Microadventure // Trekking in Daegwallyeong Mountain // S24O // South Korea winter backpacking in Gangwon Province // Public sauna spas in Korea 찜질방 // Camping spas and winter trekking // Brian Peric presents

 How do you start off on a microadventure? 

Well, it’s easy. Pack your lightweight backpack with extra shirts, wear merino wool base layers in winter that keep you warm and dry easily, and remember to take a pot/lid, cook stove (butane is good), noodles, tuna can, nuts, raisins and 3-4 liters of water for two people.

Where did our overnight microadventure begin?

We started this adventure from my apartment in Gangneung City, Gangwon-do, South Korea. We walked for 10 minutes to the Gangneung Express Bus terminal, and bought 2,500 Korean won tickets to Hoenggye village near YongPyong 2018 Olympic ski area in Pyeongchang county.

Daniel Bissell is my guest for this trip and together we make a great microadventure team for spring trekking in South Korea. We hiked for two half days and completed about 7 hours of walking along a 20km course from Hoenggye village, Pyeongchang county back into the Pine City in Gangneung, Gangwon-do.

 My friend and colleague Daniel Bissell decided on a winter microadventure weekend S24O (Sub-24 hour Overnight) trek through Daegwallyeong via Hoenggye and Gangneung, South Korea. We started out on a Thursday afternoon from Gangneung City, Gangwon-do Express Bus terminal, we took a 20 minute bus ride over the Taebaeksan coastal mountain range between the 2018 Winter Olympic region of Pyeongchang county to Hoenggye village.. Express bus tickets can be purchased on location (2,500 Korean won) one-way for Hoenggye village. Once inside the small town, it’s a relatively easy walk through town, past bakeries and convenience stores for your fresh bread and hot coffee (GS Mart is just Southeast of the Bus Terminal, walk towards the Taebaek Mountains).

There are a series of small rural roads that will connect with Highway 456 and the official starting point of the trail head. We used to DH mountain there in 2011 with Ahn Daegi from Gagneung Bike Mart, but the trail has officially closed to mountain biking since it’s shared with hikers and trekking groups. It’s a quiet trail. This is nothing like Bukansan Mountain in northern Seoul or Seoraksan Mountain trekking S24O in Sokcho-dong. There are also many Korean national parks to choose from, each geographical location and trail network is quite unique to explore.

I have had several previous Microadventures in South Korea, including the Mountain Cougar (Puma) crossing Microadventure S24O. In autumn, you can see the colors changing on the deciduous trees, on this 24-hour mountain bike microadventure I met up with a mother Cougar or mountain puma while cycling from Gangneung on Daegwallyeong Highway 456 and south through the Taebaeksan Mountains on Highway 6/59 South from Jinbu village. On the southbound two-lane highway through a beautiful mountain plateau, I passed small farms and followed the Odaecheon river. Gangwon Province’s Taebaeksan mountains are located in a northeast region of South Korea with 1000 meter+ peaks and colorful forests, mountain streams with cascading waterfalls with extensive hiking trails and Korean national parks dedicated to free public usage.

Mountain bike microadventures (Puma Crossing)

 Downhill DH winter mountain biking on Daegwallyeong trail. Location is nearby the Sheep farm paid trails.

 On the Daegwallyeong trail we immediately found a hard snow pack which made the hike relatively easy.

 Gangwon-do is well known for it’s pine forests, we walked through many of those small forests.

 Open spaces for clearing your thoughts, burning calories, relaxing in nature, one with the surroundings.

 Looking through a fence outside the Sheep farm, a beautiful open range looking west towards Hoenggye.

 Icicles and pine trees budding, it’s almost spring here.

 Oh winter, loving the trail hikes in Korea!

 

 We walked up the service road and examined the military surveillance station closed to the public. 

 Local hiking clubs visiting the Daegwallyeong trail leave their pennants.

 Watch tower is empty but a reminder of the North and South Korean military occupations since the Korean War of 1950-1953. Although military activity has ceased in this particular part of the trail, I have seen patrols occasionally. Fortunately, most activity is north of the Daegwallyeong-myeon area.

 Koreans put park benches along the hiking trail, just where you need them.

 The Daegwallyeong trail crosses over Freeway-Highway 65 connecting Sokcho City and the southern cities

 Our microadventure was simple. We decided to Express Bus to Hoenggye village (2,500won) and hike back down Daegwallyeong trail (parallel to Old Daegwallyeong Highway 456) and along this route we had great views of the adjacent mountains, streams flowing. The sights and sounds were relaxing. 

