Beer Belly 001: Beer Belly

Tasted my first Korea beer: Max (not like the ones we have at home). It’s a 100% malt beer, so not like the rice beers that are more common.

Price: $5

Size: Just under 2L                                                                                 

Extras: It came with a sampling of this cheddar cheese pretzel bits, I’ve since then lost the packet. It tastes like a blonde.

I didn’t expect much, but I drank this yesterday with my uncle over lunch (which was also cheap, like $4 a plate). It’s a good beer with food, not something I’d write home to brag about. It’s an average drunk beer and it’s cheap enough to buy in bulk. Tastes much better than the dreck we have back home for $5 though.

I’m giving it 3 MAXIMUM ICES out of 5.

Eating a dinner with my uncle and his friend and her daughter! 

Phew it’s nice to be here.

By the time the automatic publisher posts this I’ll be at the airport. I can’t believe all my gear fit into both those bags. 

From this morning. My official gear list. Here it is from top-left to the bottom-right, like you’re reading a book!

- Protein bottles: for the initial few days there

- MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane): Great stuff for joints and inflammation, something I’d want to avoid doing 100KM+ a day

- Electrolyte tablets: I only have enough for the first week, after that some Gatorade will do

- Deodorant… it’s Old Spice, two kinds!

- Extra glasses and my sunglasses, with glasses cleaning kit

- Camelback bottle

- Zune with headphones

- Izumi Sun Sleeves, keeps my skin from getting burnt and keeps my arms/legs nice and cool

- Five extra tubes with the appropriate patch kit and both metal and plastic levers

- Mac with charger, mouse and USB cables for my various electronics

- Two u-locks with cables and bungee cables for whatever

- Two dual pumps

- Chain cleaner

- Park Tool handbook, just in case

- GoPro Hero 3 with extra joints and SD cards and extra batteries

- Extra bike light

- Extra nuts and bolts

- Multi-tool

- Pocket knife

- Extra brake pads

- Spoke wrench

- Wrench

- Extra lock just in case

- Fluorescent fest just in case

- Wallet

- Digital camera and extra batteries

- Crank wrench

- Screwdriver with multiple heads

- Hanger

- Chain tool

- Markers

- Extra chain

- Bottle opener ring

- Orzhov badge

Not pictured:

- Helmet

- Other lights

- Clothes (uninteresting)

- Pedal wrench

That’s about it. Flight is in 7 hours and I need to be out of the house in 4. I can’t sleep. At least I get to catch up on some days of not updating.

Sweet baby Jesus I’m nervous, anyone else nervous?

These have been my costs so far (other than the flight): First receipt is about $200 from the Oxygen Bike Co. in South Etobicoke, those guys are great. Second and third receipts are from MEC, about $800~ in equipment (all of it which will last me for a long, long time even after I come back) from MEC.

This doesn’t include the cost of the GoPro Hero 3, the extra gear for that thing and other expenses I’m not remembering right this second.

Good thing my job is waiting for me when I get back.

Photo was taken April 25th, it was the day I came back with my equipment installed. I got some backpanniers, back rack, front bag (which has since been returned) all from MEC. I also got a lot of tools and stuff which doesn’t really require a mention.

Bike was all set, since then I’ve been planning monies and such.

So after a year of thinking about it and years of not really doing anything these past summers other than having an awful time in Cuba.

I decided to do a cycling tour of South Korea including Jeju Island, a total of 2000KM. I’ll be starting just outside of Seoul in Ansan (top-left) down to Mokpo (lower-left) then Jeju then around Busan (lower-right) to the top-left then back to Seoul. 

I’ll be visiting lots of temples, UNESCO heritage sites and doing all sorts of stuff. So stay tuned!

I’ll also be posting various other things as well including my equipment, preperation, etc.