“Around The World Eco Charity Bike Ride, 40 countries, 3 years, 1 man, an environmental pilgrimage to highlight the bike as a positive tool in the battle against climate change”.

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The Global Wheeling concept is the realisation of a dream that came to be whilst rolling across the plains of the Nullabor desert in South Australia in 2005 whilst tackling the first Asian expedition. To cycle solo and unsupported around the world to raise awareness about the environmental plight of our time. A dream that would take five long years to come to fruition, and a dream that would take a few more to execute.

Having already notched up 2 continents and 16 000 km’s across Australia and Asia I embarked on a new forty thousand kilometer bicycle ride across four continents, attempting to notch up forty nations in its wake. This environmental pilgrimage continues to unfold, navigating gunfire, below zero temperatures, gale force Saharan sand storms and civil war in West Africa’s Ivory Coast. The Global Wheeling ideology continues to forge its way forward through some of the planet’s most volatile regions with twenty nations and 15 000 km’s firmly under the belt on its quest for change.

Using the most energy efficient machine ever invented, the bicycle (Little Ms. Sunshine), and the chosen tool to help convey this message of environmental awareness. Converting carbon free kilometers into trees this voyage aims not only to raise awareness about the importance of carbon free travel but also raises funds via the NGO to plant trees here in South Africa. Recognising carbon as the major instigator in greenhouse gas emission concerns, the Global Wheeling initiative’s major drive is to both reduce and offset carbon.

Working in conjunction with the sponsors I have managed to secure and the funding we are generating through the NGO, we are making great strides towards conveying this message. Global Wheeling is currently looking for sponsors to get behind the next phase of the ride and welcomes any interest in that regard.

Phase two of the voyage from a cycling point of view will tackle South and North America respectively, I am looking to the South African public in particular to get behind the initiative and assist in converting my efforts into trees by sponsoring kilometers via the online platform and making this voyage an environmental success, making the Global Wheeling initiatives ambition of planting one tree for every carbon free kilometer cycled a reality.

The first football World Cup on African soil graced our shores only a year ago adding immensely to our tourism industry and financial sectors, however in its wake leaving a substantial carbon footprint 2 753 251 tons to be exact. We have enjoyed the main course, had sufficient time to digest the fruits of our labour, but the time has come to wash the dishes.

A collective effort is needed by South Africa both public and corporate to support the initiative in an attempt to assist in offsetting this huge carbon footprint, This will show the world that South Africa cares not only about the injection of funds into our country, but also about the environmental impact this event has had on our nation.

For coverage of the initial 20 countries cycled during the Global Wheeling saga refer to the Blog archive.

Stay tuned for developments of the Global Wheeling documentary as the charity works together with Baked Ginger productions over the next few months to compile phase one of the journey.