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That’s a wrap! My .1 hp motor (legs) pushed me a

That’s a wrap! My .1 hp motor (legs) pushed me and Khulan all the way from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia to Almaty, Kazakhstan in 37 total days of biking. The only section that was not biked was the .5 km or so to cross the Kazakh border as they made me take a bus there.

Some metrics:
Total kilometers: 3532 (8.82% of the circumference of the earth) (2195 miles for the non-adaptable)
Total meters climbed: 21,760 (2.46 times Mt Everest from sea level) (71,391 feet for the non-adaptable)
Times hit by a car: 1
Friendly Mongolians met: 3
Records: Longest beard length of my life, longest time without taking a shower (7 days)

Kazakhstan was everything I was hoping Mongolia would be. What a shame that my route took me across so much of Mongolia and so little of Kazakhstan. The views were stunning, there were good roads to bike down, the people were friendly and interested, and the food had FLAVOR. If you’re opposed to eating horse you won’t be eating much however.

Almaty itself turned out to be one of my favorite cities I’ve been to. You’re a stones’ throw away from countless places to ski, the city is clean and relatively cheap, and the city is crawling with places to walk and bike. There’s also such a cool mix of culture as it’s really the corner of the Arab, Asian, and European world. You will find restaurants and coffee shops and whatever else with flavors and foods you never knew existed.

You can also find cool little events to go to every night such as ballets, operas, and concerts.

If you ever want to study Russian. This would be the place to do it! 100%.

#travel #bikepacking #twowheels #kazakhstan #🇰🇿 #pilotlife #crewlife #bicycle #cubebikes #almaty #adventure #advrider #adventurerider

After the Duku Highway came a nice coast down the

After the Duku Highway came a nice coast down the mountain towards the border of Kazakhstan. Once I had made it past the peak I knew I would make it all the way to Almaty. I whistled and sang all the way down through some of the best riding of my life. Huge shoulders to ride on, few cars, countless places to camp, and cool little Uyghur camps every few kilometers.

I knew the trip would be over before too long and that was the first moment nostalgia started to creep in as I romanticized the suffering I endured in Mongolia.

#dukuhighway #china #meiguoren #🇨🇳 #zhonguo #uyghur #biking #cycling #bikepacking #riding #twowheels #camping #pilotlife #crewlife

More Xinjiang. The area is home to the Uyghur peop

More Xinjiang. The area is home to the Uyghur people which is an old nomadic Turkic group that is generally Islamic. Many of them live in Gers similar to the Mongolian yurts and as far as I could tell almost all of them were shepherds in some capacity.

One day I was fighting 35 km/hr headwinds and I decided to just give up early and find a crack in the mountains somewhere where I could hide from the wind. There were gers here and there but I thought I found an area where I wouldn’t be intruding on anyone’s territory and I set my tent up there. It was still early in the day and I just lay there with my feet sticking out of my tent and tried to warm myself up.

I think I slipped into a little nap and was awakened by a “HELLO.” I looked up and saw a kid who beckoned me to follow him. He said, “YOU COME DRINK TEA.” I hopped up and followed him and within 4 minutes we were at his get. I hadn’t seen it when I set up my camp but it was very close.

I went into the hot Smokey ger and his family was there. Two older women and men with a huge spread of foods in the middle. They handed me a bowl of hot milk and urged me to eat from the middle. Any moment I stopped eating they would hand me something else to eat. I communicated in what little Chinese I could. They laughed a lot and I ate a lot.

After it got dark I headed back to my tent although they urged me to move it next to their ger. That would have been too much of an operation so I politely declined. I was fading back to sleep when I head another, “HELLO.” I opened the tent and the kid handed me a plastic bag full of lamb meat and he walked back to his ger.

In the morning I stopped in for some more tea and they wouldn’t allow me to start biking without riding one of their horses. So I rode the horse around the mountains some and was on my way.

To make a long story short…people ask me why I bikepack and this is why. There is no other way to have experiences like these.

#xinjiang #china #bikepacking #travel

After Mongolia came Xinjiang, the largest province

After Mongolia came Xinjiang, the largest province in China. I wasn’t even sure if they would let me in as I read there might be some difficulties and tensions in the area. After debating for weeks whether or not I should just quit as I slipped into a hazy depression in Mongolia it was like a heavy dark curtain had lifted when I entered China.

After growing accustomed to misery brought on by the difficulty of finding human basics in Mongolia such as food, water, or affection in any form, China was the complete opposite. I hear Americans constantly racistly bash China and its people but my experience from the first day through the last was nothing but pleasant and lovely. Everyone I ran into made sure I was safe, fed, and happy without asking anything in return.

A big concern was getting hassled by police and authorities but every interaction I had with them was them helping me to find a restaurant, a hotel, or whatever else I may need. After helping me they would yell, “Welcome to China! Let’s go!”

The thought kept creeping into my mind if someone from Xinjiang traveled to my country they would NOT get the same treatment and it made me feel quite guilty. I can assure you the mean words that are loosely slung by Americans would not be reciprocated against them in China.

