Greenland Circumnav Update: Picking Up Speed and Distance

With the North Pole season now over, and all of the expeditions in the Arctic evacuated, the remaining polar explorers are in Greenland, where conditions are always challenging, even in the spring. The most prominent expedition there at the moment is the attempt by Dixie Dansercoer and Eric McNair-Landry to circumnavigate around the country via kite-ski. After getting off to a slow start due to poor weather, and a seemingly never-ending chain of storms, the two men have finally been able to truly launch their 5000 km (3100 mile), 80-day journey. And thanks to improved conditions there, they are now covering some impressive distance on a daily basis.

The boys have now been out on the ice for 36 days, but most of the early days of the expedition saw them tent-bound as they waited for storms to pass, and weather to improve. While they managed to eke out a few meager miles over that time, it wasn't until last week that they could really get going. Now, they're averaging more than 150 km (93 miles) per day, which is quickly putting them back on schedule. In a dispatch a few days back, they indicated that in order to complete the expedition on time, they would need to average 50 km (31 miles) per day. They have been exceeding that quite easily this week thanks to strong, steady winds to help pull their kites.

Those greatly improved conditions have allowed Dixie and Eric to approach a major milestone as well. As of yesterday, they had gone over the 2000 km (1242 mile) mark, which means they are rapidly approaching the halfway point of the journey. If they keep up their current pace over the next few days, they should reach that point sometime this weekend. That would put them back on schedule, with another 2500 km to go, and 40 days to get there.

Since they are traveling with the midnight sun at the moment, the two veteran polar explorers can choose when they want to rest, and when they want to catch the wind. They've been watching the forecasts closely, and planning their days around the arrival of the strongest winds, which has been paying off for them so far.

All of this is good news for the team. Things looked awfully grim at the start of the journey, but now they are close to getting completely back on track. They still have a very long way to go before they are done, but if they manage to keep covering large chunks of mileage each day, they'll be on the home stretch before we know it. I'll continue to post updates on their progress.

Explorer Mike Horn Climbing Makalu, Before Going Pole-To-Pole

South African explorer Mike Horn has a busy schedule planned for 2014. He is currently in Nepal, where he, and his climbing partner Fred Roux, are preparing to take on the fifth highest peak in the world, Makalu, which stands 8463 meters (27,766 ft) in height. They'll attempt that climb in alpine style, without the use of supplemental oxygen or Sherpa support. While that sounds ambitious enough, it is only the tip of the iceberg for Mike's adventurous plans later in the year.

In September, Mike will launch what he has dubbed as his Pole2Pole 360º expedition. Setting out from Gibraltar, he'll set sail south aboard his boat Pangaea for Cape Town. After that, he'll cross the Southern Ocean to Antarctica, which he'll then traverse on skis. When he has completed that epic undertaking, he'll return to his ship and start sailing north until he reaches the Arctic. Once that leg of the journey is done, he'll then don his skis once again as he heads for the North Pole. But even then, he won't quite be finished, as Mike intends to head back south on foot and kayak, crossing Greenland along the way, before sailing back to his starting point in Gibraltar.

As with many of Mike's past expeditions, the 110-foot Pangaea  will serve as a mobile base station. While he is busy traversing the Antarctic and Arctic on foot, the ship will be sailing with all speed to his extraction points. The ship will carry a crew of as many as 30 people, who will be helping to document the journey and share Mike's adventure with the world.

Horn, who has a history of long, extended journeys, feels that this will be one of the greater expeditions of the 21st century, and it is difficult to argue against him. As we all know by now, a journey to the North Pole on foot is one of the greatest challenges in the world of adventure at the moment, and a traverse of the Antarctic remains incredibly difficult as well. It will be quite interesting to follow along with Mike on this excursion, which promises to be as challenging as anything he – or anyone else – has ever done.

Watch for more updates in the weeks ahead. And thanks to ExWeb for the tip!

Veteran Polar Explores Attempting Circumnavigation Of Greenland This Spring

Two veteran polar explorers have joined forces on what promises to be an incredibly long and touch expedition this spring. Belgian adventurer Dixie Dansercoer and Canadian Eric McNair-Landry are preparing to set out on an epic attempt to kite-ski around Greenland, covering some 5000 km (3106 miles) in the process. The expedition is expected to take roughly 80 days to complete, and if successful, the team will set a new world record in the process.

