Moonlander to the South Pole!

[timhMN]

Polar adventurer, Arrowhead finisher and buddy of mine Eric Larsen is going to attempt to cross Antarctica solo this December on a Moonlander.

Press release here:
Polar Adventurer Eric Larsen Announces Attempt to Go for Another World Record: Bicycling to the Geographic South Pole

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EricLarsenExplore

More info coming soon.

[duggus]

Cool. I watched some interview with him awhile back. It will be fun to follow.

[No_Roads]

Pretty cool that he chose the Moonlander for his mission. Hopefully he doesn't have to fix any flats in -60f weather!

[Yoreskillz]

Here's wishing him all the best on his upcoming adventure!!

Eric Larsen Biking Example - YouTube

[Velobike]

Brilliant. Wish I was there.

[Shark]

Awesome!! Good luck!

[ozzybmx]

Unreal journey ! Best of luck.

[saltyman]

Wow! All the best!

[G-reg]

I found myself BS'ing with him during the AH135 a few years ago. He asked if I had any words of Arrowhead wisdom as I'd finished a few times and it was the first time he was racing.

Post race I found out who I was talking to.

Yup, I told an accomplished polar explorer to get some dry socks at the checkpoints so your feet stay warm....

[Ze_Zaskar]

What an incredible adventure, I really wish could be part of something like this one day.

Nice video by the way. Those new offset Moonlander forks are scary twisted

[timhMN]

Some video footage of Eric & the Moonlander from our training trip to Churchill last March:



Eric Larsen Biking Example - YouTube

[nvphatty]

awesome adventure

[saltyman]

Wow!

Always imagined one at the arctic!

[timhMN]

We're in the process of working up a whole page specifically about Larsen's Moonlander, but here is some interesting custom stuff that's being done for the trip:

Custom racks A-Train Cycles in Minneapolis is making:



(This is not the actual bike that is going, but one used for test fitting the racks.)

In addition to these custom racks, Eric is having custom, ultra-light and aerodynamic-shaped panniers made by Granite Gear. These were just prototypes that we took up to Churchill and Eric has spec'd a few changes based on that experience. You can see where the internal shape wall has been drilled with big holes to save weight. The outside is basically super-thin tent material. These are the lightest panniers I've ever seen.



He's also working on custom boots and once those are completed I'll post some pics.

[Bevalhalla]

Is he going to use BFL's or a different plump tire?

[timhMN]

Is he going to use BFL's or a different plump tire?

Bud and Lou (at 4.8in) is the current plan

[Tincup69]

Awesome, I wish him the best!

[timhMN]

For anyone in the Minnesota area, Eric will be presenting at the Midwest Mountaineering Outdoor Expo this weekend, as well as hanging out in the Granite Gear booth for a while. Stop in, see his excellent presentation and ask him all kinds of pointed and difficult questions about the Cycle South adventure :-)

As much of the gear as we'll have ready should be there, too.

Details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/425163414203621/

[timhMN]

Bit of an update on the Cycle South antarctica project...

Still collecting up all the pieces of gear and the packing process for the first leg of the trip from Colorado to Chile. Some custom products from Revelate Designs are on the way and should arrive perhaps today. The panniers are being finished in MN by Granite Gear and those (and the A-Train racks) will be shipped to CO next week. When those are all together, I'll take a bunch of pics and post them here for those interested in seeing the special products being developed.

Blog post on prep: Polar Explorer Eric Larsen

Radio interview with Eric:
Not your ordinary bike trip...this one's to the South Pole | WTIP North Shore Community Radio, Cook County, Minnesota

Follow along at Polar Explorer Eric Larsen or https://www.facebook.com/EricLarsenExplore

Finally - a photo of yours truly from the training mission Eric and I took to Hudson Bay last spring:

[timhMN]

Here is a great blog post from Alex at A-Train Cycles regarding designing and building the custom racks for Eric's Moonlander.

A-train Cycles | Cycle South expedition

1 week until departure!

[MauricioB]

1 week until departure!

Excellent. Plenty of time for me to finish reading Mawson's Will. Gonna watch with interest...

[garysol1]

What a huge undertaking. Wish I had the balls to attack a ride as epic as this not to mention the skill and know how . Good luck to him on the ride

[Schott]

So bold.

[mobydick]

über BOLD...

[timhMN]

Dan from Granite Gear gives a first view of the custom panniers:



Bigger: Ow.ly - image uploaded by @ELexplore (click the image for super large)

Updates at Polar Explorer Eric Larsen or https://www.facebook.com/EricLarsenExplore