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A JOURNEY OF OPPORTUNITIES - Welcome to my website about my journey around the world by bicycle and skateboard. I am an ex-office worker, and I never intended to travel all the way around the world. I certainly never expected to end up breaking a long distance skateboarding world record!
What started as a 12,000km cycle journey across the Eurasian continent quickly became a very different kind of challenge.
I began in July 2006 by cycling 12,000km from Japan to Switzerland across some of the most remote and hostile environments I had ever experienced. I endured -23 degrees Celcuis daytime temperatures, cycled over 4,600m high passes, and put up with some of the most frustrating bureaucracies perhaps in the whole world.
However, on the 25th of June 2007, almost a year since I set out from Japan on my recumbent bicycle, I sent my bicycle home and started out again on a longboard skateboard.
I ended up successfully doing what had never been attempted before; I skateboarded solo and unassisted across Europe, North America, and China. On the 28th of September 2008 I finally arrived in Shanghai after skating just over 12,000km (7,500 miles). The previous world record for distance skateboarding was 5,800km.
I started this journey in 2006 hoping to experience the world at large in it's most raw forms from a bicycle seat. What I got was a humbling, often exhausting, and always challenging journey into my own soul. These two years were physically, mentally, and emotionally the most difficult years of my life.
I spent countless hours every day recording and sharing my journey while I was on the road. Every day is accounted for on this website, in text, photos, and video. Browse through the pages and relive the journey. They are there for you to enjoy.
CHARITY
The 14degrees Journey is a proud supporter of the Lowe Syndrome Association, USA. Find out more about the disease and the association at www.lowesyndrome.org, and donate online via 14degrees.org to support this association's efforts at the 14degrees Journey giving page.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
SPONSORS:
Do you want to support the 14degrees journey by supplying equipment and/or expertise? If so, please take a look at the current gear wish list for specific items that you can help with.
Rob supports the Lowe Syndrome Association (LSA). You can too. All proceeds go directly to LSA.
