A Beautiful Cycle: Experiencing the Philippines from the seat of your bike
Many things have been said about the beauty of the Philippines, about how it is a place that should be experienced via boat, bus, even on foot. But according to Jens Funk, a German who has been working in the country for four years, the best way to experience the wonders of this great country is from on the seat of one's bike.
Funk and his Dutch friend Martin Langevoord have written a book about cycling in the Philippines. Entitled Cycling Philippines , the book is a guide to everything a cyclist will want to know about cycling the Philippine islands.
Funk, an avid biker, says that while he road biked a lot in Europe (one of his first bike trips was from Germany to England and back when he was only sixteen) he actually learned to mountain bike in the Philippines!
"Martin and I started to cycle around the Philippines, actually, the whole Visayas," Funk says. "When Martin's contract was over, he would come back for vacations. We cycled Palawan together then we thought, 'Why don't we write everything down?'"
The result, of course, is Cycling Philippines , the first biking book written in and about the Philippines. Launched on the 1 st of April at the Terry Larrazabal Bike Festival, the biggest bike festival in Asia, Cycling Philippines contains more than 100 trails and includes maps, detailed trail descriptions, places to stay, to eat, and so on. "We want to show tourist how nice cycling is in the Philippines," says Funk. "We want to do something for tourism."
The book is currently being sold locally and in Europe. The DOT has already ordered numerous copies. Part of the proceeds will go to a cycling foundation that the authors have set up to help Filipino kids get bikes of their own.
"I'm a German by passport and a Filipino by heart," Jens says proudly. "It's a really nice country. I think it's perfect for biking because everybody is so friendly. You can ask people for directions wherever you are and everybody will help you. Every island I've been to has something special to offer."
More than wanting to share the Philippine cycling experience with fellow tourists and expats, Funk and Langevoord want to introduce the joy of local cycling to the Filipinos. They have set up two projects to help them reach their goal. One is their setting up of the Bike4U Foundation, and two, they're going on an expedition, Bike for a Cause, to raise money for their organization.
Helping them in their advocacy is The North Face, the world's leading provider of outdoor gear and apparel. The North Face will be providing all the outdoor gear and high altitude clothing for Funk and Langevoord's upcoming expedition. Aside from that, limited edition Bike for a Cause t-shirts will be available in The North Face stores, as support for the Bike4U Foundation. Some of the stores will also be carrying copies of Cycling Philippines . Part of the proceeds from the shirts and books will go to the Bike4U Foundation.
Postcards from the Roof of the World
Jens Funk and Martin Langevoord are two men who are "European by passport but Filipino at heart." They have recently set up the Bike4U Foundation, which aims to give needy kids a chance to have their own bikes. The Foundation plans to import used bikes from Germany for assembly and distribution in the Philippines.
To raise funds for the Bike4U Foundation, Funk and Langevoord have turned to - what else? Cycling! Together, they will attempt a potentially dangerous expedition - cycling the Karakoram Highway, also known as "The Roof of the World."
The Karakoram Highway connects Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan to Kashgar, China. The Highway is part of the Silk Road, and was - and still is - used as a trade route between both countries. It passes through some of the harshest terrain in the world, as well as though various mountains, including the Himalayas. It is also the highest cycleable road in the world, with parts of it 4800 meters (15000 feet) above sea level.
Jens Funk and Martin Langevoord will begin their expedition, dubbed Bike for a Cause, on the 3rd of September. The road is about 700 kilometers long, and the trip is estimated to take 3 1/2 weeks. It will start in Gilgit, Pakistan and end in Kashgar, China. "We will have special bikes and will be taking everything we need with us, including gear, clothes, and bike racks," Funk says.
To raise funds he two cyclists will be selling the kilometers they cycle. Each kilometer costs 60 pesos. The kilometers will be marked, so that the buyer receives a certificate indicating, say he bought kilometer 35 out of 800, and that he helped support Bike for a Cause. "If we sell even more than a thousand, we have to cycle more!" Jens laughs. "The intention is to get people involved and just to help, because every peso will be 100% going to the foundation," says Jens.
Bike for a Cause is supported by The North Face, the world's leading provider of outdoor gear and apparel. They will be providing the two cyclists with all their outdoor gear, plus shoes, jackets, and other apparel needed to withstand Karakoram's high altitude. What's more, The North Face stores will be carrying limited edition Bike for a Cause t-shirts and copies of Funk and Languevoord's book, Cycling Philippines , the country's first cycling book. Part of the proceeds from the shirts and books will go to the Bike4U Foundation.
The Bike for a Cause expedition will be heavily documented, with lots of photos and, if possible blog updates, though Jens surmises that they might have trouble finding internet cafes at 14000 feet.
All the proceeds from this expedition will go to the Bike4U Foundation. Those who wish to support Funk and Languevoord's expedition may go to www.bugoybikers.com or www.bike4u.org for details.