycles and my idea to travel with them. Michelle Rison - a Natural healer (whom received naturalist healing to cure her own troubles) and explore on two wheels - Gary Gomer, sat together for the summer sunshine that July morning in 2013.

Keeping a paper journal was essential, a place for thoughts.

I roamed around the city of Grand Haven, arriving one day ahead of schedule for the Zeunion family reunion, as planned meeting with my Nurse -friend Randy Thornburg had to be changed, he was called in for a double shift, so he was one link in the bicycle chain that would be missed. I traveled between Grand Rapids and Conklin, Michigan (A and B-map) with my best friend in Michigan - Dave Babcock. Later in the day, I cycled south on Highway 131 along Lakeshore Drive, and found a small forest to setup camp after dark. In the south end of Grand Haven, there is a McDonalds restaurant where I used my VEGA android smartphone and spoke to family in Canada and Korea. It was an important piece of technology with WIFI, it served as a telephone (Skype application) where I could call friends and family to keep in touch, which helped keep connected on hundreds of miles between us all.

The family Zeunion reunion was a success, we celebrated around the 4th of July and it was great to see all my relatives finally once again. Off to the road, I had miles to make up for all the social visits I did at the beginning of this Totherocktour, but there are many new stories with every mile down the road.

---

Thanks for visiting the journals from this summer, more adventure cycling tales coming soon!

Totherocktour completed // 30 days of Adventure Cycling // leaving South Korea and riding North America to the Rockies //

Post by Brian Perić.

Totherocktour 2013 // How I started Zen Traveling to reach the Rockies of North America // The Beginnings //

The Beginnings...Three Part Series.
How I returned to North America on a long-distance bicycle tour from Korea

The original plan to start exploring...

About five years ago (2009), I started hatching a plan to cycle the length of the Americas (Alaska, USA/Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada, America, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina), I created a website to support the foundations of that earlier dream - Arctic 2 Argentina, and alas, some things dreamed are not possible when you have other things on your plate with the cup half full. I came into new realities with parenting, working in EFL university education (long vacations but low pay), but there was still a bright spark of light inside this dream and others...so I put those dreams into motion. I created several alternative expeditions in the deserts of northwest East Turkestan, the Himalayas of western China, through the Steppes of Outer Mongolia and to the Rockies across North America this summer.

Rebuilding myself through Zen traveling...with a bicycle.

I've been fortunate in many ways, I walked away from a potential career start in nursing about 7 years ago. It was tough, the end of a dream, the end of my financial situation, a time of hurt and demise. I burned for wanting something outside my borders (Canada) and sacrificed everything to make that dream a reality. When I left the United States 7 years ago, I had my tail between my legs and had to start over, all over again. I wanted to start to repay school loans, thought about starting a family remotely, and followed love and not the money initially - that plan worked, I stuck to it till today. I returned this summer to North America to reconnect with my friends and family and community across the continent, that was the third tour I have completed, Totherocktour2013, it was a good one!

First destination following my course of Cycling in Korea (2007-2010)...

Back in 2011, I wanted to be successful, I prepared in the gym for 10 weeks doing cross-training, loads and hours of treadmill, and after the 36-hour standing-only-train-ride across 2000 miles of China, I was ready to ride to shredded ripples of flesh, bone, muscle and tendons (I transformed physically from 96kg to 85kg (10 weeks cross fit) and further losing mass from 85kg to 70kg in 60 days (38 days on the pedals), crossing Taklamakan desert and southern Silk Road of East Turkestan down to the Aksai Chin on the borders of Pakistan while shedding fluids with explosive diarrhea and taking on the advice and tonics from local Chinese migrant workers to complete the first stage of that ride. And continuing that first expedition, I completing a second stage across the Himalaya ranges through Sichuan and into Yunnan Province through Lugu Lake and north to Baima - Snow Mountain, I gave my bike a rest after 45 days and spent a week traveling overland back to Kunming, Beijing and finally Incheon, South Korea. Mission completed.

Family...

Today, I have two children (Matthew 5, Sierra 2) and a wife that understands where adventure sits inside my life beside our family unit priorities. I do expeditions for several reasons, - I need it physically and mentally, I work hard to keep it moving, I have made life connections that I never knew before to professional explorers, perhaps one day I will be like many of them taking on bigger challenges beyond the bike. My family know I am exploring, my extended relatives rallied when I crossed over Outer Mongolia in 2012, so I see positive signs in the stars and on Earth about exploring terra incognita. The family foundations, the roof is over our heads, the bikes pieced together to make it till the ends meet - and luckily I have continued to roll out on expeditions after recovering from doing them,  (HimalayasX2011, MongoliaX2012, Totherocktour2013...) and there is more ahead for the rest of my life. Where to explore?  Justtry to name a few places right here (________________________________) Yes, I want to go there.