The two men are calling their project the Greenland Ice Expedition 2014. At the moment, they are in Tasiilaq, Greenland, where they are hoping to get underway soon. Bad weather continues to delay their start however, so it could be a few days before they actually head out to the ice. Flights to the ice cap where they will begin their journey have been grounded, but weather reports say things should improve by the end of the week.

Once they are cleared to start, the men will set off from a point called Green-speed Ridge. They'll travel in a clockwise direction, first heading south along the east coast of Greenland until they round the southernmost point of the country. From there, they'll turn north, and if everything goes as expected, they'll eventually circle back around to their starting point once again. There will be a lot of challenges to overcome along the way of course, with ice conditions playing a major role, as well as weather. But they feel that barring any unexpected surprises, they can indeed wrap up the expedition in 80 days, provided the winds cooperate.

Neither Dixie, nor Eric, are strangers to kite-skiing in arctic conditions. Back in 2011 Dixie skied an impressive 5013 km across the Antarctic with Sam Deltour, covering that distance in just 74 days. That same year, Eric traveled 3620 km in 81 days, completing a traverse of the Antarctic with Sebastian Copeland. Both expeditions were accomplished through the use of kiting. That experience will serve them well this time out too, although conditions in Greenland are likely to be very different than in the Antarctic, especially since they'll be hugging the coastline for most of the journey.

You'll be able to follow the team's progress on their official website, and through social media on Facebook and Twitter.

Good luck boys!

2014 World Cycle Race Gets Underway March 1 In London, Join The Peloton!

March 1 will mark the launch of the 2014 edition of the World Cycle Race, which as the name implies is a bicycle race around the planet. The event covers more than 18,000 miles (28,968 km), with participants racing with no set course in either an easterly or westerly direction. It is a nonstop race, with the clock constantly running, that is a true test of skill, endurance and adventure.

This year, the race will get underway from Greenwich, London in the U.K. at noon. At the moment, there are five riders slated to compete in the WCR, each of whom will of course be at the starting line when the gun goes off. But prior to the start of the round-the-world race, there will be a ceremonial start  that will let cycling fans in London get in on the fun.

At 9:30 AM on March 1, riders are encouraged to gather at Marble Arch to form a peloton that will escort the racers across town to their official start at Greenwich Park. This pre-launch ride will begin promptly at 10:00 AM, giving everyone ample time to safely reach the starting point before the WCR officially gets underway.

The first World Cycle Race took place back in 2012, with Brit Mike Hall claiming victory. That race was supported by Brooks England. Now, our friends over at The Adventurists have joined in and are helping to organize the event too. I'm told that they hope to grow it over time, with more riders taking part and creating a larger awareness of the WCR with the general public. You can find out more at WorldCycleRace.com.

Good luck to all of the riders. I wish I were in London to be able to see you off!

Wanted: Walking Partner To Trek Across Russia

Looking for a little adventure in 2014? Enjoy a good walk? Then you may want to reach out to Caroline Moireaux, who is currently attempting to circumnavigate the globe under her own power. Caroline is looking for a companion to join her on a little trek across Russia in between August and October of next year.

Caroline launched her bid to walk around the world in June of 2011. So far, her journey has taken her across France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan. She is currently back in France, spending the holidays with friends and family, but she is also looking ahead to the next stage of her adventure. Naturally she'd love to have someone to share the trail with as she crosses Russia.

If you're interested in joining Caroline on this adventure, then check out her website and Facebook page for more information. She can also be reached directly by email at: caroline.moireaux@hotmail.fr. It seems like a great opportunity for the right person.

Round The World Cyclist Set To Resume Journey

In September of 2011, in a desperate attempt to escape his corporate existence, Rob Lutter left his home in the U.K. to cycle around the world, documenting his journey through photographs along the way. He called his adventure The Lifecycle and for a year and half he rode across Europe and Asia. His journey took him through numerous countries as he passed over the Alps and Himalaya while enduring the blistering heat of deserts and the cold chill of mountain passes. To date, he has spent 720 days on the road, passed through 21 countries and ridden more than 15,000 km (9320 miles).

In January of this year, he arrived in Hong Kong where he has been working to raise funds to start the next phase of his journey. He intends to set out again before the end of the year, this time heading south towards the Equator and I would assume an eventual ride across Australia. Before he leaves, Rob worked with filmmaker Edwin Lee to release the video below, which tells a bit of his tale and serves as an inspiration for the rest of us to get off the couch, leave the mundane life behind and go find our own adventures. It is a very well done clip that I'm sure many of you will relate to.

Also, be sure to check out some of Rob's photos on his website. He has some really nice shots from his ride so far.

A RIDE REBORN from Edwin Lee on Vimeo.

Dean Karnazes Plans To Run The World

Last night I had the distinct pleasure of attending one of the North Face Speaker Series events here in Austin, TX. The guest of honor was ultrarunner Dean Karnazes, who was fun, interesting and engaging to listen to. Over the course of about an hour and a half, Dean shared stories from his many endurance runs that have taken him to the far corners of the globe. He also talked about his training regimen and how he feels like he really isn't all that special of an athlete, he just happens to have a lot of personal drive to push himself beyond normal human limits. Considering he has finished the Badwater Ultramarathon ten years in a row, run a marathon on every continent and once ran a marathon in all 50 states in just 50 days, I'd say there is more than something special about the man. And while I found his lecture to be informative and entertaining, it was his plans for what he wants to do next that stuck with me after I left the theater.

At the end of the lecture Dean referenced his next big running project during which he hopes to run all over the world. He announced his intentions to run a marathon in all 198 countries on the planet in a single year. He hopes to launch this ambitious attempt in 2015 as he makes a global tour to push his endurance exploits even further.

Details on the plans were fairly light and I get the impression that there are still a lot of logistics to be worked out, but it was pretty clear that he wants this to be his next major project. He said that not all of the countries have organized marathons that take place there each year, so he's working with partners such as Google to plot out his own marathon in those countries that don't have official events. Of course, for us mere mortals, running 198 marathons in a single year sound crazy, but for a guy who does that ever morning before breakfast, it is just another day that ends with the letter "y."

Dean's website doesn't have any information about his plans to run through all of those countries just yet, but I'd guess you'll start to hear more about it next year as he ramps up for those runs. Obviously an endeavor of this magnitude takes a lot of planning and I'm sure he isn't quite ready to officially layout all of his plans just yet. I guess we'll have to wait to learn more details once it all becomes official but I found it to be a fascinating project even at this early conceptional stage. Of course, once it becomes official, I'll share more when Dean does.

London2London Via The World Update: Sarah To Make Landfall In Alaska Today

Sarah Outen's bid to complete an entirely human powered circumnavigation of the planet will reach another milestone today when she makes landfall in Alaska. For the past several days she has been rowing towards the Aleutian Islands where she will wrap up the current stage of her London2London expedition during which she has been paddling, rowing and cycling around the world.

As you may recall, Sarah has been rowing across the Northern Pacific for the past several months having set out from Japan this past spring. A few weeks back the decision was made to turn towards the Aleutians rather than to risk traveling all the way to Canada as originally planned. Bad weather, slower than expected progress and the onset of fall have all played a part in this decision and if all goes according to plan, she should reach remote Adak island sometime later today. A support team and a guide boat are already on hand to greet her and help her reach land safely.

This row across the Pacific is just the latest stage of the London2London adventure. Sarah first set out from London back on April 1, 2011 by first paddling her kayak under the Tower Bridge on the Thames River. From there she crossed the English Channel, made landfall in France and began riding her bike across Europe and Asia. In the spring of last year she set out in a rowboat from Chosi, Japan with the hopes of eventually reaching Canada. A few weeks into that stage of the journey a tropical storm hit hard, forcing Outen to abandon that attempt. This spring she returned to Japan with a new rowboat and started the crossing once again.

Once she reaches the Aleutian Islands, Sarah will take another break from her travels and wait for the calmer weather of spring to arrive. She'll then island hop in a kayak all the way to the Alaskan mainland where she'll get back on her bike and begin ridding across the U.S. and Canada. Eventually she'll return to the water however and attempt to row across the Northern Atlantic as she eventually returns to where she started back in London.

As of this writing, Sarah is still a few hours from reaching land. Everything is going according to plan however and while the weather is less than ideal, there is no reason to believe that she won't soon be safe and sound with her support team. After 150 days at sea, I'm sure she's more than ready to get off the water for awhile.

More updates as needed.

