Author Topic: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt  (Read 5712 times)

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« on: 03 April, 2017, 11:40:00 am »
We all remember when Mark set his first record of 194 days in 2008, starting a chain of ever faster attempts.  I remember the late, great Mike Hall saying after his WCR win that it could be done in 80 days.  Now Mark is attempting to do it. 

Guardian article

If you recall, Guinness did the dirty on Mike and changed the rules after he'd finished, so transit time was included in the count.  One of the positives of this is that Mark's new route looks a lot less bitsy than most of the WCR routes: he's traversing the Eurasian landmass in one go, and is only allowing three days for total transfer time. 

The attempt will start in July.  Good luck to the guy!

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #1 on: 03 April, 2017, 11:44:31 am »
Wasn't the rule changed so that the wait for transits is included (but not the actual transits)? So Mike had ridden to transit points then waited for flights and his wait time wasn't included. I believe that even if you included his wait time, he still came well in under the 127 days that the current guiness record says is official.

<i>Marmite slave</i>

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #2 on: 03 April, 2017, 11:57:40 am »
The current rule is that the clock never stops.

Loads of people have ridden faster than the 123 day Guinness record, but Guinness, up to its usual tricks, doesn't recognise those.

Wikipedia article


Phil W

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #3 on: 03 April, 2017, 12:05:47 pm »
Different type of attempt. This one is with support, with Mark carrying virtually nothing on the bike. So I would say it's in a different category to the rules of WCR.

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #4 on: 03 April, 2017, 01:10:39 pm »
I hadn't noticed that, but you're right.

Quote
[Last time] was unsupported, wild man-style, trying to find clean water and a place to sleep.
This time it is Tour De France-style. I have a support team behind me and it is just about performance. That makes a huge difference.

Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
  • Custard Wallah
    • Mr Larrington's Automatic Diary
Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #6 on: 06 July, 2017, 08:17:10 am »
He was interviewed interviewed by TV's M Smith during ITV4's live Tour broadcast yesterday, while hammering across Poland.
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #7 on: 07 July, 2017, 07:59:19 pm »
From GCN: Simon, an ex-pro cyclist, rides with Mark for a day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmkFbtAl8U4

Steph

  • Fast. Fast and bulbous. But fluffy.
Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #8 on: 29 July, 2017, 09:46:10 pm »
I got a mention in his first book...

He struck me as a really nice man. Good luck to him.
Mae angen arnaf i byw, a fe fydda'i

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #9 on: 29 July, 2017, 10:19:22 pm »
Staggered how quick he got to China! He's off to Australia now.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #10 on: 31 July, 2017, 05:52:43 pm »
The first I heard of Mark Beaumont was in Julian Sayerer's fairly famous rant.

I don't know enough about Mark Beaumont to have an opinion of the guy but regardless if you are interested in the record you might want to read Julian's book 'Life Cycles' (no connection etc.).

I didn't find it an easy read but it's certainly powerful.

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #11 on: 09 August, 2017, 11:25:00 pm »
Mark's support van has just been wiped out by getting rear ended ... in Australia.  The antipodeans really aren't doing much to encourage me to cycle down there  :-[

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #12 on: 10 August, 2017, 02:51:48 am »
He had the decency to slow for a bit to ride with the wonderful young man that is Ed Pratt. Nice one, Mark  :)

Those wonderful norks are never far from my thoughts, oh yeah!

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #13 on: 10 August, 2017, 09:10:28 am »
He had the decency to slow for a bit to ride with the wonderful young man that is Ed Pratt. Nice one, Mark  :)


That should be sport photo of the year, if there was any justice.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #14 on: 10 August, 2017, 09:43:02 am »
A car smashed into the back of Mark's support vehicle yesterday.  >:(

Mark & the team are OK.  :thumbsup:

Pictures on Facebook looked awful.  :o

Video, by Mark, explaining what happened here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDC25EEQuy0&feature=youtu.be
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

Chris S

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #15 on: 10 August, 2017, 09:46:36 am »
Bloody hell. Australians do actually have to pass a driving test, don't they? What's going on over there?!

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #16 on: 10 August, 2017, 10:55:27 am »
I've visited Western Australia a time or two with work and can confirm that the standard of driving is rather poor. I remember thinking that they drove like Gibraltarians while using big American style vehicles.  Not a good combination.

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #17 on: 10 August, 2017, 09:43:20 pm »
On the Aus route, anyone know why Mark needed to go via Melbourne, rather than head east towards Wagga Wagga from Adelaide (A20)?

'Mark & Ed' is a great pic.  Ed's YT vlogs are entertaining.   :)
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #18 on: 10 August, 2017, 10:54:29 pm »
 Less hills? Avoid the Monaro highway?

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #19 on: 11 August, 2017, 12:18:34 am »
On the Aus route, anyone know why Mark needed to go via Melbourne, rather than head east towards Wagga Wagga from Adelaide (A20)?

'Mark & Ed' is a great pic.
Maybe to clock up more miles than going direct. He has to achieve a minimum total mileage to qualify for 'round the world'. So it's not just about going direct from A to B in the shortest route.

Steph

  • Fast. Fast and bulbous. But fluffy.
Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #20 on: 14 August, 2017, 08:29:55 am »
That was one of the reasons he went the same way I did in WA back in 2007, rather than straight across to Kalgoorlie/Norseman. Minimum mileage necessary.
Mae angen arnaf i byw, a fe fydda'i

Clare

  • Is in NZ
Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #21 on: 18 September, 2017, 06:39:19 pm »

Karla

  • car(e) free
    • Lost Byway - around the world by bike
Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #22 on: 18 September, 2017, 09:50:30 pm »
I've offered to pay for his name change to Phileas Fogg.  Let's see if he takes me up on it eh?

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #23 on: 18 September, 2017, 10:23:55 pm »
Well done to him. A remarkable feat of logistics - and to bang out those 4 x 4 hr blocks at 15 mph every day is astonishingly consistent.

Re: Around the World in 80 Days: a new Mark Beaumont attempt
« Reply #24 on: 18 September, 2017, 11:29:46 pm »
Well done Mark!
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain