motoring.co.za
July 10, 2003
By Dave Abrahams
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NOT YOUR AVERAGE SUNDAY RIDE: This is a view of Mount Everest, the world's highest mountain, from the road to base camp. |
Biking's 'Heidi' plans ride up Mount Everest
Young Swedish motocross rider Annie Seel might look like Heidi but she's one tough lady and, to prove it, she's going to ride a motorcycle up Mount Everest.
In August she'll attempt to set an official record for the world's highest
motorcycle ride by taking a Honda XL250 trail bike up the world's highest
mountain.
Seel was invited to join a Danish team that will make the ascent up to
the Northern base camp on the Rongbuk glacier, 5150m above sea level.
Still, base camp wasn't enough for the 34-year-old from Täby in
Sweden so she’s decided to strap on an oxygen tank, wrap up in thermal
kit to keep out the -10C temperatures, and take the bike up to the advanced
base camp at 6400m
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ANNIE SEEL: She might look like the girl next door but this Swedish motocross rider and extreme tourist is going to ride a motorcycle up Everest. |
Annie Seel will attempt to set a record for the highest bike ride by taking a Honda up Mount Everest.
Danish rider Henning Bitsch invited Seel on the trip when he saw TV footage
of her on the 2002 Dakar rally through the Sahara.
"I finished the Dakar 54th but I was the only 400cc production bike
to get to the end," said Seel.
"By the time I got there I had a broken bone in a hand and a badly
bruised leg and the only way I could think to describe the race was to
call it the Everest of the motorsports world.
"Henning read my comments in an article and invited me to go to Everest
with him."
While doing some research for the trip Seel discovered that there was
an unofficial record held by a Japanese rider who claims to have taken
his bike up to 5250m, just higher than they would get to at base camp.
She decided to carry on up the hill.
The Nepalese government has had a ban on imports of new motorcycles for
more than a decade so the team will be using a fleet of Honda XL250 trail
bikes borrowed from a local tour organiser.
The bikes are already set up for use at altitude but Seel plans to put
on studded ice tyres for the trip.
The expedition will start from Kathmandu on August 6, taking the long
route to base camp to allow the riders to get accustomed to the altitude.
Weather permitting, Seel should be attempting the run to advanced base
camp just under two weeks later.
IOL will let you know how just how high she gets.