Expedition 360

Expedition 360 is the name of a successful attempt by Briton Jason Lewis to be the first person to circumnavigate the globe using only human power – no motors or sails. It was begun by Lewis and Stevie Smith in 1994 and ended at 12:24 pm on 6 October 2007, when Lewis re-crossed the prime meridian at Greenwich, London, having travelled 74,842 km (46,505 mi).

Jason Lewis rollerblading on State Road 80 in Alabama, part of the USA section of Expedition 360. August 1995.

Underlying definition

A true circumnavigation of the world must pass through two points antipodean to each other. Norris McWhirter, founding editor of Guinness, 1971.

[A] true circumnavigation of the Earth must: start and finish at the same point, traveling in one general direction, reach two antipodes, cross the equator, cross all longitudes, cover a minimum of 40,000km. AdventureStats by Explorersweb

History

In 2006, the Adventure publication of the National Geographic Society honored Canadians Colin Angus and Julie Wafaei as Adventurers of the Year for their "journey around the world" by human power, however, the Society stated they do not "act as an official arbiter of geographic issues". Angus' journey did not cross the equator or hit the minimum of two antipodal points as stipulated by the rules of Guinness World Records or AdventureStats by Explorersweb. Additionally, in the February 2013 issue of Outside Magazine, Angus's then traveling partner Tim Harvey went on the record to say the pair "put up an emergency sail, using it for about 95 nautical miles" crossing the Bering Sea between Alaska and Siberia. As journalist Nick Heil pointed out, this alone was enough to disqualify a human-powered claim of any description.

Expedition 360 conformed to the rules of adjudicating bodies Guinness World Records and AdventureStats by Explorers Web. To this day, the only other person to have completed a legitimate human-powered circumnavigation is Turkish American adventurer Erden Eruç of the Around-n-Over nonprofit organization.

This unique concept of going around the world by human power first came as a wild idea to Stevie Smith as he worked in his office in Paris. He soon set about making the idea a reality and got the help of his friend Jason Lewis who agreed to come with him. The pair set about spreading the idea, and began to raise money for a pedal boat built by Chris Tipper and Hugo Burnham. The specially-built boat was named Moksha, Sanskrit for freedom. To raise cash Stevie cycled to Marrakesh, Morocco. The pair had no formal training in either cycling or riding pedal boats.

The Expedition

European leg

Smith and Lewis set off on bicycles from Greenwich, London at midday on 12 July 1994. They cycled south-east across Britain to the coast at Rye, then pedalled across the English Channel, and then cycled south again across France through major cities including Paris and Orléans. The pair split up for a short while, meeting back up in Spain. They then travelled through Madrid, across Portugal and through Lisbon, finally arriving at Lagos on 29 September 1994. According to Smith, they slept outdoors, taking their sleeping bags into open places and sleeping under the stars.

The Atlantic Ocean

The trip across the Atlantic took 111 days, pedaling in two-hour day and four-hour night shifts. It ended in Miami.

North America

They crossed the North American continent on bicycles and skates. While skating through Colorado, Lewis got hit by a drunk truck driver and broke both of his legs. He stayed in Colorado for 9 months to heal and rest.

Pacific

Lewis completed the journey across the Pacific in the Moksha. Smith quit the project in Hawaii.

Australasia

The next leg to be completed was Australia and Indonesia. The journey north used pedal boats, kayaks and bicycle. This leg of the circumnavigation in Australia was especially noteworthy, as Jason reached the antipode to his Atlantic crossing path.

Final legs

The second half of Jason's human powered circumnavigation journey continued through Southeastern Asia and India before crossing the Arabian Sea to the African shores, from where he aimed north toward the Middle East and Europe, eventually returning to his starting point in England.

Further reading

• Smith, Stevie, Pedaling To Hawaii: A Human-Powered Odyssey, US: Countryman; UK Summersdale Publishers Ltd (2006) foreword by the Dalai Lama.
• Carter, Mike, "One Man and his Bike", Ebury Press (June 2, 2011). The author meets Stevie Smith on his ride around the UK, giving him pause for thought as to the reason for his own journey. Smith has left the circumnavigation and is working as a ferryman in Salcombe, Devon, UK.
• Lewis, Jason, "Dark Waters (The Expedition Trilogy, part 1): True Story of the First Human-Powered Circumnavigation of the Earth", BillyFish Books (2012).
• Lewis, Jason, "The Seed Buried Deep (The Expedition Trilogy, part 2): True Story of the First Human-Powered Circumnavigation of the Earth", BillyFish Books (publication slated for Aug 1, 2013).
• Lewis, Jason, "To the Brink (The Expedition Trilogy, part 3): True Story of the First Human-Powered Circumnavigation of the Earth", BillyFish Books (publication slated for April, 2014).

See also

Colin Angus (explorer) and Julie Wafaei

External links

• Expedition 360 home page
• The Expedition film
• iBooks feature
• Definition of human powered circumnavigation by Erden Eruç
• Angus Adventures, web site of Colin Angus.