Go Ape

When Kevin Shannon was a kid all he wanted to be was an explorer. Now he’s all grown up he’s making his dreams come true by taking on a zero-emissions solo challenge to circumnavigate the globe, with nothing but a couple of panniers and a pushbike. Read his story, then find out how you could win £600 towards your next adventure.

Get on your bike and go global

What do you want to be when you grow up? A ballet dancer? A fireman?

If you’d asked Kevin Shannon that when he was a kid, he’d have said: ‘An explorer.’ Maybe you did too.

But Kevin’s a bit different. Instead of getting a sensible, steady office job that pays the bills, when he grew up he decided to make his childhood dreams of high adventure come true, and actually become an explorer.

Which is, of course, why we like him. Just before Easter, his bags all packed and ready, he said goodbye to his mum and dad and friends and set out to see the whole wide world. He will circumnavigate the globe on a three-year solo expedition, raising money for the charity Combat Stress as he goes.

‘After living and studying in London I decided I wasn’t ready to settle down and face a career. I still had to cure my wanderlust; I still needed to explore; I still wanted an adventure,’ he says.

Growing up in Mobberley in Cheshire, he heard grand tales of the village’s most famous hero, George Mallory, who died trying to be the first man to the summit of Mount Everest.

‘The tales captivated me so much, I dreamt of being an explorer myself,’ Kev says. ‘Every bit of my free time was spent exploring the village I grew up in, the local woodland, following the little stream that passes by the village as far as possible to see where it ended, hoping that one day I would be able to explore far-off lands.’

Now Kev is fulfilling his ambition to travel far, far away. To add to the challenge, he’s resolved to complete the journey with zero emissions. So he’ll pedal over land and either row or use the power of the wind to cross several seas and both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

That’s no mean feat. As he says: ‘This is my Everest.’

To find out more about Kev and keep up-to-date with his progress, have a look at his website www.becauseitisthere.co.uk or follow him on Twitter @kev_shannon

GRAB! £600 towards your next adventure

If you’re a budding explorer planning a grand land-based expedition then enter our draw to win a Go Ape adventure bursaries. Every 60 days we’re giving away £600 to put towards a life-challenging trip. You could be next. To win the cash, we want you to tell us all about what you’re aiming to do – submit your story. Good luck!