What is Zen traveling?

Zen traveling is something that occurs when you have overcome odds against you. You overcome work challenges, financial challenges, educational hurdles, cycling walls ahead of you on nothing but faith in yourself and support with a strong will, strong family you built, strong legs and strong bikes with enough sweat, grit, and walls gone through (bonk!) -

YOU fine tuned your body to adjust to a focused endurance ride across countries. Once the practice of bush camping, stealth camping and baby wiping is honed days on days of touring from one place to the next, you can stack weeks and accomplish some big adventures, in chapters of your new life on the road. Zen traveling happens when you melt off the miles on maps, start meeting incredible people and share good conversations. For starters, you have a bicycle with equipment strapped on, so when people see you - they will be amazed or filled with wonderful questions which are easy to answer. It's also a great opportunity to photo shoot, a memento for you and those you have met on the road. I also like to keep a paper journal for signatures, since the travels need a record book of thoughts, feelings, places in description and the fabric of your human journey created in a collection of words and addresses left by those kind souls you have met.

To the Start...

Within 3 months of planning, writing, reading, purchases and preparations, I had gathered all the equipment (all I needed was 5 Ortlieb panniers - Rollerback Classic rear panniers, Frontroller Classic front panniers and the Ultimate 5L handlebar bag with Map case), a modified mountain bike with front and rear carrier racks and some physical changes to prepare myself. I began training in a gym (loved the treadmill at 8-13% grade for an hour or two - dropped 10kg body mass in 10 weeks).

I also found the interest and support through the owner/operator of a  local bicycle shop in Gangneung City, South Korea (AN DAE GI @ Gangnueng Bike Mart "THANKS BROTHER!"). So, remember to rely on your LBS (local bike shop) for mechanical service support and by buying parts there -you support your LBS, it's that simple, THEIR FRIENDSHIP AND HELP is priceless!

When it finally came time to launch - I didn't regret getting started, bicycle touring and endurance treks are highly addictive, they made me feel younger outside and older/more experienced a person inside.

Zen traveling is special, when you throw yourself into a journey with no way out (except to quit!) carrying that bike or riding it wherever you go, the bicycle carries you across international borders and countries - this is the amazing part of your life journey - getting started and going for the dream!

Others who came before me...

Jumping ahead now, I followed Nicholai Bangsgaard on his RTW Round-The-World odyssey on a Koga-Miyata World Traveller (2006-2010), and donated to his cause, no charities, just a bike trip around the planet, and the donation I made went towards his rear wheel rebuild in Montreal, Canada.

After reading Nicholai's journal entries from his RTW, I wanted a Koga-Miyata World Traveller.

(Disclosure: All that is required for expedition touring is a reliable mountain bike with carrier racks for reliable panniers like Ortlieb, or bikepacks like REVELATE or PORCELIN ROCKET would do the job nicely, a tent, thermarest, warm sleeping bag and some reliable clothing...a water filter, that would be enough to get you touring - World famous touring bikes are a luxury not necessity! I do enjoy riding my Koga-Miyata because of the anatomy of the frame, strong wheels and BROOKS B17 saddle...you can always build your own touring mountain bike with these parts!)

When you watch someone from your armchair ride around the world, and I have watched many of them on bicycles these past 6 years from different cities in South Korea, it inspired me to try it! Now, I get INSPIRATION dreaming up adventure! Just put me anywhere in the world with an expedition cycle and watch me move!

GET LUCK!

In 2009, I hit the "luck" button again after completing over 10,000 kilometers (6000 miles) around the Korean peninsula in my first few years touring with mountain bikes.

I made the local Korean media, they announced my plans to cycle the Americas, and I made a few partnerships with professional global explorers, Antony Jinman - British Polar Explorer and Robert Hill - Canadian Mountaineer, both whom run their own non-profit foundations, the former is ETE - Education Through Expeditions, connecting explorers with the classroom, and the latter is IDEAS - Intestinal Disease Education & Awareness Society, connecting community working together to overcome health problems through adventures. Foundation partnerships are helpful foundations for understanding exploring before you set out on your own.I have become an international Ambassador through my efforts supporting these organizations - and proud of it!

Downtheroad.org - information I collected to start touring myself...

I knew another American cycle-touring guru named Tim Travis personally who had ridden one down the Americas, he rides generic touring bikes these days and continues to promote books on his world traveling experience while the website offers up technical tips of bicycle touring at DOWNTHEROAD.ORG which really helped me get started.

