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  1. #11 Re: POST RIDE Information: The Middle Kingdom Ride 
    ryanpyle ryanjpyle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ZMC888 View Post
    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.
    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
    Ryan Pyle
    Photographer / Film Maker / Adventurer / Motorcycle Rider
    www.ryanpyle.com
    NEW PROJECT: www.mkride.com
    ryan@ryanpyle.com
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  2. #12 Re: POST RIDE Information: The Middle Kingdom Ride 
    Senior C-Moto Guru ZMC888's Avatar
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    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.
    Last edited by ZMC888; 10-28-2010 at 11:03 AM.
    Without consciousness, space and time are nothing; in reality you can take any time -- whether past or future -− as your new frame of reference. Death is a reboot that leads to all potentialities.
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  3. #13 Re: POST RIDE Information: The Middle Kingdom Ride 
    grumpy old sod jape's Avatar
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    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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  4. #14 Re: POST RIDE Information: The Middle Kingdom Ride 
    ryanpyle ryanjpyle's Avatar
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    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 Originally Posted by jape View Post
    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.
    Ryan Pyle
    Photographer / Film Maker / Adventurer / Motorcycle Rider
    www.ryanpyle.com
    NEW PROJECT: www.mkride.com
    ryan@ryanpyle.com
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  5. #15 Re: POST RIDE Information: The Middle Kingdom Ride 
    grumpy old sod jape's Avatar
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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.
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  6. #16 Re: POST RIDE Information: The Middle Kingdom Ride 
    ryanpyle ryanjpyle's Avatar
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    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
    Ryan Pyle
    Photographer / Film Maker / Adventurer / Motorcycle Rider
    www.ryanpyle.com
    NEW PROJECT: www.mkride.com
    ryan@ryanpyle.com
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  7. #17 Re: POST RIDE Information: The Middle Kingdom Ride 
    ryanpyle ryanjpyle's Avatar
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    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.
    Ryan Pyle
    Photographer / Film Maker / Adventurer / Motorcycle Rider
    www.ryanpyle.com
    NEW PROJECT: www.mkride.com
    ryan@ryanpyle.com
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  8. #18 Re: POST RIDE Information: The Middle Kingdom Ride 
    ryanpyle ryanjpyle's Avatar
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    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
    Ryan Pyle
    Photographer / Film Maker / Adventurer / Motorcycle Rider
    www.ryanpyle.com
    NEW PROJECT: www.mkride.com
    ryan@ryanpyle.com
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  9. #19 Re: POST RIDE Information: The Middle Kingdom Ride 
    SabineHartmann SabineHartmann's Avatar
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    whow! you do your homework really serious!
    thank`s for sharing,
    Sabine
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  10. #20 Re: POST RIDE Information: The Middle Kingdom Ride 
    ryanpyle ryanjpyle's Avatar
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    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
    Ryan Pyle
    Photographer / Film Maker / Adventurer / Motorcycle Rider
    www.ryanpyle.com
    NEW PROJECT: www.mkride.com
    ryan@ryanpyle.com
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