 We rounded out the day with a dinner of vegetarian delight, some ramen noodles, Daniel prepared the chili bean sandwiches on whole wheat bread, and the chili bean can itself was used as a warming cup for hot coffee. We enjoyed dinner past sunset and decided to continue through hiking to a local public Bathhouse Sauna (Jimjilbang) located along Old Daegwallyeong Highway 456 west of Gangneung. When visiting Korea, always remember to visit a Jim-Jil-Bang bathhouse. This location charges 7,500 Korean won for Gangneung residents, blankets are rented for 1,000 Korean won.

Daniel spoke Korean and asked to kept our backpacks behind the public sauna’s (Jim-jil-bang) front desk. After a good soak in the spa, hot rooms, and cave rooms (very very hot dry sauna) we asked for another set of shirts and shorts (a uniform rented by the sauna) to sleep in. They have mats and rectangular vinyl pillows available to sleep on, they are always free to use in South Korea. 

A Jimjilbang (Hangul: 찜질방; hanja: -房) is a large, gender-segregated public bathhouse in Korea, furnished with hot tubs, showers, Korean traditional kiln heated saunas.

Need a microadventure idea of your own?  (: Thank you for visiting the Korean world.

Korean-World Blog 2007-2014
http://korean-world.blogspot.com
About: adventure cycling, bicycle touring, mountain bike travel, inspiration.

Off-grid, handcrafted life on Oregon farm & workshop // Sustainable living // Adventure Living // Designing a low-consumption home with sustainable energy and materials //

When you think of the concept of Permaculture, there are various elements interconnected. The home or shelter; the environment surrounding; the soil and water; and the way one connects with their surroundings. This video shows home designs using solar powered energy, and how homes can be built using recycled and natural materials.

[Sustainable living off the grid in Oregon, United States, Authors notes]
The farm is completely off the grid and Schulz points out that this doesn’t mean they rely on propane or lots of photovoltaics. Nearly all their tools for living have been adapted to fit the off-grid lifestyle. For his prototype solar-powered bathhouse Schulz used recycled solar hot water panels, salvaged hot water tanks (from the dump), a solar thermal window and a recycled soaking tub. Indoors, Schulz has adapted a chest freezer to create a low-consuming refrigerator (using a tenth of the electricity of a regular fridge) and a 1940s wood-fired stove to cook, heat and as a heat-exchanger, harvesting waste heat and thermo-syphoning water to heat up the home’s hot water.
They do have a limited number of photovoltaic panels which produce about 1000 watts of electricity when the sun is shining (for the entire farm), as well as a micro hydro generator in the creek and solar thermal panels.
Schulz models much of what he builds on the Japanese aesthetic and tries to make everything in his life not just functional, but beautiful (e.g. his bathhouse was designed not just as a shower, but as a way to de-stress). 
Schulz is an avid kayaker and for his day job, he builds skin-on-frame kayaks (as well as teach others to build their own).
Cape Falcon Kayak: http://capefalconkayak.com/

Korean-World Blog 2007-2014
http://korean-world.blogspot.com
About: adventure cycling, bicycle touring, mountain bike travel, inspiration.

Seoraksan Trekking in South Korea // Winter alternative to the blues // Photo story // Yongpyong Ski // Daecheongbong Ascent 2014 // Inspiration // Microadventure

It’s winter around the northern hemisphere when I wish I was traveling by bike in the southern half enjoying their summer down under. What do I do to take up the time (laid-off from teaching over the winter). Winter is a tough season to feel inspired, to be active, and to overcome the monotony of a cold season. Here’s what I did to change all that with a few micro adventures, close to home, in Gangwon-do, Korea.

First, I went skiing at Yongpyeong Resort near Hoenggye, South Korea. The all-season resort offers hiking trails in the summer, a water park for families and ski courses for all ages. Although I am not a ski bum, I found some skis that were being thrown out in my apartment complex, Rossignal Viper S 190cm with Marker bindings alpine design – like new condition – for free with Kastle poles. With Nordica race boots, I had enough equipment for the slopes without spending more than $30 on the ski binding settings and the season pass at $400. Ready, steady, go.