Who is willing to sponsor you?

First off in 2009, I contacted Commuter Bicycles, Santa Barbara, California to see what was in stock.
Eric Schmidt at Santa Barbara, California based Commuter Bicycles had the Koga's in stock. We talked about bicycle touring, the A2A project and he made a pro deal with me - that support was the foundation (symbolic and monetary reward!) that I had done my leg work, the website existed for some time, and I had shared inspiration with others through the process of highlighting #microadventures I had been having with $200-400 dollar mountain bikes across South Korean territories (99,500 km square).

Who helped me in 2011 and in 2012?

That was five years ago when I first made a pro deal with a bicycle dealer in the United States. This was long before I had completed a single non-motorized expedition on a mountain bike. Although, I had criss-crossed the United States and Canada 7 times between 1994-2001, so I had experience in other areas including motorcycles and vintage American built four-wheel drive Jeeps. At last, I'm glad I planted the seed for adventure cycling with the initial pro deal on the Koga-Miyata World Traveller. 

Although I couldn't technically import the Koga-Mityata into South Korea (fearing +20% tariffs on retail price plus the freight), I used any bikes available to me in South Korea starting off (2007-2010) so I didn't see the KOGA until this past summer of 2013 - I would like to say sincere thanks for the help of Eric Schmidt at COMMUTER BICYCLES in Santa Barbara, California for hooking up the expedition deal.

I have only broken-in the Brooks leather saddle and can appreciate the tough design of this triple-butted 7005-aluminum frameset. I have yet to test out the Shimano Deore XT rim brakes on Himalayas or Andes Mountain terrain, but I am relieved there is a disc brake mount on the rear of the frame! There are many more miles in these bikes, try it yourself!

MongoliaX2012...Riding with Nomads, horses, goats, yaks camels in Outer Mongolia.

In 2012, I contacted Lynskey Performance in Tennessee, USA to see what they had in stock.
Don Erwin offered a pro deal on anything in stock in their American inventory. We settled on their M240 26er frame because I was running Mavic Crossland wheelsets with the factory Fox Racing RL32 fork from 2008 (Gary Fisher HiFi Deluxe donor bike), 1 1/8th headset, and Shimano 9-speed drivetrain setup with SLX Hollowcrank...I wanted to ride titanium for the first time, it was definitely worth the investmen.

 I completed the MongoliaX2012 on a Lynskey frame with my parts build-up again by my friend./shop owner AN DAE GI of Gangneung Bike Mart, Korea. An Dae Gi managed the build of the M240 within 24 hours of my flight to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. 60 days later, I returned to Korea with a lot of rugged experience on the Steppe deserts.



I spent the summer of 2012 chasing tracks across Mongolia and learned about their culture, customs, language and amazing hospitality. A Nomadic nation that lives close to their environment and herds of animals to sustain life in a wild, undeveloped pasture and grassland with a long valley, and high mountain terrain.

45 Days in Mongolia, 2499 kilometers (1553 miles) cycling, walked and trekked for 38 days. This was my second non-motorized Solo expedition with intercultural connections with Mongolian Nomads, Herders, Khalk-Mongol, Kazakh-Mongol living on the great, wild steppe, mountains, deserts of Outer Mongolia. I will have some work to do writing up the expedition this year. Updates were posted to Facebook, but the details will be released in print/PDF in the future.

Who helped me in 2013?

Dave Babcock - who believed in expeditions since the day I met him in 1997. For his long-time support and encouragement about exploring the world on bikes - thank you my brother!

My mom, Cathy Perich - who believed in expeditions when I cycled and walked across Mongolia in 2012. She has been compassionate and concerned about my international family and has made several visits to the Republic of Korea.

My dad, George Perich - whom believed in expeditions when I cycled and walked across Mongolia in 2012. He became a stronger supporter once I became a father, teacher, explorer and international ambassador. My father made a special visit to the Republic of Korea in 2010.

My grandfather, Frank J. Zehnder - whom contributed to the limited funds I use while on expeditions. His generosity and leadership in my family network is second to none. My grandfather is a retired metallurgical and chemical engineer who completed double Masters degrees at Purdue University.

My wife - Mi Sung. Because she cared enough to let me go explore, let me live the life I wanted to live.

Carl Bentley - Australian cyclist and supporter of my adventures. Thank you brother!

