POST RIDE Information: The Middle Kingdom Ride

Hello MCM friends,

I just wanted to introduce this new thread for all our POST PRODUCTION / POST RIDE news about The Middle Kingdom Ride. (www.mkride.com)

For those who are not familiar with our journey, the MKRIDE was (past tense) a 65 day - 17,674km - motorcycle odyssey around China by Canadian brothers Ryan & Colin Pyle. Our journey was a counter-clockwise circumnavigation of China. We safely completed our journey on October 17th 2010, and have now begun editing our documentary film and working on our written book; both of which will be published and available in 2011.

Watch this space, and our website (www.mkride.com) for updates and information.

Colin and I wanted to extend a warm thank you to all the MCM friends that were involved in helping the MKRIDE team in getting around China. Several MCM bloggers actually took action when we had breakdowns and without their help and support we would have never completed our journey. To those of you out there, and you know who you are, thank you again. Colin and I both hope we can return the favor sometime in the near future.

Ride Safe.

Ryan Pyle
ryan@mkride.com
www.mkride.com

Interview with Chad Ingraham

Photographer and Videographer Chad Ingraham answers questions about what it was like to work on The Middle Kingdom Ride, on the Digital Photography Department Blog. Follow this link for more details.

LINK: http://digitalphotographydepartment....chad-ingraham/

MKRIDE Team
www.mkride.com

RE: Global Press Release

On Sunday October 17th 2010 Canadian brothers Colin and Ryan Pyle, rolled into Shanghai, China after 65 days on the road circumnavigating China on their BMW F800GS motorcycles. Our global press release is below. Please follow the link.

LINK: http://www.prweb.com/releases/MKRIDE...web4662044.htm

RE: Shanghaiist Blog - Interview with Ryan Pyle

The Shanghaiist, a popular blog in Shanghai, has just posted in interview with Ryan Pyle. The interview took place just two days after Colin and Ryan returned to Shanghai after their epic 65 day - 17,674km - motorcycle odyssey around China. Follow the link below for the great interview and images.

LINK: Shanghaiist Blog

MKRIDE Team
info@mkride.com
www.mkride.com

Hello.

Both Colin and Ryan are very honored to have been interviewed by BMW Motorcycle Magazine. You can read the interview by following this link.

LINK: BMW Motorcycle Magazine

WOW

http://bmwmcmag.com/wp-content/uploa...-1-570x427.jpg

Jealousy...

Felix,

That image was taking on the road from Kashgar to Tashgorkan, along the Karakoram Hwy. The mountain in the background is the Musta Aga'ta mountain and just beside it is Krakol lake. A stunning part of the world. Feels like years ago, but it was just in September.

Ryan Pyle
www.mkride.com

Quote:

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Originally Posted by felix

WOW

http://bmwmcmag.com/wp-content/uploa...-1-570x427.jpg

Jealousy...

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Thanks for the info Ryan! I suspected it was labeled wrong on the BMW magazine where they wrote Mongolia under it. I've been thinking about that region a lot lately after reading your and a couple of other reports. I must admit i'm very, very tempted to try a trip out there...
What is the military presence like in that area? You are getting quite close to the 'stans, does it get tense? Was it easier to travel around freely there than it was when you got into eastern tibet?

Hello,

Ryan and Colin are keen to direct your attention to an article written by Ryan in the Canadian Motorcycle Guide, an online magazine and forum for Canadian riders globally. Check out the article, pictures and the amazing layout.

LINK: http://cmgonline.com/content/view/2848/57/

According to BMW magazine:

Quote:

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they became the first riders to fully circumnavigate China by motorcycle in one continuous journey

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This is a bit of a hyped bold claim, especially without going to Heilongjiang province! Also not being allowed through Tibet.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ZMC888

According to BMW magazine: This is a bit of a hyped bold claim, especially without going to Heilongjiang province! Also not being allowed through Tibet.

