E18E

Got ma route down.

So… This is it. As close as I want to get to a solid route for 2014; following a discussion with my cycling partner Ben Lewis. 8 months, 9000 miles, 18 countries. The line on the map marks the onset of what promises to be a challenging, yet highly rewarding expedition from London to India. Comprehending the scale of this journey is not easy, but the excitement and anticipation is boiling the forefront of my mind. POSITIVELY STOVED.

The intention of this trip is adventure, I fully expect purpose to stem from this. If you set out with a good intention and back it up with knowledge and an open mind, often everything else will grow around it. I’ve lived by this philosophy for a while now and can only praise it. Flexibility is the key to keeping a trip interesting, I’m all for planning but spontaneity can conjure the most worthwhile experiences.

Gabber-shizzle aside, the route will begin with a swift mission to the coast from London. Channel crossing by ferry to France will be followed by Paris and a short bouldering crush in Fontainebleu. The route heads east from here to the Dunabe River in Germany via Strasbourg and Munich. The Black Forest born surge of water will guide us through Austria and Hungary, where stops in Vienna and Budapest are expected.

After breaking away from the Dunabe in central Hungary and powering through the final European sections in Romania and Bulgaria, our prep for the east will take place in Istanbul. All being well, we will leave behind Europe for the Caspian sea crossing between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. The next stretch will head to Dushanbe, Tajikistan; via Samarkand in Uzbekistan and the M-34 mountain pass from the north. This stretch will require a flood of will power and motivation, it promises to be dry and in the high 20’s, with potentially scarce water supplies and a significant culture change.

The infamous Pamir Highway will greet us with an awe-inspiring backdrop, bringing us within metres of Afghanistan as we surge towards Osh, Kyrgyzstan. From here we plan to head east to the old city of Kashgar, China; before a colossal voyage on the G219 to the town of Lhatse, Tibet. Here, we drop south to Kathmandu, via the prodigious Everest Base Camp, before a stint of volunteer work with an aim to improve the desperate environmental state of the trekking region.

Single tracks will guide us through ~NE-SW striking Indian valleys of the Himalayan foothills before we head west for the first time through Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. Our route through India remains uncertain at this stage and will depend upon time / circumstances, though we aim to conclude the expedition in November 2014.

I am buzzing like a BEE on steroids.

G.

The bit inbetween.

‘Video portrait of Dave Macleod’… Challenge, dedication and achievement. What you can do if you try your socks off; in light of the last post, worth a watch.

Linkylink

G.

Who we are.

We are capable of achieving incredible and often unbelievable feats. The question is; what gives us the drive to do so? When you’re in a shitstorm ascending some monstrosity, sweating like a beaver, short of breath, hearing your own incessant heartbeat. Or pushing hard in training, applying the principle of overload, praying for that extra rep or a faster time; what keeps you going? Is it just pure masochism? Is it ego-fuelling? Is it just because you can? Or is there a more fundamental reason…

We choose to place ourselves on the edge, exposed to the extremes; forced to ace that move, survive the heat, brave the cold, and overcome the obstacle.

- - - ENDORPHINS *

The adrenaline hit, the release of endorphins, the physical and mental progression; all logical and natural reasoning for our adventurephilia. But there’s more than just the temporary fix; the adventure bug bites hard and it doesn’t let go. It’s infectious. It’s often difficult not to be inspired by someone else’s drive and achievements, whether you’re part of a group training session or watching a world record solo ascent of the Eiger.

Complexities aside, it all boils down to the simple fact that as living beings, the act of progression is hardwired into our brains. Whatever our interests, we push to achieve greatness in order to evolve and master our ability to survive. If you do something enough you will get good at it, whether it’s sitting on your arse or running an ultra-marathon. It’s what you do that defines you; we have this drive because it makes us who we are.

Psyche-binge.

G.

Think about this…

You're coming to the end of your life. You've left behind the time where you were able to conquer your dreams, make sense of the world and relish achievement. Did you ever regret not making enough money? Were you unsatisfied with the possessions you had acquired throughout your lifetime?  

Or did you wish you had been more connected with the world? Seen more places, met more people, overcome more challenges, lived life as it was meant to be?

It is no secret that human beings are thriving, developing technological advancements of extreme ingenuity, allowing for many aspects of life to be managed with since unparalleled efficiency. But it is also no secret that the effect is to widen our disconnection to Earth, and remove us from who we are. We've all heard the common cliché from first time travelers; "I'm going to go and find myself". Though the fundamental ideology behind this is far from absurd. In a world dominated by the force of social pressures and egotism, it is easy to think you are what you want to be, rather than who you actually are. 

Travel and adventure introduces simplicity, narrows focus and allows us to remove ourselves from the grasp of the monotonous norm. If you ask any climber, mountaineer, runner, explorer or cyclist why they go and do what they do, the common response will be "because it is there". An uninspiring answer to most but it reflects this simplicity and narrow focus from which we can achieve great happiness, a sense of being and greater understanding of ourselves and more importantly; life.

In light of all this, my adventure psyche has led me to embark on a Pan Eur-Asia Cycle Expedition. A long distance cycle to Mumbai from London in 2014, alongside Ben Lewis, a good friend from university. Though ridiculous to some, especially given I have less than one year of experience in a graduate job, it was one of the easiest things I have ever committed to... Life is for living.

I conclude with this quote:  

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

        Mark Twain (1835 – 1910)

G.

...An awesome blog by a friend: http://climbingwetrock.blogspot.com