Two Round-The-World Cyclers Seek Crowd Sourced Funding For Their Expeditions

Two different long-distance cyclists are seeking modest funding through crowd sourcing to help get their expeditions to the finish line.Both of them are trying to complete very different projects in very similar ways as they attempt to cover the final legs of their individual journeys that have taken them to the far reaches of the globe.

First up, we have Stephen Fabes who has spent the past three and a half years attempting to ride across six continents. Over that time, he has managed to cover 54,339 km (33,765 miles), passing through 42 countries along the way. During that time he has managed to check off four of the six continents – North and South America, Europe and Africa. He is now in Australia and seeking funding to help him ride across that continent, then proceed into Asia to begin heading back home to the U.K.

Stephen is seeking £3000 ($4800) to help him wrap up his cycling adventure and get him home. To that end, he has set up an Indiegogo campaign, which is just a few days into the process but is already a long way towards achieving its goal.

On his fundraising campaign page Stephen addresses the issue of having others fund his personal adventure. He gives some pretty compelling reasons why we should donate to his cause, not the least of which is some of the nice perks he is offering to those who assist. He also happens to be a medical doctor however and while he has been riding around the world he has also take time to visit medical aid stations to support those who suffer from several different tropical diseases. As he rides he has been attempting to raise awareness of the threat of these diseases in developing countries and the things we can do to overcome them.

Here ia an excellent video of Stephen's journey thus far and what he intends to do on his final ride across Australia and Asia as he heads home.


Cycling Six Continents - The Final Frontiers from Stephen Fabes on Vimeo.

Our other long distance cyclist is Rob Lutter, who also happens to come fro the U.K. Rob has launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund his attempt to cycle around the world which began in London and will hopefully end there too. Rob has managed to pedal 15,000 km (9320 miles) and now finds himself stranded in Hong Kong with another 25,000 km (15,535 miles) to go before he is done. Rob has set up a Kickstarter campaign and is seeking £5750 ($9220) to help get him back to London. 

Rob calls his bike expedition the Lifecycle Adventure and while is goal has been to circumnavigate the globe on his bike he is also been to use his camera to capture stunning images of the places he's been and the people he has met along the way. So far his journey has taken him across Europe and Asia. When he leaves Hong Kong he will ride through Southeast Asia, into Indonesia, then down under to Australia before hopping across the pond to ride across the U.S. When that segment of the ride is complete, he'll cross the Atlantic and head back to London. To get an example of Rob's excellent photography, be sure to checkout his Kickstarter page or watch the video below.

I received requested from both of these cyclists yesterday and was amazed that there were two round-the-world riders looking for funding to continue their expeditions. I struggled for a time as to whether or not I should publish either of these fund raising campaigns as I'm not sure how I feel about either of these men asking others to help fund their adventure. On the other hand, they are offering incentives for those who help them out and their fundraising goals are rather modest compared to many others that I've seen. While I don't condone the idea of getting someone else to pay for your adventure, I do feel like both of these men have proven their worth on their respective rides so far and that they are both offering solid incentives for anyone who backs them. I also appreciate that they are both upfront and forthcoming about their goals. Those qualities make it a lot easier to chip a few bucks in to help out. I'd love to hear your thoughts?

London2London Via The World: Sarah Changes Course, Heading To Alaska

It has been a couple of months since we last checked in with Sarah Outen, the British adventurer who is attempting to complete a self-powered circumnavigation of the globe. In my last update, Sarah had just returned to the water and was embarking on a row across the North Pacific from Japan to Canada. That leg of the journey was expected to cover 7500 nautical miles (13,890 km) and take months to complete. But earlier this week she announced a change in plans that will see her now make landfall ahead of schedule.

If you've been following Sarah's Pacific crossing you know that bad weather has hampered progress and in recent day she's had a difficult time covering any significant ground. Her slower than expected pace left her with the real possibility of being stuck in the North Pacific as the seasons begin to shift. Autumn and winter will bring all kind of challenges including more frequent storms and much colder temperatures. With that in mind, Sarah and her team have made the decision for her to turn north and head toward the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska. The plan now is to go ashore on one of those remote islands and than eventually island hop via kayak all the way to the mainland. Once there, she'll climb back aboard her trust bike and start cycling across North America before attempting to row the North Atlantic sometime down the line.

