Our great hike is happening for real, both the Kiwi mountain-men are in-country and all is arranged that can be. We’re holding an Expedition Launching Ceremony and Media-Event at about 9 or 10 on the morning of Sunday, September 2nd 2007 at Jiri-san’s area known to Koreans as Beobgyesa-ipgu. This is the trailhead/parking-lot area of Jungsan-ri [Center-of-Mountains Village], at the western end of National Highway 20.
Jungsan-ri is located in Shicheon-myeon District of Sancheong-gun County of South Gyeongsang Province; access is from the Danseong Exit on Expressway #35. There are several motels, minbak homestays, restaurants and shops there, and it’s where people begin the three-hour hike up to Beobgye-sa Temple (1300 meters high). This is the shortest of several trails up to Cheonhwang-bong [Heavenly-King Peak] (1915 m), which is considered the beginning point of the Baekdu-daegan Ridgeline. There’s a large modern Mountain-Spirit Monument (government-built!) in a small plaza there, and that’s where we’ll hold the Launching Ceremony to see the guys off on their nine-week adventure. Korea’s Ambassador of Tourism, the NZ Ambassador, some local officials and some NGO representatives will be there, along with a crew from MBC-TV.
If anyone else would like to join us there for this, we’d love to have you — post any questions here or send me an e-mail. Wish the Kiwi dudes Good Fortune, anyway…
3 Comments
Let KBS know too, so I can watch it online without the hassle of setting up an MBC account….
Hey, there’s a real-time comment-post preview. Nifty!
Nine weeks? You guys are hiking for nine straight weeks? You crazy, hardcore people.
Be safe, and have fun! And take lots of pictures.
MBC requested an “exclusive” coverage-deal, sewing, so we’re unlikely to be on KBS until the Expedition is over, at least. There’ll be some post-trip Arirang coverage, too…
danson, Roger and Andrew are doing the entire hike, i’m just planning it and writing about it… too damn old for that sortta heroic effort, anymore… couldda joined them if it was 15 years ago… and when could i get two months fully “off”?? — and Yes they are two amazing “crazy, hardcore” dudes…
I really admire them for it — remember they’re paying expenses for this outta their own pockets, beyond taking 3 months off their jobs w/o pay (just as i’m donating my research/writing time/efforts).