My other interest has been winter trekking and staying overnight inside Seoraksan National Park. Hiking and mountain trekking is probably the best winter past-time activity in Gangwon-do, Korea. My friend Zac is trail running as well, so there are several ways to enjoy the trails. We don’t have groomed trails like in the United States, so Fatbikes aren’t an option just yet. However, the Winter Olympics 2018 are coming and perhaps more winter sports will take off when it comes bringing more Western culture sports to Korea.

 Another wintry day up at 1500 meters above sea level. Location of the 2018 Winter Olympics.

 The Green is an intermediate slope and they are building the snowboard course on the left side.

 I am not a winter person, hate the long nights and short days of winter. Staying frosty here though and passing the time before going back for the final year of teaching in Korea.

 This is the view on the walk into Seoraksan National Park. I usually start at the park administration building and walk 2 kilometers to the official entrance near the Buddhist temples. What starts out as a casual hike into the park entrance past the bronze Buddha at Sinheungsa temple becomes a vigorous trek to the peak.

 The flat first 2 km are perfect for in/out of the park. This is a 12-18 hour trek to Daecheongbong Peak located 12 kilometers inside the park at 1708 meters above sea level.

 Ancient stones recreated and assembled as long ago.

 The views are spectacular. Everyone who visits South Korea in the winter should visit this area.

 I met this super friendly professional photographer. His photos were mind-blowing and he completes projects on nature, the environment, and female nudes. All amazing work, thanked him for sharing.

 The trail is designed with staircases, bridges, and hard rock paths. Most hikers will wear their ice crampons, which are attached with rubber belts or chain mesh designs, the price ranges from $5-25 for a set.

 The sunlight strikes inside these valleys for stunning winter scenery

 This is the view about half way into the climb.

 I met a college student group, they were awesome in sharing their trek to the Daecheongbong Peak 1708m and we spent the night at the Socheong shelter while EBS (Educational Broadcasting Station) was filming for the their February broadcast of Extreme Jobs. The episode covered Mountain Rescue EMS teams.

 This is one of the two peaks, with military satellite reception on top. Winds were really blowing up there.

 Here’s our group, sorry I don’t have all your names written here. This is inside the Socheong shelter (7,000won per night, reservations recommended)

 Outside it was cold, the winds picked up to 28 meters/second.

 This is the Socheong shelter just 600 meters away from Daecheongbong Peak.

 We made it all the way to the top as a team. An awesome day for sure.

 EBS filming on location. Their battery packs were losing charge, it was very cold that morning.

 Sweet sunrise at the peak!

 Epic trails and views from the top. This trek is from the main park entrance at Sokcho-dong.

And I hiked out of the park with this woman, she bought me herbal tea at a mountain shop when we parted ways. It’s quite common to meet people on South Korean mountains, share some short conversation (in many cases English is not fluently understood or spoken) and share some tea or dinner at the shelter. Reservations must be made in advance for weekends, even in winter.

If you are interested in more information about Seoraksan National Park, read my earlier blog from 2012/13

Thanks for visiting the Korean-World. – Brian.

—

Adventure, Be positive, Stay Healthy.

and remember to live the life we have been given. 

Life today in the present.

Find Inspiration Outside with Nature.

Strive to be Happy.

Korean-World Blog 2007-2014
http://korean-world.blogspot.com
About: adventure cycling, bicycle touring, mountain bike travel, inspiration.

VISION // Motivation beyond all the boundaries in your life, you need to believe in who you are and what you want to do // INSPIRATION

Embrace the day, the passion, the dream. 
But you cannot quit. 
Make a promise to yourself. 


It started with a VISION, 
you cannot overcome problems unless you take on the CHALLENGE.

FEAR is not REAL. The only place it can exist is in our THOUGHTS of the fear of the FUTURE.

FEAR is a CHOICE. 

EAT YOUR FEAR TO FEED YOUR DREAM.

Only those who RISK going too far can possibly find out 
HOW FAR ONE CAN REALLY GO.

I want your DREAM to become so CLEAR 
that when you WAKE UP in the morning
all you have to do is STEP INTO YOUR DREAM

And the first step for me was 
SEEING SOMETHING I WAS NOT, 
BEFORE I WAS.

YOU CAN DO IT, where you are is temporary, you will not be there for the rest of your life.

EVERY SINGLE DAY YOU WAKE UP, 
YOU HAVE GOT TO START WITH THAT VISION.

