We will try to post on a regular basis about Eleanor's trip, but you can also read words directly from the horses mouth at her website: 2 Wheels 4 Girls! Go Eleanor!

ey Lizzy and Heidi,

It's a little late here and my eyes are heavy and my concentration a little spent - so this will be a short email.

I have attached the most updated route.  As you can see, I plan on going along the route of the Yangtze, which will take me along the Tibetan border, which is the closest I will be getting next Spring.  There are some pretty reliable resources (human beings not interweb) to getting updates on traveling through certain regions.  As I have stated, Tibet is pretty much impossible, and now people are saying I may even have difficulties getting in Xinjiang because of the riots 4 or so months ago.  Some say they aren't allowing foreigners through, and many Chinese here say I should not go because of the danger. I made a joke the other week how I should wear an Obama tee shirt riding through there because of the Muslim minorities...and people actually said, "hey, that's not a bad idea!"

A mentor of mine sent me this <a href="http://blog.nature.org/2009/08/follow-nathan-nature-conservancy-bike-bicycle/">link</a> to a cyclist riding for the Nature Conservancy.

This man has raised 1820.00 out of a 50,000 goal?!  That's unfortunate, but a dude riding his bike across the US has been done time and time and time again.

The beginning date has been pushed back about 2 weeks - to begin at the end of Chinese New Year.  People that don't live in China may not understand why - but this country completely shuts down for 8-9 days.  I am not in rush anymore - Grad School can wait another year, so I'll finish the route whenever I finish.  Also, I have invited my mom to finish the last part of the route with me...from Beijing to Shanghai.  That all depends on other stuff as well...she is actually going back to college to get her first degree at 58 years old - as she was laid off in April.  Hey, women's education, right!?  Actually, the offer is open to any female that wants to ride a partial distance with me.

This email is beginning to stray, so maybe I should go to sleep now.

I'm going to look into this more tomorrow.
http://www.firstgiving.com/

Eleanor Moseman
颜爱伦

Shanghai (86) 1.381.776.1056
New York (00) 1.347.410.9779

e@eleanormoseman.com

http://www.eleanormoseman.com
http://2wheels4education.blogspot.com

Dear Lizzy and Heidi,

Thanks for the emails and enthusiasm, it reassures me that what I am doing is worthwhile and will make a difference. There are moments that I doubt myself but now I can't turn back - right?

Okay, so the trip was decided about a month ago and I am still working out the exact route. Since I am beginning in late winter (Feb 1 2010), I will start heading South towards Vietnam, through Laos, along Tibet (don't know all the legal issues about getting through) up along China's West - by the major Pakistan/China border crossing, through Urumqi, up into Mudanjian/Heliojiang and return back by the way through Beijing. The trip will end August 1st (depending on my acceptance to get my Master's in Global Journalism). I did want to make it through Mongolia but there is only one entrance/exit that I know of along the China border - so it would be a back and forth ride.

I am using Google Maps right now to get a general route, but have an English Chinese road map on order to pinpoint the details. I hope to have the route planned out by the end of August. There is a way to save my route on Google Maps and send the file to you. I'll send an updated map
in a week or so with the general cities of interest.

As for promoting myself...I do know web design and blogging. Since I have so much on my plate for planning, I may find a friend to get it started for me. I want something up by the end of July. I also have some websites to promote it to, know people who own bicycle stores, etc. Printing here is also very affordable so I am going to make up about 10,000 postcards with info. If you could send me a brief summary of your organization I can can have it translated into Chinese to promote myself locally here.

Sponsorship. I got into this planning on no "freebies" - but if it happens, then that's great. My basic needs are a bike, sleeping bag, tent, and panniers. I have been talking to other expat's here and they reassure me that this trip is totally do-able and I could even find hotels for about $10 USD a night. That's not really what I am looking for, but it's good to know there are other options besides sleeping on the side of roads. I do need extra cash in case of bicycle repairs, bus trips between cities (shortage of water between cities is my biggest fear), and any unseen doctor expenses. Also, I have made many Chinese friends here that come from all over the country that know cities along the route. And, I have been recently introduced to www.couchsurfing.org which will be of great help.

Before I wrote to GEI, my general list of Sponsor's to contact are Terry Bicycles, Clif Bars, Canon or Nikon (depending who can give me a deal on some additional gear), and even Vans shoes - as the slip-ons are my shoe of choice.

I hope this email hasn't been too erratic or confusing. Maybe I should of taken more time to plan this correspondence, but I feel the deadline getting very close. Any contacts, recommendations, and advice either of you have would be so greatly appreciated. Also a link to the blog of the motorcycle trip? And a template would be excellent.

Please don't hesitate to respond with any additional questions. And I will touch base as soon as my new road map arrives and I spend some more time on Google Maps. I will also submit an updated and more detailed plan on how to fund raise and sponsorship.

Summary: the remainder of July will be website preparation, route details, and research on potential donors/sponsors.

-Eleanor

I will be back in the US after Thanksgiving - during Christmas and all that.

July 8, 2009

Dear Ladies,

I believe I first heard of your organization through some climbing podcast or website - and became interested in the cause.

My name is Eleanor Moseman and I am a photographer/artist currently residing in Shanghai - and fell in love with climbing about 6 months ago. Last month I decided to do a solo bike trip around China - with sidesteps into Tibet, Laos, Vietnam, and hopefully Mongolia - for 6 months.  I have been crunching the numbers for my trip budget and it's surprisingly affordable - so I have decided to ride for a cause.  I would like for Girls Education International to be the foundation, one reason being that it seems that an organization at this level will benefit greatly no matter what financial contribution I submit.  Also, we all know how much freedom a woman obtains in life and the world with a solid foundation of education.

I am using http://www.how2fundraise.org/ to learn in greater detail how to go about this the most successfully.  It is also my hope that I can find corporate sponsorship for my minimal expenses (bike, gear, tent, etc) buy stating my purpose of riding for a reason.  Perhaps you can recommend some contacts/route to get this across the best.

This email is to introduce myself briefly and see if it's okay to state that the proceeds of an event will benefit Girls Ed Int'l, and will not simply or state that you are the host, sponsor or endorser.  Perhaps we can communicate in detail about this in the near future.

The trip begins Feb 1 and will end August 1 (depending on a acceptance to Graduate School).

Thank you greatly in advance for your time and consideration.

 

(Note from GEI: Of course, we said yes!)