Sarah's circumnavigation attempt is called London2London via the World because she set out from that city on April 1, 2011 and it will eventually be her finish line as well. The journey began with a paddle down the Thames River and a crossing of the English Channel. After that it was onto the bike, with a ride covering some 11,000 miles (17,702 km) across Europe and Asia that eventually ended in Choshi, Japan. From there, Sarah returned to the ocean and began her row across the Pacific, but a tropical storm put a halt to the expedition, forcing her to temporarily abandon the attempt. That took place in the summer of 2012 and in the spring of this year she set off once again with the intention of finally reaching Canada. That doesn't seem likely now, which is why she has changed direction, but this slightly altered plan will still allow her to complete her goal of traveling around the globe completely under her own power.

As of today, Sarah still has 330 miles (611 km) to go before she reaches the Aleutian Islands. That means she could be out on the water for several weeks yet depending on the weather conditions. Once she actually arrives at the islands she'll need to find a safe place to land, which can be a bit tricky for any boat. After that, it seems likely she'll wait for spring to begin the kayaking portion of the Pacific crossing. By the time she wraps that up, I'm sure she'll be ready to get back on her bike.

What Ever Happened To Those Young Round-The-World Sailors?

A few years back there was a real race in the sailing world to see who would become the youngest person to sail solo around the world. For a time it seemed that there was always someone who was trying to lower the bar further, even if it was only by a few months. I followed most of those sailing journeys closely, posting regular updates on their progress while occasionally wondering just how young is too young for that kind of adventure. The race seems to have come to a halt, at least for now, culminating with Laura Dekker's successful circumnavigation last year at the age of 16. She bested the previous record older, Australia's Jessica Watson.

If you've ever wondered what has become of these young sailors than I have just the blog post for you. A sight called Nourishing Obscurity has written a short update on each of them including the likes of Americans Zac and Abby Sunderland who each had their own solo circumnavigation attempt – Abbey's ending in near-disaster off the coast of Australia – as well as Brit Mike Perham. Each of them has gone on to pursue other adventures and activities of course, some are more out of the limelight than others. As you can imagine, it is difficult to follow-up with a solo sailing adventure around the world when you accomplish that kind of feat while still in your teens.

This blog post actually comes at an unusual time for me. It was just a few days ago that I was actually thinking that it is odd that we haven't seen someone try to break Laura's record just yet. There was such an ongoing race between these young sailors for several years that it now seems unusual to not have someone attempting to lower the age record yet further. In the midst of all of the media attention surrounding these attempts I was rather critical of Laura's initial attempt in particular. When she set out she was just 15 years old and I felt that was a bit too young for someone to attempt something so bold. Fortunately, she made it round in one piece and by all accounts she might be the best sailor of the entire lot. But at the time, it seemed really daunting for her to take on the seas the way she did. Now, a year and a half after she's finished, I have nothing by respect for what she has accomplished.

So, it seems that the golden age of teen solo-sailors has come to an end, at least for now. But something tells me we'll be hearing from at least one or two of these young men and women again. After all, several of them are still in their teens and have a lot of adventures ahead of them yet.

Adventurer Making Human Powered Circumnavigation Of The Globe

Dimitri Kieffer is a lot of things. Born in France, he now holds dual citizenship in that country and the U.S. He is an international businessman, member of the Explorers Club, an ultrarunner and adventure racer, amongst other things. He also happens to be making a human powered circumnavigation of the globe, a journey he is making in stages as he explorers the cultures and histories of the places that he visits along the way.

Dimitri's adventure began in Alaska back in 2005 when he set out on foot from Anchorage. Walking west he eventually reached the Bering Strait, which he trekked, skied and swam across in order to reach Russia at Uelen, Chukotka Okrug in April 2006. From there he continued on foot through the remote eastern regions of that country before reaching Omsukchan where he decided to take a break from the expedition to pursue other goals. He returned to that city in 2011 and began the next phase of the journey on a bike. He, and his then girlfriend and now wife Gulnara, rode 1962 km (1219 miles) along the infamous "road of bones" to reach the town of Yakutsk. Last year, Dimitri returned to that city and rode another 4049 km (2515 miles) to Khakhorin, Mongolia. He is currently in Ulaanbaatar preparing to resume his journey aboard his bike once again. He now has his sights set on China and Kazakhstan.

