Crazy people: part 1
14. Jul ’17
General
Once in a while we have some crazy guys/girls on an OPEN who push not only their personal boundaries but they do something many of us would not even start to think about....
I would like to share those stories with you as most of the time they are very inspiring beside the fact that they break boundaries, records or just do an amazing trip.
I would like to start with Axel and Andreas from Bikingman, who crossed South America in 49 days and set a new Guinness world record with that time. They did not only do a crazy effort, but they also collected money during that journey to support firemen around the world.
Here is their story and some pics that show you only partially what incredible effort they have made.
"South America is a mind-blowing place to ride. After 10 685 kilometers of crossing the Colombian and Ecuadorian Andes, the Peruvian and Chilean most arid desert in the world, one of the highest paved road in the world between Chile and Argentina and the flat windy as hell Argentinian pampa, we had the opportunity to live 7 lives in just under 50 days. Riding these bikes on such long distance and rough conditions (rainforest style rain, freezing temperatures, hard climbs above 4800 meters, snow storms, wind storm, hail storm, Patagonian wind) feels like your first riding experience: epic, addictive, a life changing situation.
Our bodies burnt more than 204 000 calories in a month and a half, that surely didn’t help to maintain a stable weight in these wild areas of the world. Our most miserable day was in Patagonia where we endured the strongest rain storm of our life. Wind was so strong we couldn’t stand on the bike and avoid heavy traffics on the road at the same time. When the water waves of the upcoming traffic is so strong that it blinds your vision for few seconds, you need to stop and think whether it is smart to carry on or stop immediately…The longest ride was the final 416 kilometers day where we pushed hard to stay below 50 days to link Cartagena to Ushuaia. We rode 14 days with an average of 290 kilometers but the beauty of the challenge still remains in the most epic rides, not the longest.
South America deserves to be ridden off the beaten tracks, on quiet roads where the challenge gets so tough that giving up can cross your mind for few seconds, pushing your body and mental limits to the unknown. The memorable rides of this world record crossing the continent are definitely held by Colombia and its wild jungle, bumpy but stunning gravel roads, Ecuador and its never ending mountainous hills, Peru and its stunning roller coaster coastline in the South and Chile/Argentina for their stratospheric climbs far above any western countries climbs…We felt it in our heart before starting this journey, South America just confirmed it: riding fast on flat roads leaves few (if not no) memories. Going “Up” is where the Truth is, it creates moments to be remembered for the rest of our lives. To be continued in Ecuador/Peru with IncaDivide Race where Andreas, and possibly Axel will be racing next july"
I would like to share those stories with you as most of the time they are very inspiring beside the fact that they break boundaries, records or just do an amazing trip.
I would like to start with Axel and Andreas from Bikingman, who crossed South America in 49 days and set a new Guinness world record with that time. They did not only do a crazy effort, but they also collected money during that journey to support firemen around the world.
Here is their story and some pics that show you only partially what incredible effort they have made.
Our bodies burnt more than 204 000 calories in a month and a half, that surely didn’t help to maintain a stable weight in these wild areas of the world. Our most miserable day was in Patagonia where we endured the strongest rain storm of our life. Wind was so strong we couldn’t stand on the bike and avoid heavy traffics on the road at the same time. When the water waves of the upcoming traffic is so strong that it blinds your vision for few seconds, you need to stop and think whether it is smart to carry on or stop immediately…The longest ride was the final 416 kilometers day where we pushed hard to stay below 50 days to link Cartagena to Ushuaia. We rode 14 days with an average of 290 kilometers but the beauty of the challenge still remains in the most epic rides, not the longest.
South America deserves to be ridden off the beaten tracks, on quiet roads where the challenge gets so tough that giving up can cross your mind for few seconds, pushing your body and mental limits to the unknown. The memorable rides of this world record crossing the continent are definitely held by Colombia and its wild jungle, bumpy but stunning gravel roads, Ecuador and its never ending mountainous hills, Peru and its stunning roller coaster coastline in the South and Chile/Argentina for their stratospheric climbs far above any western countries climbs…We felt it in our heart before starting this journey, South America just confirmed it: riding fast on flat roads leaves few (if not no) memories. Going “Up” is where the Truth is, it creates moments to be remembered for the rest of our lives. To be continued in Ecuador/Peru with IncaDivide Race where Andreas, and possibly Axel will be racing next july"
