Cycle News Monday, October 25, 2004

Saddle-Sore Brit Reaches Shanghai

A British adventurer who set off on an epic cycle ride to China today completed his 12,000 mile, eight-month-long journey – and then said he was thinking of cycling all the way back again.

Edward Genochio experienced many highs and lows on his adventure, including having his bike stolen by a Mongolian horseman.

The 27-year-old from Exeter, Devon, reached his goal – Shanghai in eastern China – after pedalling across Europe and Asia since March.

His route took him across 17 countries, and included crossings of Siberia and the Gobi desert.

“Arriving here Shanghai is a wonderful feeling. Standing on the waterfront with my bike, the past eight months of hard riding felt a bit unreal,” he said today.

“Then I got my map out and traced my route across all those thousands of miles back to Exeter. Then it really began to sink in just how far I’ve come.“

Speaking from Shanghai, he said that cycling back home again was something he had been contemplating.

“I rule nothing out at this stage. I have been looking at a map thinking of possible routes and a way home,” he said.

“I am going to take my feet off the pedals for a little while, and spend the winter in China writing a book about the journey.”

He made headlines around the world when – after cycling around 10,000 miles – his bike was stolen by a horse-back thief near the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator.

The bike was locked to his tent – which was torn in half when the horseback raider tied a rope to it and rode into the night.

Bike firm Marin UK supplied him with a new £415 Marin Muirwoods machine to continue his marathon pedal.

The new bike was immediately put to the test in what Mr Genochio describes as by far the hardest part of his journey – the crossing of the Gobi desert.

“In the Gobi there are basically no roads. Sometimes there are tracks to follow but mostly it’s a combination of rock and sand that is virtually un-rideable.

“I spent a long time pushing the bike, and went flying over the handlebars on several occasions. At least the sand was a reasonably soft landing.“

Mr Genochio, whose parents Richard and Ann live in Therfield, Herts., said at the time of the theft of his bike: “It was a rude awakening, to say the least.”

“Before going to sleep I had locked my bicycle to my tent. The next thing I knew, I was woken up by the sounds of galloping hooves and ripping canvas.”

Along the road to Shanghai Mr Genochio encountered giant Siberian horseflies and a pair of motorcycle-mounted muggers who damaged his bike by ramming it while chasing him and demanding money.
(Source: http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3667126)