So far, over the course of his travels, Kieffer has covered 11,391 km (7078 miles) with a total of 409 days of riding, walking and skiing.  Of those, 5230 km (3250 miles) were covered over six winters stretching from 2005-2008 and again in 2010. The past two summers he has covered an additional 6161 km (3828 miles), primarily on his bike. Of course, he has a long way to go before he is completely done, but you have to admire Dimitri's focus and dedication to seeing this project through to completion.

You can follow his updates on both his website and Facebook page. Since he will be departing on the next leg of the journey very soon, you should start to see regular dispatches on his progress in the near future. It should be interesting to read about the expedition as it continues to unfold.

The GB Row Challenge: The Toughest Rowing Race On The Planet?

This past weekend one of the toughest rowing events on the planet, the GB Row Challenge, got underway at the Tower Bridge in London. It was from that point that seven teams set off on a 2000-mile long journey to circumnavigate the British Isles while rowing non-stop and unassisted. If history is any judge, most of them won't complete this journey, which is incredibly demanding both physically and psychologically.

The teams who have entered the race vary in size from as small as two crew members up to teams of six. Most are in traditional row boats designed for the challenges of open water, although one three man team is actually attempting to pedal a pedalo around the course. Some of the challenges they'll face will include rough seas, fast moving and ever-changing currents and unpredictable weather. They'll also have to navigate through some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, while fending off the fatigue that comes with rowing a boat day in and day out for an extended period of time. All the while they'll be in sight of land, which presents a strong lure to quit when things get particularly difficult.

Just how long it will take to complete the race remains to be seen. The current record for completing the circumnavigation of the islands is 26 days, 21 hours and 14 minutes. That record was set by a crew of four men back in 2005. The women's record was set in 2010 and currently stands at 51 days, 16 hours and 42 minutes.

The GB Row does offer a substantial prize package for the winners. First place in any category goes home with £15,000 ($22,944), while second place wins £6,000 ($9177) and third place gets £4,000 ($6118). Additionally, any team that breaks the world record for the course will also receive an additional £100,000 ($152,960).

Each of the boats is carrying a Yellowbrick tracker that updates their position every hour on the hour. You can follow their progress on the race tracker page. Considering they've only been out on the water a few days, there is still a long, long way to go until someone reaches the finish line back at the Tower Bridge.

Thanks to Sylvia for sharing news of this race with me. It is much appreciated! Sylvia's friends Jason McKinlay and Josh Tarr are competing in the event as Team Savoir Faire. Good luck guys!

The World Cycle Race Returns For 2014!

Long distance cyclists who are still stinging from the fact that they missed out on the chance to ride in last year's World Cycle Race will be pleased to find out that the event will return in 2014. Our friends the Adventurists are bringing the WCR back for another go, while putting their own unique stamp on the race as well.

The World Cycle Race 2014 is scheduled to get underway on March 22 of next year. That is the Spring  Equinox and was specifically selected to allow riders plenty of time to prepare and because it means that daylight conditions won't be more favorable in one location over another. This is especially of concern this time out, because the race will get underway from three different locations. In order to encourage more participants from around the globe to join the WCR, riders will be allowed to set out from three different locations – London, Singapore and Auckland. Those sites were specifically selected because they have routinely been stops for past cycling circumnavigation attempts as well.

Once on the road however, the cyclists are free to choose whatever route they feel is best. Like last year's race, they can ride in either direction around the globe but they must cover a minimum of 18,000 miles (28,968 km) and they must pass through two antipodal points while doing so. The first person who returns to their starting point will win the race. Riders can choose to compete in three different categories. Supported, Solo and Partners. A winner will be crowned in each category for the overall fastest time.

Last year, Mike Hall won the race in a blazing fast 91 days, 18 hours. This year's competitors won't have to worry about facing Hall this time out though. He has come on board as a WRC Ambassador and is working with race organizers to ensure the event goes off without a hitch.

Registration for the World Cycle Race is completely free. You simply need to fill out the form found on this website to express your intent for joining the race. Further information will follow soon there after.

Sarah Outen Re-Launches Pacific Crossing

Another milestone in the world of adventure that went relatively unnoticed on Sunday was Sarah Outen's return to the Pacific Ocean.  The British adventurer was finally able to relaunch her London2London Via the World expedition after having it halted due to storms last spring and delayed this year due to weather as well.

