Essential Gear for Adventure Cycle Touring

If you're wondering what gear you'll need for an adventurous cycle tour of any length or budget, Essential Gear for Adventure Cycle Touring has got you covered. Written by veteran bicycle adventurer and author Tom Allen and drawing from the experiences of over other 50 long-distance cycle tourers, the 257-page digital guide covers in detail the foundations of equipment choice for a bicycle journey, the six main categories of gear, how and where to buy each item, and common mistakes and myths to watch out for - plus how to get all of this within your budget, no matter how small.

This summer, Explorers Connect members can get a 20% discount on Essential Gear using the promo code EC 2014 at checkout.

The code is valid until July 31st 2014. Read more about the guide and what's inside at http://gearforcycletouring.com.

Norwegian climber - question on mountains

I'm looking for a Norwegian mountaineer familiar with Nansen to lead a first ascent of a famous coastal mountain. as part of a maritime expedition to East Greenland in 2016. It will be filmed for television.

The mountain is bare rock and only about 3,000 feet, but is famous for several reasons. It should be a scrambling proposition rather than a hard technical climb. How do I go about finding one on his site?

jackdgama@hotmail.com

Along the Ring of Fire

In early November 2014 I'm setting off to trek the Te Araroa trail - a path that runs for 3,000kms down the length of New Zealand.

By doing so, I'm hoping to raise both awareness and a combined NZ$30,000 for two charities. Money raised will change the lives of 30 children and young people; allowing ten Kenyan children to go to school on an all-expenses-paid full years scholarship through People, and 20 Tanzanian young people to take part in a life-changing expedition with Raleigh International. Walking North to South and depending on fitness and weather the journey should take approximately 4-5 months.

The trail will take me over mountains, ridges, through valleys, plains, and forests, along coastlines, across a volcano or two, and, at least in parts, along the Pacific Ring of Fire. All money raised through my blog will go direct to the charities. A further NZ$10,000 needed to fund the trip will hopefully come from corporate backers. Fingers crossed... 

For more information, contact me at - rob_candy@hotmail.co.uk

Quest for the Pole of Inaccessibility

In February 2015 I'll leave Ellef Ringnes Island in Arctic Canada to trek to the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility, the furthest point from land at the heart of the Arctic Ocean.

I'm part of a team of 28 people taking part in the challenge as part of the Ice Warriorproject, founded by eminent polar explorer, Jim McNeill. Our mission is to become the first people to reach the pole and to ground-truth satellite data of ice thickness in the Arctic. I consider it to be taking the temperature of the planet in the fragile polar environment that acts as an early warning system to the rest of the planet. We'll also be counting the number of polar bears we see, noting their condition and location. In total I hope to spend 20 days on the ice and cover 200 miles on skis, dragging a qajak that weighs as much as me. After I've completed my stint I'll swap over with another team member and flown back to advanced base camp to continue to assist with the science and logistics of the expedition.

This journey follows on from The Cycle Diaries adventure I completed in December 2012. It is quite different in nature! Besides not cycling it I'll be part of a larger team and operating in an extremely hostile environment. It also costs more than my bicycle, tent. and 16 months supply of cheese sandwiches so corporate sponsorship is needed. The need to approach people for money combined with the thought of travelling across an ever diminishing layer of ice that rests upon a raging ocean at temperatures as low as -40C while being at the mercy of hungry polar bears fills me with a great deal of trepidation.

But that is precisely why I'm doing it. 

For more information - www.arcticandy.com

Iceland Cycling in September?

Hi everyone!

Planning on cycling around Iceland in September. Just wondering if there's anyone with advice about September in Iceland - bad weather? And also the actual journey. It seems very straightforward but if there's anything you found out/heard please let me know.

tomlreader@gmail.com

Winter Kayaking the Great Salt Lake (nonstop)

I will be the first to Kayak the full length of the Great Salt Lake without stopping for overnight camping. I will attempt to complete the journey (~180 miles) within 48 hrs during the winter solstice.

To find out more, contact Rebecca at - rbeck07@punahou.edu

Myanmar Expedition 2015 - Hike, Kayak, Cycle

Climb to the Base Camp of Mt Hkakaboriz (4,000m) - 35 daysKayak and Cycle the length of the Irrawaddy River (2,100 km) - 32 days.

For any thoughts or tips, please contact ross.norman9@gmail.com