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ZMC888,

I can claim full responsibility for the route that our team took on our 65 day - 17,674km - journey around China. We did our best to plan a reasonable circumnavigation of China while taking in to consideration: Time, Expenses, Weather and Production Value. A few notes are below:

1) Tibet: to correct you, we did manage to ride about 3000km through Tibet. We traveled from Kargilik on the famous Highway 219 all the way to Lhasa; we even took our bikes to Mount Everest Base Camp at 5200m above sea level! However, from Lhasa we were not given permission to ride out of Eastern Tibet because of "disturbances" in the region. As many MCM members know, Eastern Tibet and Western Sichuan were closed to foreigners for much of September and October for various issues which I can discuss with you in a private message. So from Lhasa, Tibet to Shangri-la, Yunnan our bikes were on a truck.

2) Furthermore, you are correct that we did not make it to Heilongjiang and the furthest reaches of Northeastern China. There are several other provinces that we didn't visit on our journey, which is shame. Qinghai is always a place I've wanted to ride through and we totally missed this province on our journey, choosing the route through Northern Gansu instead. We also missed out on Sichuan, choosing instead to ride through Northern Yunnan from Tibet. I wish we had more time. Hopefully in the future I'll have a chance to revisit these locations.

Furthermore, this quote in the BMW Magazine that was cut slightly short, we said that we were the first to circumnavigate China and fully document it, leaving the door open for any previous riders that we were unable to find in our research who may have accomplished a similar journey. If you have any further information on this topic please bring it to our attention, it would be wonderful to share our experiences with anyone else who has attempted such a long, difficult and logistically challenging expedition.

Cheers,

Ryan Pyle
www.mkride.com

I'm not sure that BMW magazine as really helped with its reporting style, getting the names of photo locations wrong and editing quotes to make things seem more exciting, which only serves to possibly alienate those familiar with China, even those, who like me have little interest in adventure touring. I read what you wrote yourselves, and it seems much more balanced, reflective and worth reading.

It's not a big deal, there was a massive part of Russia that Ewan and Charley couldn't go through on the long way round.

Aye, and there's quite a few unsponsored riders who sold up their goods and homes and lived the dream, some still in progress, round the whole world for years - not just a small part of it for a few days!

There was no pretence about this ride, it was just a first world technology trip through a small part of the third world as it changes, rushed along over a couple of months. About the ride more than the journey and the places. Nothing more, but also nothing less.

Dear jape,

Actually, it's funny you mention that. My brother actually quit his job and sold his house in Toronto before we went out on this journey around China. His equity in the project was very valuable. And yes, it's amazing what a lot riders are doing around the world at the moment. We've been in touch with Simon Newbound, he rusn a website named: BMW Unstoppable. Simon actually rode over 150,000km around the world over an eight year period. They actually hold the World Record for Adventure Riding from the Guinness World Book of Records. Remarkable commitment to exploring the world on two wheels.

It's true, the goal of our journey was not to circumnavigate the world; it was just to do a 60 day ride around China. Colin and I don't claim to be expert riders, in fact we are just glad to be alive after some of our close calls. And yes, we filmed our entire journey with the goal of sharing our amazing experiences in China with the wider world. The film and book will not only be about us and the riding but also the amazing "places in-between" that we stopped and visited. Of all our highlights I would have to say arriving in Kashgar for the huge "end of ramadan" festival at the Id Kah Mosque was the cultural highlight of our journey. I wish we had had 100 days for our journey, but alas wives and families were already understanding enough at 60 days. Anything much more than that and we would have had to re-name our journey, "The Middle Kingdom Ride: Two Brothers, Two Bikes, TWO DIVORCES".

Cheers,

Ryan Pyle
info@mkride.com
www.mkride.com

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jape

Aye, and there's quite a few unsponsored riders who sold up their goods and homes and lived the dream, some still in progress, round the whole world for years - not just a small part of it for a few days!

There was no pretence about this ride, it was just a first world technology trip through a small part of the third world as it changes, rushed along over a couple of months. About the ride more than the journey and the places. Nothing more, but also nothing less.

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I didn't mean my post to be other than supportive Ryan, just stating that for me personally it didn't pretend to be other than what it was nor do I think you ever suggested otherwise.