Cathy Gignac-Beffort and Dave Beffort - Canadians that rock! They provided a base in Calgary where I could complete the ride to the Rockies and provided a safe haven where I could rest and recover, they invited me to the Flood Relief Concert 2013 benefiting the victims of the Alberta flooding disaster. And Cathy helped arrange everything concerning my safe return to London, Ontario where I pedaled back to our hometown of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. I should report the safe return of her suitcase thanks to Heather Staudt-Hibbert, another friend whom I haven't seen in 22 years, great reunion with you both!

Ken and Lynn Zehnder - family who believed in expeditions and gained interest when I cycled and walked my way across Outer Mongolia in 2012.

Amy David Nadia Sonja Moehle - Turtle Lake, Grand Traverse County, Michigan - For sharing your wonderful home with me and making the tour all the more special. To your parents Aunt Kathy and Uncle John Daniels for extending that love and friendship we've shared over the many years on Earth. To Christopher Daniels and Lisa for sending me off from Detroit and sharing our friendships together. To Margaret Thresher for hearing and following my adventures across new frontiers, I will prepare that writing we spoke about this summer.

Friends in Bemidji, Minnesota - Carey, Levi, Ben, James...Once I was tailed by State Police around the Bemidji area, first signals and sirens ringing out on Highway 2, I knew the area had some problems ongoing. The State troopers followed me off the highway exit into town, driving parallel to the paved bicycle paths on a gravel road. I knew there would be no stealth camping here. Cycling into town, I asked locals about finding a Super 8 motel for the night, as I pedaled through the deserted streets, I met Carey and Ben out front of their community house that's shared with some amazing friends. They offered their sofa, tacos and in exchange I bought a couple cases of beer!  What a great night being hosted with you guys, the campfire, the good conversations shared! Hope we can crossroads in North America again soon - on the next totherocktour! Thanks for your community and support.

Nick Davy, Stephanie and family in Medicine Hat Alberta - I couldn't ask for a better place to rest, relax and recover from the bicycle ride across the country. Nick and I played high school football at Holy Names High School in Windsor, Ontario and this was our 22 year reunion out west in Alberta, Canada! I also met the Swiss Nomad, Victor Gervais who pedaled through 72 countries and has worked for his family heritage vineyards in the mountains of Switzerland for 8 generations.

Victor Gervais started his tour from Miami, Florida, United States in February 2013, and pedaling his way North along the eastern American coast he encountered thug life in a State Park near Charlotte, North Carolina.


Camping alone in the off season, he was assaulted by 5 youth, struck over the back of the head by an assailant, and left unconscious outside his tent overnight. Most of his belongings were stolen, so he replaced them using his Traveler's checks and rode north through America and into Canada's East Coast in Labrador and Newfoundland, continuing through Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba and in Cadillac, Saskatchewan - we met and I befriended him.


When we reached Nick & Steph's house in Medicine Hat, he received the same amazing welcome - food, clean clothes washed, and hot showers!!! Heaven, and as I promised Victor, I made all the peanut butter sandwiches he could eat and went to the bank giving him part of my summer expedition budget to continue his journey across Canada, through the Okanagan Valley, where he planned to pick seasonal apples and then complete his ride down the coast from Vancouver, British Columbia through Hwy 1 in Los Angeles, California he planned to fly back to Switzerland. We keep in touch via email, but Victor doesn't maintain a website about his travels or connect using other social media like Facebook, Twitter, etc.

To all the new friends I made, to all those that contributed to the fabric of our experiences this summer, I appreciate all the good conversations that adventure did bring, hope we all meet again!

Cycling with Matteo Zeni and Davin from the Rockies into Cochrane, Alberta. Great guys and will miss chasing after you on your 29ers and 700c wheelsets, faster than the old 26er that much is certain. It was an awesome tour meeting all of you! Matteo Zeni is a professional waiter from Italy, he has lived and worked in several countries including Australia and Canada before deciding to start bicycle touring.

Meeting Canadian Actor, Keifer Sutherland was also a highlight of the tour this summer. Keifer was approachable and allowed me to introduce myself, my ride across North America, my life in Asia. Keifer said that he and his father Donald Sutherland were filming a new Western movie called Forsaken about 30 miles away. It was the end of a high-adrenylin day touring all the way from Banff National Park to Cochrane, Alberta. 

Dr. Greg Hillan-Cooper, AIM Chiropractic center in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. I have known Greg since the late 1990's when I wrecked a motorcycle in a head-on collision in Vancouver, B.C. For all the years of amazing chiropractic adjustments, friendship and brotherhood between my adventure travel, THANK YOU GREG, COULDN'T RIDE THE WORLD WITHOUT YOU! (: CHEERS GREG!