Just like a mentality, 
you have got to LIVE THIS, EAT THIS, BREATHE THIS, BECOME THIS.

IT HAS GOT TO BECOME 
A WAY OF LIFE.

I WANT TO SEE HOW FAR I CAN GO, HOW MUCH I CAN HAVE,

I WANT TO SEE HOW MUCH FURTHER I CAN GO.

FIND YOUR INSPIRATION.
MAKE IT HAPPEN.
BELIEVE.

MOTIVATION
IS 
TAKING
EVERY STEP
IN 
FRONT OF YOU.

NEVER GIVE UP.

IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU IN THE PAST, 

WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?


MAKE THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
THE BEST OF YOUR LIFE.

Korean-World Blog 2007-2014
http://korean-world.blogspot.com
About: adventure cycling, bicycle touring, mountain bike travel, inspiration.

Eurasia from the Atlantic to the Pacific // Adventure Bicycle Touring // RTW – Round the World Travel // Journey film // Passing That Way //

[Photo: Ollie Yeoman]
Adventure cyclists traveling around the world is less uncommon as we look through the lens of the web. For inspiration, it’s easy to see the amazing world through the seat of cycles. They chose Surly Long Haul Truckers in 4130 steel lugged framesets, a great choice to comfort and reliability. Follow Ollie and Anna’s adventures on Passing That Way as they round the world.

Shanghai to Rome by Touring Bicycles // Adventure Cycling with Ollie and Anna Yeoman // Round the World Cyclists // Passing That Way //

Adventure cyclists traveling around the world is less uncommon as we look through the lens of the web. For inspiration, it’s easy to see the amazing world through the seat of cycles. They chose Surly Long Haul Truckers in 4130 steel lugged framesets, a great choice to comfort and reliability.
Follow Ollie and Anna’s adventures on Passing That Way as they round the world.

Tubus Vega Rack – Surly ECR 29er+ // Adding Bottle Cages // Custom modifications // Pedaling Nowhere // Building the Epic Touring Mountain bike //

[Photo credit of Pedaling Nowhere]

Excellent ECR build write-up with rich descriptions and photographs from Logan at Pedaling Nowhere and his experiences are also detailed for his first 1000km test tour in South Africa. Using framebags from Revelate Designs and Tubus Vega racks to support smaller pannier baggage from Carrdice.

[Photo credit: Pedaling Nowhere]

Many adventure cyclists are looking for their perfect bicycles in the stables, some choose rigid frame and fork for reliability and simplicity of setups, without the concern over mechanical failure in suspension set-ups. I am interested in the 29×3.0 Surly Knard tires, these semi-Fat bike tires have evolved with puncture resistance  a wide tread that seems durable from reports I keep reading. They have also been used on the Tour Divide race by Cjell Monee building up his rigid 29+ steel frames these days. 

[Photo credit: Pedaling Nowhere]

Here’s the full article below:

Tubus Vega Rack – Surly ECR – Adding Bottle Cages – Pedaling Nowhere

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

Facebook 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.

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Post by Brian Perić.

Mongolia X Journals 18 // Endless Drifting after completing

I find myself deep adrift in another world. East Asia, South Korea.

Miles from the outside, clear air drifting over deserts and arid grasslands of Mongolia. My eyes are fixed on that movement, the survival I face, alone and with Nomads, the horses, the sheep, the tough yaks and camels brought along by horsemen and further ahead on the track, I see goats scurrying and munching mountain sides in symmetrical rows and tracing patterns.

 

The land is natural under my feet. There are no paved roads, lines, traffic lights or the fog of drivers and pollution here. It’s still out of reach for civilization and much of the land is needed for the animals who roam and feed their Nomadic people. The Russians have left the country, the Chinese are over the borders. Solidarity and democracy and pastoralism where the roaming sheep and goats outnumber people. This is a good feature of Outer Mongolia. Unforgettable.

Sponsor support came from Lynskey Performance, USA

Making some new friendships along the northern route where few travel on the rough and high steppe mountain passes.

Getting rescued by the friendliest Mongolian Nomads

Storms brewing and they would hit, there is no tree cover, you ride or camp for protection. I carried minimalist gear and a Goretex jacket for wind, rain, sun, mosquito, horse fly protection,

Many Mongolians are naturals on bicycles because they grew up riding horses of their own while herding their sheep, goats, and cattle.

I completed for some outstanding Explorer-based educational foundations in 2011 and 2012.