PR tends to be over the top, has to be to get even a slight awareness from others in this day and age. People seem to expect bigger and better and further and faster all the time and you as an adventurer in the modern day cannot escape that expectation. It was just a long ride, as I said, pretty much on high tec gear with some financial and logical backup, not exactly a camel or on foot! But that doesn't denigrate or detract from the reality in my mind. In fact it shows forethought and commonsense. I am glad for you, and maybe later for me when I buy the DVD, that you got to experience enough as you rode that it affected you and perhaps those you met along the way.

I have retained enough simplicity as I got older that even the journey I make to the shops on my Kinlon is a small adventure for me every time and I will always support (and applaud) those who go farther and faster. I understand from my own journeys (in a very varied life) that every morning you get up, fire up and go, it is an adventure! I should have tried to express that better, sorry.

New Article Posting: Reuters

Hello,

The MKRIDE would like to direct your attention to an article by Reuters that was published yesterday. Follow the link for the full story:

LINK: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69S07220101029

The MKRIDE Team
info@mkride.com
www.mkride.com

Hello,

One of our MKRIDE sponsors has issued a press release about the use of their product, the Scala Rider G4, on our trip around China. Follow this LINK.

RE: One Month Later.

Dear MKRIDE Followers,

First of all, we want to thank everyone for their continued support. We finished our trip exactly one month ago and we continue to receive awesome emails from folks who followed our journey around China. With that being said, it's been a tough four weeks trying to re-assimilate ourselves back in to the fold of "regular life". I've slowly gotten back in to my photography work, and Colin is currently enjoying a holiday in the USA. Waking up every morning and knowing that you don't have to ride 8 or 10 hours is a feeling I am starting to miss.

The great thing about long riding trips is the simplicity of the moment. Each day you just have to wake up and ride - your only non-spontaneous decision is the destination at the end of the day, everything else is decided along route. The hectic distractions of work and city life, and to an extent family life, are left behind and that moment of feeling like a real explorer takes hold. I really miss riding a motorcycle through a remote countryside and experiencing something new for good or bad every single day. I miss that complete experience: the wind pulling on my jacket, the smell of coal fires burning and various foods being cooked in a nearby village, the bumps in the road and even the sand and gravel that sent me crashing out on several occasions. And, I really miss that feeling of being completely open to your surrounding environment, with nowhere to hide. It's remarkable to be on the road for 65 days riding a motorcycle through China and it was an experience that Colin and I both consider to be life changing.

Colin and I are currently scrapping together journal entries and piecing together chapters in an effort to get a book published from our journey. I have also begun editing our documentary film, with the very talented Jonathan Hogan, who is our editor for the project. Our goal is to have the book and film available before summer 2011. We'll be sure to keep everyone up to date with regards to new developments on those fronts.

Lastly, we've had a lot of media coverage in the last 4 weeks, and there is more to come, but we'd like to direct you to some of the stories that were posted in the last few weeks. Please see a partial list below.

1) Touratech's Website
- They were one of our amazing sponsors for our journey.
LINK: http://www.touratech.de/index.php?id...400fff66adb8ed


2) PR WEB
- This is our official press release
LINK: http://www.prweb.com/releases/MKRIDE...web4662044.htm


3) The Shanghaiist Blog
- This is one of the most popular blogs in Shanghai, they did a quick Q&A with us on our return.
LINK: http://shanghaiist.com/2010/10/20/mk...0Pic=4#gallery


4) BMW Motorrad Magazine
- BMW Motorrad Magazine stepped up and did a piece about Colin and I, and our love for the F800GS
LINK: http://bmwmcmag.com/2010/10/canadian...avigate-china/


5) Canadian Motorcycle Guide
- This is an online motorcycle magazine in Canada that did a feature on our journey shortly after our return.
LINK: http://cmgonline.com/content/view/2848/57/


6) Reuters
- The very talented Farah Master wrote a feature for us at Reuters.
LINK: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69S07220101029


7) Cardo Systems
- The folks that provided us with our rider communication systems prepared a story about our journey as well.
LINK: http://www.cardosystems.com/us/media...eleases/pr-011


NOTE: Please be sure to continue following us on our Facebook and Twitter pages. There are several television interviews coming up in the next few weeks as well as several essays that I wrote will be published towards the end of this month.
_________________________

Cheers,

Ryan Pyle

Base: CHINA
www.mkride.com / www.ryanpyle.com
info@mkride.com / ryan@ryanpyle.com

**Charitable Partner** - The Middle Kingdom Ride is riding to raise funds for SEVA, a charitable foundation that has, for more than 30 years, served people around the world who are struggling for health, cultural survival and sustainable communities. Learn more about SEVA at www.seva.org, and make a donation today at http://www.seva.org/mkride.

