Six Summits Project by Around-n-Over

[7summits]

"Imagine bicycling 2,300 miles for a warm-up, climbing a 20,320 foot mountain, and then riding another 2,300 miles as a warm-down.

Now imagine that that's just the beginning.

For Erden Eruç, that's just what it will be - the beginning. He has long dreamed about making a self-powered journey around the world and in 2002 he decided it was time to make his dream reality. He was inspired to add mountain summits in honor of his friend and climbing partner Göran Kropp, who died in a rock climbing accident in September 2002.

The result is Around-n-Over, Erden's quest to climb the highest summits on six different continents, traveling to each peak by ocean rowing and by cycling.

Erden's adventure begins February 1st when he will bicycle from Seattle to Alaska's Denali - the highest peak in North America - climb it with his friends, and ride back to Seattle.

Once back in Seattle, Erden's travel plans include:

Rowing from Seattle to Chile, cycling to and climbing Mount Aconcagua
Rowing across the Pacific to New Guinea and climbing Carstenz Pyramid
Rowing to Thailand or India, cycling to Nepal, and climbing Everest
Rowing to the east coast of Africa, cycling to and climbing Kilimanjaro
Rowing through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal up to Turkey and climbing Elbruz
Rowing across the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic to the Caribbean Islands, then island hopping to Florida
Bicycling from Florida back to Seattle
A charitable non-profit organization called Around-n-Over is being formed to produce news and educational content about the journey and to share its know-how for future human-powered challenges of similar nature. One of the goals of this organization will be to support the school that Göran Kropp founded in 1996, the Göran Kropp Bishwa Darshan Primary School in Taptin, Chyangba, Solukhumbu, Nepal, which serves 150 pupils and five teachers. "

From http://www.around-n-over.org

[erdeneruc]

Hi there;
Thank you for posting this news about my life journey that will keep me busy for through 2009.  The non-profit is alive and well, and I completed the journey's first leg of climbing Denali by human power from my home in Seattle, Washington.  
-
I had left home on February 1, and returned home on August 24 after reaching the summit on May 29 with two of my climbing partners.  I had put in 2,683 miles Göran style before starting to walk.  The walk in to the Kahiltna Base Camp after I transitioned to snowhoes and a sled lasted two weeks over 67 miles of meandering to avoid alders and to stay in snow.  Only then could we start the actual ascent.

I started cycling back for home at the end of June from the same location where we had transitioned to snowshoes, arriving at Seattle on August 24, with a total odometer reading of 5,546 miles.  When I was done, I had lost about 20 lbs, and gained a whole new perspective on my life journey: that I had what it would take, and that I would continue.  Fortunately my wife agrees with me  

Do follow us on http://www.around-n-over.org, and tell your friends.  It is great fun that we are having here - we would love to have you along...

Erden.

[trunl]

erden, you are one of the most incredible human beings i have every heard about. i have the absolute highest respect for you. can i ask you or harry (if he knows) if you will be going through texas (i live there, and it would be the greatest honor to meet you). i just cant explain how great it would be to meet you.

[Erden Eruc]

erden, you are one of the most incredible human beings i have every heard about. i have the absolute highest respect for you. can i ask you or harry (if he knows) if you will be going through texas (i live there, and it would be the greatest honor to meet you). i just cant explain how great it would be to meet you.

Thank you Trunl.  Incredible, no.  Out of the ordinary perhaps...  

I may pass through Texas on my way to Florida.  The latest plan is to bike from Seattle to Florida Keys starting in June 2005, then to get on the rowing boat from there.  Taking the winds and the currents into account, it is likely that I would skirt the east end of Cuba, then row toward Panama Canal.

I probably will be required to be towed through the canal after which I would row south toward Ecuador, then bike on down to Aconcagua.  The target date for Aconcagua is Jan 2006.

So do keep an eye on the web site, better yet, sign up to our Yahoo! forum by firing an email to around-n-over-subscribe@yahoogroups.com with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.  I will be posting developments and progress there to keep the fans in the know.

Best,

Erden.

[trunl]

o i will.

[aimyzai]

Erden,

I'm with Trunl, you are extra ordinary!!. Congratulation on your success at Denali. I do hope your next stage will be smooth and successful. Looking forward to the updates. Good luck man!

aimyzai