Carl Bentley, my overseas cycling friend from Perth, Western Australia. Carl is a long-time cycling enthusiast who works for the Princess Margaret Hospital For for Sick Children. He has been an outstanding supporter through MongoliaX2012 and Totherocktour2013. We exchange ideas and messages about cycling and life at large, I look forward to our first meeting on bikes!

More technical support/friendship for this year's Totherocktour came from...

Brent Stoen at the "SKI HUT" Duluth Minnesota, thanks Brent for repacking my bottom bracket assembly well-greased and adjusted well. A great community bike guy who cares about service!






David Sears at the "The Ski and Bike Shop" in Grand Forks, North Dakota - With David's help, he adjusted the headset tension, changed the bicycles fit completely, allowing me to complete 100-mile days and bring this tour to a successful completion on schedule - 30 days, 3400 kilometers (2000 miles).  Totherocktour 2013.

Dave is a bike guru with no less than 10 bikes in his stables. We enjoyed an All-Bike Rally in downtown Grand Forks, North Dakota which featured Harley Davidson, custom motorcycles, custom bicycles and great conversations and cold beverages too! had a great time visiting you David and hope to do it again!

Totherocktour 2013

This was my third non-motorizd solo tour on a bicycle. , #goodconversation was the bedrock of this bicycle tour from the Great lakes state of Michigan, USA to Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Canada on the infamous Northern Tier (Highway 31 North and Highway 2 West!) in the United States, I pedaled and wild-camped through Michigan's side road parks and wilderness fire-roads in their Upper Peninsula on across northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, across the international Canadian/US border at Northgate, North Dakota, USA entering Saskatchewan, Canada and riding across the fantastic prairies and lake province into Alberta and onto the Rockies on the Continental Divide.The ride began with a re-connection with my friends, family and community across all of North America (Canadians and Americans) with reunions in Alberta with friends (Cathy Gignac Beffort and Nick Davy, whom I hadn't seen in person in 22 years, that was amazing to spent time together again, like yesterday it really was!). Finally, I ended my ride in my hometown of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. There are many stories in between which I will share in other posts about this summer's Totherocktour 2013, I am working on future posts from my journal pages.

Friendships and Exploring - finding support in the community where you live.

Back in the cold winter of 1997/98, I met my long-time friend and supporter Dave Babcock of grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. Dave was my former employer over that winter when I prepared financially for my last motorized motorcycle adventure around the United States.

My objectives back then were to experience America at a community level in small towns and open landscapes of the northern tieron my first tour in 1994 (Highway 2, the first journey to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from Windsor, Ontario via Detroit, Michigan and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Seattle, Washington) lasted 7 days on the motorcycle (8000km). Of all my motorcycle tours, the last was one of my longest continuous (5900 miles, 15 days) from Detroit, Michigan to Phoenix, Arizona to San Francisco, California to Eugene, Oregon to Seattle, Washington to Vancouver, British Columbia. 

As I remember and recorded in paper journals and 35mm photography, #goodconversations were always behind the mission to cross the terrain that stretched for thousands of miles across North America. I completed each tour (of 5 using motorcycle) for a combined 24,000 kilometers (16,000 miles) in just 60 days. It's amazing what you can see, experience and who you can talk to in that condensed period of time, I wish I had circumnavigated around the world, it would have been even more interesting! I would like to thank Dave for always being a friend, always being supportive, always being like a brother and a father in my adventure life. Always willing and supportive that I turn another page, and cross another international border on a bike.

Through the Bible-belt of America, Western Michigan, I past the Mason County Reformed (Christian) Church and their message was loud and clear - a question I asked myself all summer on tour: "Where are you camping?" (read my caption in the image above!)

This is where my Totherocktour2013 began, at Dave's house in the countryside west of Grand Rapids, Michigan and where my 2009 Koga Miyata World Traveller has been kept in safe keeping for the past five years!!! Dave and I opened the box sent to him in 2009, and finally in 2013, I was on the road to the Rockies, but first stop was my Zehnder family reunion - the first reunion I would attend in a decade and the first time I would step foot in North America in 6.5 years away in Asia! 

Top left-right (Spring Lake, Michigan 2013), sister Nancy and Dave Piche; Justin Pare with a big smile (Middle left), Lauren Sullivan, Keegan Hartmann-Bystedt, Caitlin Sullivan, Eirnn Sullivan (Middle right)

Frank J. Zehnder and Kathy and Holly Hartmann, the whole family (bottom right)

Great to see all the family again and being a part of the memories!

And then...I was on the road again...

To be continued...

Dream big and ride into those dreams!