**Corporate Sponsors** - The Middle Kingdom Ride could not have happened without our wonderful corporate sponsors: BMW China, Touratech, The Tomson Group, Airhawk, Pelican Products, Kodak, Oakley, Cardo Systems, Lowe Pro & Mandarin House.

You can follow The MKRIDE at:

FACEBOOK
Actual Link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=115422335152074

YOUTUBE
Actual Link: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheMKRIDE

TWITTER
Actual Link: http://twitter.com/MK_Ride

whow! you do your homework really serious!
thank`s for sharing,
Sabine

RE: 2 Months Later

Hello MKRIDE Fans,

Well, it's been exactly two months since Colin and I returned back to Shanghai after our 65 day - 18,000km - motorcycle journey around China. And sadly, we don't have much new to report.

The "high" of the trip has now faded away and I have drifted back in to my regular routine in Shanghai, China. Colin, on the other hand, is enjoying an extended vacation in Thailand; in fact I believe he went scuba diving today. But on to more important business our book project and film project are coming along as expected; both projects are insanely time consuming as well as incredibly rewarding. We are still on schedule to release in the later stages of next year. We want to thank everyone who is still following us through our trials and tribulations to share our story.

The barrier to enter this industry is very high and starting from scratch, the way we have, means that the battle is always uphill. But we've got some great supporters who continue to "pimp our MKRIDE" and we are very thankful. I promise not to write a "three month" update unless I have some blinding news.

Until then, Colin and I will continue to lumber away editing and writing. We hope that you continue to follow our updates here on our blog as well on on our Facebook page. I hope everyone has a happy holidays. Ride safe.

Ryan Pyle
www.mkride.com
ryan@mkride.com

RE: More Media Coverage

Hello,

I just wanted to update the MCM community with two new stories about the MKRIDE.

South China Morning Post (HK)
Click this LINK

Shanghai Daily (China)
Click this LINK

Thanks for staying in touch. We'll be sure to continue to post updates here.

Ryan Pyle
ryan@mkride.com
www.mkride.com

Good stuff. Had a great time reading through. Amazing photos! Would like to thank you again for taking the time to meet up with Pete and me and walk us through the entire process. We are now sitting pretty in Luong Prabang, Laos. Been about 1500km so far, but what great riding! Thanks again, and can't wait til your movie & book are released.

Ryan,

Checking this thread a bit late. Which side of Mustag is that taken from?

CC

http://bmwmcmag.com/wp-content/uploa...-1-570x427.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ryanjpyle

Felix,

That image was taking on the road from Kashgar to Tashgorkan, along the Karakoram Hwy. The mountain in the background is the Musta Aga'ta mountain and just beside it is Krakol lake. A stunning part of the world. Feels like years ago, but it was just in September.

Ryan Pyle
www.mkride.com

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Hello loyal MKRIDE friends,

This is a posting to let you know that we will no longer update our original MKRIDE "Group" page.

We have created a new MKRIDE "Fan Page" and we'll continue to keep everyone up to date using that. Please follow the link below:

LINK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Mi...64913996892705

We hope you'll covert over to our new page and "LIKE" us. We look forward to keeping you up to date and informed about our MKRIDE book publishing and television broadcasts.

The MKRIDE Team.

info@mkride.com
www.mkride.com

RE: Guinness World Record Awarded to MKRIDE

Canadian Brothers Set a World Record for their 18,000km Journey Around China on BMW Motorcycles:

Canadian brothers Colin and Ryan Pyle are honored to receive an award by the Guinness World Records(TM) for their 18,000km odyssey around China on BMW F800GS motorcycles. Their journey will become a documentary film and book entitled The Middle Kingdom Ride.