London2London is Sarah's attempt to circumnavigate the globe completely under her own power. The expedition began on April 1, 2011 when she set out down the River Thames in London, paddling a kayak into the English Channel and across that body of water to France. Once there, she hopped on her bike and started riding east, crossing Europe and Asia in the process. Last April she set out from Japan to row across the Northern Pacific, but a tropical storm rolled in, damaging her boat and forcing her to abandon the attempt. It has taken her a year to recover from that incident as she needed to find a new boat and launch her next Pacific crossing at the most opportune time.

Sarah returned to Japan in March but had to wait until weather conditions improved once again. She is now a few days into the journey and making solid progress thus far. The Pacific crossing is expected to take six months to complete.

Once she has reached Canada, Sarah will then return to her bike and cycle across parts of that country and the U.S. Once she completes that coast-to-coast journey, she'll return to her rowboat once again to cross the North Atlantic, returning to where she started back in London. That probably won't happen until sometime next year.

It's good to see that Sarah is back out on the ocean at last. We've always known that she is a tough and focused individual but her resiliency and dedication in the wake of the challenges that have come her way is certainly inspiring.

London2London Via The World: Sarah Outen Preparing To Resume Round-The-World Journey

Sarah Outen is preparing to resume her human powered attempt to circumnavigate the blog and is now simply waiting for a weather window to depart on the next leg of her journey. That leg will be a 7500-nautical mile (13,890 km) solo crossing of the Pacific Ocean that begins in Japan and ends in Canada.

As you may recall, Sarah began her journey on April 1 of 2011, embarking on an expedition that she called London2London via the World. After kayaking down the River Thames and paddling across the English Channel, she then proceeded to ride her bike across Europe and Asia, before making a short kayaking journey into Japan. She originally expected the L2L to take about 2.5 years to complete and upon arriving in Japan, it appeared that she was actually a bit ahead of schedule. That all changed when she started her Pacific Row last summer.

While out on the water, just a few days after departing, a tropical storm hit Sarah's position, damaging her boat and requiring the Japanese Coast Guard to come to her assistance. That incident was a setback that required Outen to regroup and find a new boat. It has taken until now for that to happen, and at long last she's ready to begin again.

Unfortunately the weather hasn't been all that cooperative thus far and it may be a few days before she can finally depart. Storms have been hitting the Japanese coast, making it impossible to launch right now. But Sarah is very patient and she'll wait for the right time to get underway. The forecasts indicate it could be the end of the week before she gets a few consecutively good days that will allow for the re-launch.

The Pacific crossing is expected to take about six months to complete and upon her arrival in Canada, Sarah will once again return to her bike for a scenic ride across North America. When she finishes that leg of the journey, she'll return to her boat once again and row across the Northern Atlantic, return home to London where the entire adventure began.

Good luck and godspeed Sarah. I hope you can get to pulling those rows again soon.

The Wizard's Eye Expedition - A 5-Year Adventure Sailing Around The Globe

Professional kayaker Tyler Bradt is preparing to embark on his biggest adventure yet. Bradt, who holds the record for the tallest waterfall after run in kayak, has announced plans for what he is calling the Wizard's Eye Expedition – a five year journey around the globe in search of high adventure.

In March of this year, Tyler will set sail aboard a 45-foot, 20-ton steel hulled boat which will serve as his home for the next five years. The plan is to explore the planet, immerse himself in diverse cultures and experiences, while searching for unique possibilities for adventure where ever he goes. That can include anything from paddling wild rivers to diving into lost caves. Tyler and his friends will kite and surf massive waves, climb to the tops of tall cliffs and BASE jump off of them and of course, circumnavigate the globe in the process.

This ambitious project will begin in just a few weeks, when Tyler will set sail on the first leg of his journey from the West Coast of the U.S. to New Zealand. The first year of the expedition will be consumed with that journey and all of the amazing experiences that he finds along the way. Year 2 will send him from NZ to India, while Year 3 will cover India to South Africa. The 4th Year will be a return trip from Africa to the U.S. and the 5th and final year will include sailing through the Northwest Passage and a return to his starting point.

The video below will give you an indication of what Tyler has planned and some insights into what is driving this journey. In its purest form, this is a quest for adventure in the far flung corners of the globe and it looks like it'll be an amazing experience for those involved. I can't wait to follow along and see what they find along the way.

