LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL: Europe

Showing posts with label Europe. Show all posts

Pulpit Rock in Norway is a 604 meter (1982 ft) cliff that overlooks Lysefjord fjord. It is a popular landmark that draws hikers from all over to take in its sweeping views. Today, you can visit the rock through this beautiful timelapse video, which is likely to inspire you to want to go and see it for yourself. It seems like a fitting way to end the week.

The Pulpit Rock - Norway from Kjetil kaasa on Vimeo.

This video is further proof that anything someone can do on a two wheels, someone else will try it on just one. Extreme unicyclists Lutz Eichholz and Stephanie Dietze head into the Alps to take on the 3400 meter (11,154 ft) Mettlehorn on their single-wheeled bikes. They're both braver than I am, that much is certain.

Tip of the hat to Outside Online for sharing this.

Starting today, two long distance cyclists will embark on an epic ride that will have them pass through 14 countries, on three continents, in an attempt to cover 18,000 km (11,184 miles) in just 100 days. The duo will go unsupported throughout the journey, averaging more than 180 km (112 miles) per day while carrying 30 kg (66 pounds) of equipment with them at all times. As is often the case these days, this expedition is being undertaken for a good cause as well.

The two men who will attempt this ride are Reza Pakravan and Steven Pawley, each of whom has a great deal of experience in endurance cycling. Back in 2011, Reza set a record for the fastest crossing of the Sahara Desert on a bike, while Steven has undertaken several long distance cycling expeditions as well. They'll need all of their considerable skills and experience to get through this journey however as it will be a tough one to complete.

Reza and Steven set out this morning from Nordkapp, Norway which actually sits above the Arctic Circle. They'll now ride south to Cape Town, South Africa and their eventual finish line. With that route in mind, they've named their endeavor the Cycle Kapp to Cape expedition. Over the next 3+ months, their route will take them through Finland, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Iran. They'll then hop a flight to Egypt and resume the pedaling through Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and on into South Africa.

While the two cyclists hope to set a speed record on their way to Cape Town they have bigger, more altruistic goals in mind as well. They are attempting to raise £28,000 ($43,320) to build new schools in Madagascar. Reza and Steven are working in conjunction with Azafady, a nonproft that is striving to eradicate poverty and environmental damage in that country and they believe a good education is key to achieving those goals.

You'll be able follow the riders' progress through their blog, Facebook page and Twitter stream. Since they have just gotten underway this morning, there isn't much to report just yet, but expect plenty of updates from the road soon.

Good luck boys!

I don't often cover motor sports of any kind, preferring instead to focus on all the amazing human powered events that take place around the world. But the Paris to Dakar Rally is one of the most difficult and demanding races anywhere on the planet and is the embodiment of a good adventure. The spirit of that race is captured extremely well in this BBC documentary, which aired a few months back. It features some amazing footage from this crazy race, which covers more than 9000 km (5592 miles) and pushes drivers to their absolute limits. The entire documentary is an hour in length and can be viewed in its entirety below. I recommend popping some popcorn, putting your feet up and enjoying the show.

Looking for a new backpacking or hiking challenge? Want to experience some of the best trails in the world? Then you'll definitely want to check out the list of 20 top trails as picked by 20 famous hikers that was put together by the team over at National Geographic Adventure. They poled some well known figures from the world of exploration and adventure and shared their selections for their ultimate dream hikes. The results are a list of hikes that range from legendary to those you may not even have heard of.

Some of the walking routes that earn a place on the list include the Sierra High Route in California, which was selected by über-hiker Andrew Skurka and the Pacific Crest Trail, which is a favorite of ultrarunning phenom Scott Jurek. Unsurprisingly, American mountaineer Jim Whittaker names the trek to Everest Base Camp as his favorite hike, while Sally McCoy, the CEO of CamelBak loves the 200-mile (321 km) Snowman Trek in Bhutan.

As you can tell, there are some very diverse and interesting hikes on the list that were selected by a very diverse and interesting group of people. But one of the hikes isn't even officially open yet, although it continues to evolve into a true world-class trekking route that will draw backpackers from around the globe. That is the Sir Samuel and Lady Florence Baker Historical Trail that runs through South Sudan and Uganda. This route, which I first told you about several months back, is 360 miles (580 km) in length and runs from Gondokora near Juba, in South Sudan, to Baker’s View, which overlooks Lake Albert in Uganda. This particular trail was suggested for the Nat Geo list by explorer Julian Monroe Fisher, who has been instrumental in its creation. It is set to open in 2014 with the first trekkers walking its length shortly there after. The photo above is actually a shot of an existing plaque commemorating the Bakers in one of the villages along the trail. Official trail markers will be added alongside it soon.

