PRESS RELEASE from Tour d'Afrique Ltd.
19 February 2008 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Renowned Oxford historian and author to join the Silk Route Bicycle Race and Expedition from Istanbul to Beijing.
(Toronto) Tour d'Afrique Ltd, creators and organizers of epic transcontinental bicycle races and expedition, are gearing up for the Silk Route 2008 bicycle odyssey across Asia and China and are delighted to announce that renowned Oxford historian and author, Paul Wilson, will be participating in the event so share unique historical and cultural insights with fellow riders.
"Traveling Asia and China by bike is a spectacular way to experience the landscape, festivals, architecture, food, music and history of the ancient Silk Route." said Henry Gold, company founder and environmental activist who launched the legendary Tour d'Afrique Bicycle Race and Expedition from Cairo to Cape Town five years ago. "We are thrilled that Paul will be joining us this year. Riders can look forward to a series of talks and campfire lectures from this renowned Silk Route expert."
Guest speaker at the World Tourism Organization's 'Silk Road Convention', Paul Wilson, from the UK, has been traveleing and researching the Silk Route for over ten years and has written several articles and books on the region, including Trailblazer's 'The Silk Roads. A route and planning guide'.
Commenting on the event and what the riders can expect to experience over four months onthe road, Wilson said that the Silk Route does more than simply link the cradles of civilization. "It lets us understand who we are, both East and West, today."
Starting on 26th July 2008 in Istanbul, Turkey, the expedition will follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo, General Zhang Qian and Genghis Khan. The riders will travel eastwards through Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and China - clocking up a distance of over 10,000 km in four months - to arrive in Beijing, China, 110 days later on 12th November.
"Whether they race it or ride it, Silk Route participants are in for an experience like none other." said expedition leader, Shanny Hill. The riders will explore the wide ranging and beautiful landscapes of Southern Georgia, bathe in the great inland seas of the Caucasus, taste the delights of Samarkand and test their courage in the dusty furnace of the Takla Makan. They will cycle to the top of the world, climbing to over 3600m through the Taldyk Pass in Kyrgyzstan and camp below sea level in the stunning deserts of China's Xinjiang province.
There are still spaces left for the full tour and the sections. For more information and to register visit www.tourdafrique.com
Silk Route 2008, as well as the company's other epic cycling events - Orient Express 2009, Tour d'Afrique 2009 and Vuelta Sudamericana 2009 are open for registration to anyone over the age of 18 who has understaken a medical examination to ensure that they are physically capable of participating in this journey. Individuals under 18 must provide release from their legal guardian in order to partake and on one under the age of 16 years is eligible.
|