I learned a good deal of Chinese on the way and found huge pleasure in recognizing symbols and starting to put them together.

My journey brought me into the Duku Highway. A deservingly famous road in China as it offers stunning views for 100s of kms. On the road a dog followed me for a few days and it felt surreal. It was one of the more stressful parts of my journey and it felt like he had dropped from heaven to guide me through that part of the journey. He barked at every car to slow down and get out of our way. And once I had made it through he disappeared to help the next biker.

#china #xinjiang #bikepacking #bikepacker #twowheels #cubebikes #travel #pilotlife #photography #dog #🇨🇳

Homeless and thriving. Or whatever they say… Th

Homeless and thriving. Or whatever they say…

The ride through XinJiang has been amazing due to the food and the people. Everywhere I’ve gone I’ve found happy, pleasant, honest people that show an interest in me and what I’m doing.

I get stopped by Police constantly but they have been very pleasant as well. They usually want to take a picture and then give me the thumbs up. If I ask where there may be a restaurant they will often escort me with their police car to the closest restaurant in town of the one they say is hǎochī(delicious or literally “good eat”).

Xinjiang has a hard history of rebellion and oppression with over 40 ethnic groups that still very much prevail. Where I am now people will tell me they are “Khazakh” before they tell me they are Chinese.

My body has not, however, been cooperating. The ridiculous requests I’ve made of it to put out immense kilometers and in Mongolia with very little nutrition have caught up. My Achilles in my right foot is fat, hard, and knotted. I put a regular shoe on my right foot and my left leg is doing 80% of the pushing and pulling now. My left leg is an absolute champ.

I am in the midst of another enormous climb through a mountain range and it will be the last of the trip. I am looking forward to the beauty but not the cold.

Sleeping in the tent is already unbearable. My feet freeze at night no matter how many clothes I wear and everything is covered in ice in the morning. I pull the sleeping bag above my head and the bag gets wet with my exhales.

It’s looking unlikely I will make it all the way to Almaty as work is looming on the horizon. But it was never a concrete goal anyways. I’d rather lag in China, learn more Chinese, and bus to Almaty when the time comes.

#XinJiang #China #Zhonggou #中国 #bikepacking #homeless #travel #twowheels #pilotlife #crewlife #🙂

Reflections on Mongolia: The people: As a whole I

Reflections on Mongolia:

The people: As a whole I felt a complete indifference from the people here to anything other than themselves. I believe the nomadic and difficult lifestyle that most lead has left so many hardened and cynical. The vast majority of what seemed like kind acts usually ended in some act of aggression. (Getting waved to a car to “talk” and then bursting out of the car trying to fight me about nothing). Everything felt like a battle to me. Just trying to buy something I needed or get water was always a struggle. Alcohol is also a clear issue in Mongolia.

The food: I’m just going to come right out and say that it was the worst food I’ve had. I know it’s harsh but that was my experience. If you can even find a restaurant that’s open (the vast majority of businesses looked like they hadn’t opened their doors in 10 years) you will only find meat and milk and derivatives of both. Expect every meal to be boiled meat with soggy noodles and you will probably still find yourself disappointed.

The culture: There are still immense references to Genghis Khan absolutely everywhere you go. It is clearly the pride and joy of the Mongolian people is that their ancestors were able to sack a large portion of what constituted the modern world. One reason I wanted to come to Mongolia is I was fascinated by the history. There are some REALLY good museums in UB. However, you will find no remnants of the empire whatsoever. Everything at the time was made of wood and animal skin, which is now dust. I went far out of the way to see the old capital and there is nothing left. I was also attracted to the nomadic lifestyle of the people and their reliance on animals. But as I have found to be the case so many times before… with animals comes animal abuse. Perhaps a lot of the aggression I found in the people here is due to the fact that so many work with animals.

All in all I didn’t love Mongolia. But I did love the landscapes and following the path that Genghis Khan once followed. I would go back and ride motorcycles around but I would never again bike across Mongolia 😅

#Mongolia #ulaanbaatar #kharkhorin #bayankhongor #bulgan #bikepacking #travel #twowheels #🇲🇳

Apparently horses headbang. Here are some of my be

Apparently horses headbang. Here are some of my best, unapologetically Mongolian shots after 22 days bikepacking across the majority of Mongolia. Mongolia and the good and bad people I met along the way, thanks for the good times and the bad, I certainly biked out a stronger person.

#mongolia #🇲🇳 #ulaanbaatar #Kharkhorin #Bayankhongor #Arvaikheer #Altai #Bulgan #Khovd #horses #camels #twohumpcamel #wildhorses #bikepacking #travel #twowheels #pilotlife #dji4mini #dji4action #Монгол

I’m just out here being homeless AF and y’all

I’m just out here being homeless AF and y’all telling me I’m living the life. First 12 days bikepacking across Mongolia, more to come!