On March 9th, 2011 Canadian brothers Colin and Ryan Pyle received a confirmation by the Guinness World Records(TM) that they had indeed set a World Record for their motorcycle journey around China. According to the Guinness World Records(TM) the name of the record they received was for the “Longest Journey by Motorcycle in a Single Country”.

Canadian brothers Colin and Ryan Pyle completed their epic motorcycle journey by returning back to Shanghai on Sunday October 17th, 2010, after 65 days on the road circumnavigating China on their BMW F800GS motorcycles. Their journey was a unique one, as they have become the first riders to fully circumnavigate China by motorcycle in one single journey.

During their remarkable 17,674km odyssey the brothers have encountered some of the most intense changes in culture, weather, altitude and terrain that exist in the world. They tackled heavy rains, flooding, landslides, freak hailstorms, extreme altitude (above 5000m/16,000ft), sand, gravel, thousands of kilometers of road construction and even bureaucratic / military interference.

Colin and Ryan intend to produce both a documentary film and a written book on their experiences in China, which have been far from regular. Anytime someone puts him or herself out there, into the wild, and opens themselves up to the experiences of such a vast and unique country one can’t help but encounter moments of danger, humor, sadness, gratification and personal gain and setback. Their journey will prove to be both colorful and dramatic, both intense and fulfilling.

Colin and Ryan Pyle are brothers from Toronto, Canada. But that’s about all they have in common. Ryan has spent the last decade in China building his career as a Documentary Photographer. Colin stayed closer to home, in Toronto, and built up, and sold, his own successful currency trading company. Together they plan to showcase much of China’s change and development from factory to farm. The general purpose of the trip is to put China on display. To explore the visual and cultural wonders that is China. With a massive population, crowded cities, abundant minorities and its stunning natural landscape; China offers a traveler an experience like no other. Colin and Ryan have titled their project, “The Middle Kingdom Ride”, as China’s historical name was once The Middle Kingdom.

Ryan and Colin will be raising money for the SEVA Foundation during their journey. SEVA, is a San Francisco based charity that has, for more than 30 years, been serving people around the world who are struggling for health, cultural survival and sustainable communities.

You can follow The Middle Kingdom Ride at MKRIDE.com, FACEBOOK, YouTube and Twitter.

The Middle Kingdom Ride would have never happened without our amazing sponsors: Mandarin House Language School, BMW China, Touratech, The Tomson Group, Airhawk, Pelican Products, Kodak, Oakley, Cardo Systems, and Lowe Pro.

Click HERE to view press release.

Click HERE to view Guinness Record Listing.

The MKRIDE Team
www.mkride.com
info@mkride.com

Wow awesome Guinness World Record, congrats! I don't do Facebook so I can't bump you there. I observed years ago Facebook to be "spamming, attention whoring, and stalking has never been so easy. Just point and click!" said in TV-shop voice. Thus I saw it is not my thing and never went to hype.

Wow! Congratulations Ryan & Colin ... Yeah Canada, eh! Truly an accomplishment.

Now, you must realize that you've thrown down the gauntlet, of course ... maybe your record will be challenged by some crazy JH600 (and JH600B) riders? :naughty: Takers?

Don't worry, though - my picture-taking ability is ... well ... hmmmm ... I am a much better hockey player.

Again, congratulations!

Not wanting to take their record away but in my opinion the record should certainly be challenged by bikes made in China :naughty:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by moilami

Not wanting to take their record away but in my opinion the record should certainly be challenged by bikes made in China :naughty:

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Ah, that's what the Guinness records are all about ... the longest submarine sandwich, the biggest block of cheese, etc ... are always under challenge.

What can never be challenged, however, is the fact that they actually did it ... and they were the first! Can't beat that!

Eh, no, the guinnes world record was about "The longest continuous journey by motorcycle within a single country is 16,240 km (10,091.05 miles) by Ryan and Colin Pyle (both Canada), who toured China between 16 August and 17 October 2010."

Before that there was a similar world record too, the lenght of the trip inside the country was just shorter.


Edit: Or who knows if there was such Guinness world record. Maybe the trip was first to be acknowledged. However there has been similar things done whether they has been taken as world record or not.