Couchsurfing - Free Accommodation for Cyclists Around the World

Challenge:

To travel emission free, using their own manpower (and womanpower) to cross all continents covering 100,000 km land in five years on bicycles.

Valeska, Mark their couchsurfing host and Philipp

Relaxing with Couchsurfers after a hard days riding in the heat in Northern Australia

Valeska was born in 1978 and has a Masters of Environmental Systems Science with a main field in Geography. She works as a freelance journalist for different travel magazines and newspapers and is a guide in the Arctic.

Philipp was born in 1973 and has a Masters of Physical Geography and works as a lecturre about his adventure trips. He is an author, photographer and guide in the Arctic. They also have a very interesting website where you can follow their adventures.

www.2-play-on-earth.net

In five years across all continents

2006 until 2011

The Pinnacles in Western Australia

So far they have covered : 62,262 kilometers (3,285 on dirt-road), (6,863 in Europe, 2,633 in SW-Asia, 13,591 in Africa, 15,519 in Australia, 3,879 in India, 7,830 in North America, 6,998 in Central America, 4,948 in South America) Their riding time is 3,907 hours, they have experienced 48 flat tyres (Valenska 25 and Philipp 23). Their fastest time was 85.98 km/h downhill from the Australian Alps to the farmland – they say it feels almost like flying.

The route Velenska and Philipp have taken so far covering 62,262 kilometers

The highest temperature they have experienced was on the ride across Sudan; the thermometer sometimes climbs above 55 degrees (May 2007) and the lowest temperature was crossing Finland in October 2006 where it dropped to minus 20 on some days.While they often camp in a tent they also stay with the local people and learn much about the communities in which they are hosted. Most of these people are registered on databases such as Couchsurfing and warmshowers.org and offer a free bed for a day or two.