She is one of the UKs most accomplished female adventurers whose achievements include summitting both Ama Dablam and Mount Everest, racing 1000 km across Mongolia on horseback, and completing the 243 km Kathmandu Coast to Coast race on New Zealand’s South Island. She is also the founder of How Many Elephants. An organization which raises the awareness of the plight of elephants in Africa and raises funds for anti-poaching projects. You can learn more at her website hollybudge.com. Holly Budge, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.
TPZ063: A 1500-Mile Walk Across Mongolia with Ash Dykes
Pulling a 260-pound wheeled cart with all his provisions, 23-year-old British explorer Ash Dykes became the first person to walk solo and unsupported across Mongolia. It was a world-record, 78-day adventure through some of the wildest terrain and weather on the planet. You can learn more about his Mongolian expedition and his fundraising for the British Red Cross at his website ashdykes.com. Ash Dykes, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.
TPZ036: Canoeing Mongolia and Russia with Bria Schurke
As a child, Bria Schurke traveled to Eastern Russia 10 times, first setting foot in Siberia at age four while visiting her father’s expeditions. As a first grader she went to the North Pole and grew up among sled dogs near Ely, MN learning to be a musher and becoming an accomplished Nordic skier. Bria has worked at medical facilities in India, Kenya, and Somalia and has worked as an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School. In June of 2013, Bria returned to Russia with Alexander Martin as the two set out on a 2900 km canoeing expedition in northern Mongolia, central Siberia, and Far Eastern Russia as part of their Asia Rivers Expedition. You can learn more about their adventure at facebook.com/AsiaRiversExpedition. Bria Schurke, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.
TPZ027: Running Across Mongolia with Brian Hunter
Thousands of orphaned children fight for survival each day on the streets of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The majority of these children are below age 12. There are not many orphanages in Mongolia so these children form gangs and sleep beneath the city streets to stay warm. The purpose of Brian Hunter’s expedition is to raise awareness of their plight and distribute necessities to over 3,000 of these homeless children while delivering a message of hope and love. To do this he ran 1500 miles west to east across Mongolia from July to September of 2013. You can learn more about his expedition at acrossmongolia.com. Brian Hunter, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.
TPZ022: Adventure on the Amur with Amber Valenti
In May of 2013 Amber Valenti was one of four women who embarked on a source to sea descent of the Amur River—the world’s third longest free-flowing river. They traveled through remote Mongolia and Russia from the birthplace of Genghis Khan to the Pacific Ocean delta. They called their expedition Nobody’s River Project and its purpose is to tell the story of this widely unknown watershed from the vast biodiversity to the threats that face it including pollution, hydropower, and habitat destruction. You can learn more about their adventure at nobodysriver.org. Amber Valenti, welcome to The Pursuit Zone.