Boundless

Cycling Japan

Hand-Cycling through Japan – A Land of Contrasts

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When a Japanese friend suggested cycling the length of Japan, I automatically said “yes”. This Spring, we embarked on the 3800 km journey through the archipelago. Luckily, a big chunk of this is water, so the cycling was little over 2000 km, but I seemed to have ignored the fact that

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Over the Himalaya by Hand Bike

1400 Kilometres from Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan

Deep in the Tien Shan Climbing climbing... Can I have a ride? Leaving no-mans land and entering China A Chinese handbike! Descending in the Karakoram from the Khunjerab Pass

The Karakoram Highway has to rank as the most spectacular road in the world…it’s rubble strewn hairpins wind through glacier-draped summits – an exciting descent on anything with wheels, but especially a tandem recumbent and mountain bikes with a trailer and wheelchair balanced

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Kayaking Canada to Alaska

Finding a way into the wilderness via the Inside Passage

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“Paddle hard left!” Suresh called from the aft cockpit, fighting to make his voice heard through the crashing surf. Alan and Tony shouted to us from the beach, “Nose in behind ... ” but their voices were lost in the rumble of surf-tumbled pebbles. Spray washed the white salty marks off my

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Indian Himalayan

On Top of the World on a handbike

Tea time Chill time in the Dabah Up up The Gata Loops, Lachalung La_ Towards the top of Lachalung La? Downhill at last...

At the top of the Taglang La, the highest of the five mountain passes at 5328 metres (17480 ft) a road sign, surrounded by colourful prayer flags, exclaims “Unbelievable! Is it not”. The fact that a road has been carved from India through this harsh high desert region of the Himalayas

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Crossing Greenland

Crossing the largest island on the Earth by ski

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It was my first real attempt at cross-country skiing, and my Finnish friend Pasi had borrowed a special sit-ski, designed for someone like me to use. It didn’t fit well. To improve it, we improvised with duct tape, rope, and a kiddy’s plastic sledge, which made the sit-ski look more

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EL CAPITAN

Four thousand pull of to scale Yosemite's El Capitain

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Here's a quick run down of my and Karen Darke's trip to Yosemite in September/October where we made a four day ascent of Zodiac (A/C2+).

After Greenland (a 600 km ski from coast to coast that took 28 days), we started wondering about El Cap. One problem was that the four paraplegic

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Timeline

  • 1971 - Born in Halifax
  • 1988 - School exped to China
  • 1981 - Climb Mont Blanc
  • 1981 - Climb the Matterhorn
  • 1992 - Win Swiss KIMM Mountain marathon
  • 1993 - Paralysed in 10 metre climbing fall
  • 1993 - Great North Run
  • 1994 - London Marathon
  • 1996 - Finishes geology PHD
  • 1997 - Bike over the Himalaya
  • 2000 - Hand Bike the length of Japan
  • 2003 - Kayaks 'Inside Passage' to Alaska
  • 2006 - Ski across Greenland
  • 2006 - Circumnavigation of Corsica by sea kayak
  • 2007 - Completes half Iron Man
  • 2007 - Climbs El Capitan
  • 2009 - World Para-Triathlon Champion
  • 2009 - Cosmo Fearless Woman of the Year
  • 2009 - Sea Kayaking Exped in Patagonia
  • 2009 - Bronze medal in World Cup Paracycling
  • 2010 - Joins British Paracycling Team
  • 2010 - Vitalise Woman of Achievement
  • 2011 - British Para-Triathlon Champion

"Someone once said to me, “Disability is a state of mind not a state of body.” That’s a notion that relates to us all, regardless of whether we have a physical disability or not. Our own mind is our biggest obstacle to living and achieving our wildest aspirations. What is life if it isn’t an adventure? I’m constantly amazed by what can be achieved if we set our heart and mind to it. It’s all about finding belief, confidence, motivation and commitment. And of course, friends. Then there are no limits."Karen Darke

Flickr sets

B | braun ride Norway Jan 2010 Handbiking 2010 Norway 2010 Patagonia 09 Bikin' and boatin' Japan handbiking El Cap 07 Corsica sea kayaking 2007 Cross Country skiing Norway Ridderennet Himalayas : Ladakh 2005 Greenland Crossing 07 Aberfeldy Half Iron Man Climbing again Himalayan HandCycle 1998 Canada-Alaska Kayak 2003
 

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