If you're planning a new treking adventure in the near future then you'll certainly want to check-out the trails that made Nat Geo's list. There are some excellent options for sure and whether you want to hike a well known classic route or take on a complete new one, there is a little something for everyone.

In 2011, Kyle Dempster traveled solo to Kyrgyzstan in search of some new places to climb. With little understanding of the language, a vague idea of where he was headed and basic plan, he set out on his mountain bike in search of adventure. That's exactly what he found, but more so in the journey and less in the climbing itself.

Throughout the journey he recorded his escapades, talking to the camera as he went. When he returned home, the footage sat unedited or watched for months, until he turned it over to friend and fellow climber Fitz Cahall, who turned it into an award winning short film. The results of that editing can be seen below and it is 25 minutes of adventure porn that sure to inspire feelings of wanderlust. If you have the time to kill, you're definitely going to enjoy this.

Big tip of the hat to the Adventure Journal for sharing this today. Excellent and inspiring stuff.

I want to take this opportunity to send a note out to my friend Dave Cornthwaite who had to make the tough – but correct – decision to step away from the current stage of his Expedition 1000 project. Over the past few years we've watched Dave accomplish some amazing things, including stand-up paddleboarding the length of the Mississippi River and swimming for a 1000 miles (1600 km) down the Missouri River. Yesterday we may have seen him do the bravest thing yet – step away from an expedition when you know that you're at your physical and mental limits.

For nearly two months Dave, and his companion Squash Falconer, have been zipping around Europe on ElliptiGO bikes, traveling through the U.K., the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France and other countries. They've covered nearly 2000 miles (3218 km) in the process and have enjoyed their time on the road. But awhile back, Dave was carrying his ElliptiGO bike down a flight of stairs in Zurich when he slipped and injured his back. Like a true adventurer, he shrugged it off and vowed to soldier on, but as the days passed the injury didn't get any better and in fact it got worse. Mile after mile he continued to ride his bike, even though his body was telling him it needed a rest. Finally, a few days ago, Dave reached his physical limit and simply didn't have any more gas left in the chamber. In order to look after his health, he knew he had to leave the expedition, but that would mean admitting failure, something that he had never had to face on his previous journeys.

Squash will continue on with the final two weeks of the trip. She'll go from Nice to Paris, their intended finishing spot, on her own. But Dave will now head home for a much needed and much deserved rest. The Expedition 1000 project has been his main focus for several years now and I'm sure a little time off to recuperate and recharge the batteries will do him some good.

Get well soon mate and rest well knowing that you made the right choice. You know there are many more adventures to come, more opportunities to say yes more and of course more boobs to be saved. You're an inspiration to many and we'll all be pulling for a speedy recovery.

If you're going to take your time touring the world you might as well do it on the back of bicycle. That seems to be the approach that Richard and Stani Velomad have taken since they left their home in France more than eight years ago on their second epic cycling journey. The married couple's journey recently took them to Islambad, Pakistan, where they now estimate that they have covered more than 150,000 km (93,205 miles) on the back of their bikes.

Richard and Stani made their first long distance cycling trip back in 1996 when they started riding from Alaska to Argentina. It took them nearly four years to complete that ride which took them through the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile along the way. By the time they had finished, they had completely run out of cash and had to return home to France in order to earn some cash to fund their next ride.

They spent the next four years working 85+ hours a week and saving every penny they could. The bought a house, fixed it up and then sold it, all so they could get back out on the road. In 2004 they set out again and have been on the road ever since.

Their second cycling tour has taken them to such places as Morocco, Tunisia, Italy, Slovenia, Bosnia, Austria, Germany, Russia, Mongolia, China and into South East Asia. They've ridden across Viet Nam, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia before turning south to New Zealand and Australia. They've since returned to Asia to ride through Burma and back into China, which is where they crossed the border into Pakistan. They say they don't know how long they'll keep riding, but their on their way to India now, in a roundabout fashion.

Obviously living on the road hasn't been without its challenges. They've faced all kinds of dangers along the way, including hostile locals and the threat of being shot (in the U.S. of all places). But they've also experienced the kindness of strangers and interacted with some amazing cultures. While in Burma for instance, they were surprised to find that everyone offered them tea no matter where they went and they remarked on how welcoming and friendly the people of Pakistan have been as well.

Eight years seems like an incredibly long time to be on the road, but the lifestyle seems to be working for them. Who knows how long they'll keep it up, but looking over the list of places that they've been, it seems they haven't explored too much of Africa just yet. That should keep them busy for another eight years at least.

Thanks to my friend Zeeshan Nawaz Kahn for sharing this great story with me!