#mongolia #ulaanbaatar #kharkhorin #altai #bayankhongor #arvaikheer #travel #pilotlife #twowheels #bikepacking #cubebikes #🇲🇳 #dji #djimini4 #djiaction4

Mongolia! Day 11 bikepacking across Mongolia. Hors

Mongolia! Day 11 bikepacking across Mongolia. Horsies are a common sight here. They seem to roam freely but there are only 1000 wild horses in Mongolia and they aren’t really that wild, seeing as they were airlifted from European zoos😐

#Mongolia #🇲🇳 #bikepacking #travel #pilotlife #twowheels #cubebikes #horses #plains #drone #djimini4 #dji

I put shorts on for this video. Day 5 bikepacking

I put shorts on for this video.

Day 5 bikepacking across Mongolia. Found a great campsite which was frequented by horses throughout the night. Some ran by, some waded through the water, some I think were just curious what they smelled.

#travel #pilotlife #twowheels #bikepacking #cubebikes #mongolia #kharkhorin #khujirt #riding #bicycle #drone #djimini4 #🇲🇳

Day 5 bikepacking across Mongolia. I had to stay i

Day 5 bikepacking across Mongolia. I had to stay in a ger at least once. They run about $50 and usually come with a little light bulb, a couple power slots and a shared bathroom.

This get was in the old capital of the Mongolian empire, Kharkhorin and next I’m headed towards the Gobi desert!

#travel #ger #mongolia #bikepackjng #cubebikes #twowheels #kharkhorin #monkhsuuri #🇲🇳 #yurt #bicycle #pilotlife

Day 4 bikepacking across Mongolia. An incredibly t

Day 4 bikepacking across Mongolia. An incredibly talented band performing at Erdene Zuu Monastery. One of my favorite things about Mongolia has been the very unique music I’ve heard here.

#travel #bikepacking #twowheels #cubebikes #pilotlife #nonrevlife #mongolia #🇲🇳 #erdenezuu #erdenezuumonastery #music

Day 3 bikepacking across Mongolia. 93 km | 438m

Day 3 bikepacking across Mongolia.

93 km | 438m climb | 134 bpm average

There were slightly less vehicles whipping by me today but still haven’t found the desolate vibe I was looking for. I’m a day or 2 outside Kharkhorin which I wanted to stop at for the history. It’s the old capital of the Mongolian empire assigned by Genghis Khan.

The days have been rough but rewarding. I’ve spent most of the days biking with a lot of stops to eat, take videos, stretch, get stopped by random people, pee, etc. The weather seems to be just perfect. Chilly mornings and nights but not hot in the day while I’m riding. Onwards and upwards!

#mongolia #ulaanbaatar #almaty #kharkhorin #sunset #bikepackinf #camping #travel #cubebikes #🇲🇳

Day 1: Good morning Ulaanbaatar☀️ After strug

Day 1: Good morning Ulaanbaatar☀️

After struggling for days to find everything I needed in Ulaanbaatar I finally unstuck myself from the city. I must admit I was very happy to leave the city. I made it 85 km west and after just a few kms out of the city I found the people so much more welcoming and friendly. I also had my favorite meal so far in Mongolia cooked out the back of a bus on the side of the road. Delicious delicious meat.

I’m loving the peace of the countryside and look forward to the road getting more and more remote. 85 km out there are still too many trucks, buses, and cars whipping by me.

#mongolia #ulaanbaatar #travel #bikepacking #pilotlife #crewlife #twowheels #cubebikes #ontheroad #🇲🇳

How many tires does the 737 have? 6! Still miss t

How many tires does the 737 have?

6! Still miss the 18 tires on the 747 🥹

#boeing #boeing737 #737 #b737 #hydraulics #united #airline #unitedairlines #flythefriendlyskies #landinggear #pilot #pilotlife #guam #airport #avgeek #photography

ChatGPT is garbage. #boba #bubbletea #🧋 #chatg

ChatGPT is garbage.

#boba #bubbletea #🧋 #chatgpt #garbage #ai

That face when you finish a 16 hour flight. #oldph

That face when you finish a 16 hour flight. #oldphoto

#airlinepilot #boeing #airbus #pilotlife #flighttraining #flightcrew #crewlife #aviationdaily #avgeeks #planespotter #planespotter #flying #atlas #atlasair #747 #giant #queenoftheskies #b747 #GTI #cargo #freight

It is my duty to tell them. #pilot #pilotlife #cr

It is my duty to tell them.

#pilot #pilotlife #crewlife #travel #taiwan #taipei #ximen #ximending #travel #blog #vlog #xingfutang #boba #🧋#avgeeks #aviation #layover #crew

Arrival into Santiago, Chile. Jumpseat with #atlas

Arrival into Santiago, Chile. Jumpseat with #atlasair. The mountains right next to Aconcagua, the highest point in the southern hemisphere.

#aviationgeek #avgeek #pilot #pilotlife #crewlife #jumpseat #atlas #atlasair #747 #giant #giant747 #flying #mountains #view #cockpit #andes #aconcagua #aviation #boeing #airbus #jumpseat

A couple shots in Monterrey, Mexico. Music: Paspat

A couple shots in Monterrey, Mexico. Music: Paspatou by Parra for Cuva.

#drone #dji #djimini4pro #dronevideo #travel #pilotlife #crewlife #blog #vlog #monterrey #mexico #monterreymexico #🇲🇽

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