Thanks to my friends at EpicTV for sharing this!


THE WIZARD'S EYE EXPEDITION from Wizard's Eye on Vimeo.

Video: London2London: Via The World Part 1

In April of 2011, British adventurer Sarah Outen set out to circle the globe using only her own power. The plan was to row, bike and paddle her way around the planet. Sarah, who had already rowed solo across the Indian Ocean, had intended for the journey to take approximately 2.5 years to complete and she was well on track to achieve that goal, having paddled across the English Channel and ridden her bike across Europe and Asia. But last year she was hit by a hurricane while attempting to cross the North Pacific and the expedition has been stalled out since. In April of this year, she'll head back to Japan and start the Pacific crossing once again.

Yesterday Sarah released this excellent video to remind us of her journey so far. She is far from done, but Chapter 1 sure looks like it was an amazing experience.

Sailor Planning To Sail Around The World In A 10-Foot Boat

I've covered a number of attempts to sail solo around the world over the past few years but this one really takes the cake. 73-year old Swedish sailor and boat builder Sven Yrvind is planning on circumnavigating the globe in a tiny boat that isn't much larger than a bathtub. The boat, which is one of his own design and construction, will be just ten feet (3 meters) in length and provide barely enough room for Sven, his gear and supplies.

Yrvind plans to make his 30,000 nautical mile (55,600 km) journey non-stop starting in Ireland. He'll first he'll sail south along Europe and Africa, rounding the Cape of Good Hope, before jetting eastward towards Australia. He'll brave the turbulent Souther Ocean as he sails around the southernmost point of South America, before breaking back into the Atlantic and heading north to where he started. Sven estimates it will take a year and a half to complete the voyage.

Since this will be a non-stop and solo voyage, Yrvind will have to carry everything he needs with him to survive the entire trip. Considering the limited size of his ship, that doesn't give him much room for luxuries. The veteran sailor, who has more than 50-years of experience, says he'll carry 880 pounds (400 kg) of granola and sardines, and will occasionally catch fish to supplement his diet. He'll also stock his boat with plenty of books to keep himself entertained. Sven says he'll also take the time to enjoy the solitude of the sea and focus on his writing as well.

The previous record for the smallest craft to sail around the globe without stopping is 21-feet in length. Sven's craft is less than half that size. Whether or not his boat is up to the task remains to be seen, but the Swede seems confident in his vessel and skills. It'll certainly be interesting to see if he can make it.

Thanks to my friends over at EpicTV for sharing this tory.

CheapTents Interviews Global Triathlete Dan Martin

I've written about Dan Martin on more than one occasion. He's the chap who intends to swim, cycle and run his way around the world in what he calls the Global Triathlon. He plans to launch this ambitious adventure by first starting in New York City, where he'll attempt to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. After he has completed that leg of the journey, Dan will then climb on his bike and cycle across Europe and Asia, before hopping across the Pacific and running across North America, eventually returning to his starting point in NYC. All told, he expects to cover roughly 34,000 miles (54,700 km) in 24 months.

Before he sets out on this epic adventure, our friends over the CheapTents Blog had the opportunity to sit down with Dan and ask him a few questions. They posted their interview earlier today, and as you can imagine, it has some interesting tid-bits about the Global Triathlon. In the interview, Martin talks about his inspirations for adventure, his training for such a grueling undertaking and how he'll stay motivated as he swims 3500 miles (5632 km) across the Atlantic. He also talks about his biggest challenges ahead and what he is most looking forward to on this journey.

As with any CheapTents interview I always look forward to finding out what the subject names as their favorite pieces of gear that they take a long on their adventures. But in this interview I also got a good chuckle out of Dan's answer when asked what advice he would give to those who want to put a little adventure into their life. His response was:

Don’t do it. Stay home. Stay safe. Don’t open Pandora’s Box.

And if those eleven words can put you off then adventure is probably not for you. If that’s not put you off then go for it. Take that first step out your front door. That’s always the hardest one.

Couldn't have said it better myself Dan.

Special thanks to the guys at CheapTents for not only putting together another good interview but also for allowing me to submit a couple of questions as well. I don't feel that conducting interviews is especially one of my strong points, but the CT crew always does a nice job.

Finally, good luck to Dan on his Global Triathlon. We'll be following!