 Meeting a family, also refilling water supply to use with protein.

Today, I feel a vast emptiness bigger than deserts and I am home now in South Korea, while the North cajoles the idea of a nuclear war, I fall out of order losing touch with the westernized, commercialized South while we look out from stone wall apartment blocks and sliding glass windows at similar structures in rows of apartment columns, this could be the U.S.S.R. And in the back of my mind’s eye, I can still see a golden sun and washboard roads, the rocky track and dust blowing behind a UAZ-452 people mover revving up over the mountain peak past the Ovoo, the spiritual cairn with horizons coming and going all the way from Lake Baikal in the North across the border in Siberia to the clutches of sand desert Gobi in the south.  Here again, it’s South Korea and the air is dry carried over the Taebaek and Cheongoksan mountains nearby. Here we are “Yellow Dusted” all springtime with a hazy cloud of pollutants that recently choked airports to close in Beijing and cause serious respiratory hazards in the elderly and those prone to allergies, my children were sick for weeks from this foul air. Far away and unclear, East of China, East of Mongolia, East of the Gobi Desert – the Far East is where we live. All spring is “outdoor activity on hold, or exercise with caution” since air masses are mixed with sandy dust and toxins from Industrial two-face, China.

 

I’ve been in physiotherapy for 4 weeks, best time spent in my life of recovery. A doctor who cares and knows my injuries, he can feel them with his hands and works the muscles and tendon like kneading a loaf of bread before throwing it through the fires of the oven. Everyday I leave the clinic I can walk straighter, feel less pain, do more than I did since I spent the summer hunched over while scaffolding 40,000 meters across 2,500 kilometers of the Northern Steppe in Central Asia.

 

I hurt, I feel pain now like I never did before. Today, I don’t ride bikes, I don’t speak to sponsors and I drift further away from finding them with my own personal life rolling through turbulent storms, electric clouds, dark shadows and light casting nets over my happiness and drowning it in a wild river. While trapped within nature’s grip, I feel peace slipping through my hands when the next CNN report sensationalizes and draws more world attention to their news, their advertisers. While over here, we are struggling to keep watch over our families, homes, jobs and security – this is life in a divided Korea, today a risk environment for future warfare. Now, I must report to work and get the classes done, professional, work and family life, money and debts paid – the fine art of balance on a thin red line.

 

I now live again behind concrete walls, the internet, the social scene is displayed on a computer monitor, thousands flock to see, hear and click “Like” and add a new page to follow. I do the same as the sheep following the social road through a digital whiteout, a blizzard of connectivity and temporal connections. I miss living from my tent in the deserts, the grasslands, the yelp of dogs and bleeping of sheep coming round from their pastures in the middle of the night when stars twinkle bright and you feel alright. 

 

I miss the creative space of nature in wide open pastoral lands, where I could camp somewhere each night between 1,564,115 square kilometers of a single country, mostly open Steppe, arid grassland undeveloped, as were the tracks serving as national highways connecting life routes of trade and traveler. Small-bore 150cc Chinese motorcycles and the occasional 350cc single cylinder Russian motorcycle – a IZH Planeta 5s moving slowly, bobbing through holes and around overturned stones with a newborn baby wrapped in blankets between mother and husband, headscarf and sunglasses, jackets and heavy Mongolian overcoats, saving them from the cold nights, the harsh sunlight, and biting flies as they roll along.

 

It’s tough living far from your cultural roots for so very long, the distances grow bigger each year and you always plan to go back, but you can’t. And inside the Southern half of the Korean peninsula, the geographical space begins to shrink into one culture, one moment in time. You drift here, they don’t see you, you work and serve the needs for hundreds, time ticks by, you drift by, nobody says goodbye. The wave of endless life, replaceable and timed out in the moments eventually lost in the sea of drifting memories. Mongolia was exceptional, I want to return. What is the next expedition? 

 

—
Brian Perich

Adventure Cyclist, Explorer, Father, University Lecturer

Global Ambassador at Education Through Expeditions

Ambassador at IDEAS, Intestinal Disease Education & Awareness Society, Canada

Nandadevi International MTB Expedition

Korean-World Micro Blog

A2A Expedition project

Facebook groups, 1, 2, 3

Facebook profile

Twitter: Cycleagain

Media Sample Media Sample 2

Skype: prof.brian.perich

Ph. 82.10.8075.5121 (South Korea)