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Adventurers tackle Asia Steppe by Steppe

23 April 2008

The "quike" in action. Monash students Megan Kerr and Roger Chao test their "world first" all-terrain cycle.

Two Monash University postgraduate students will tackle some of the harshest terrain in central Asia next year using a world-first, all-terrain four-wheeled cycle or "quike".

The students are Roger Chao, who is completing his Honours degree in Philosophy, and Megan Kerr, who is in the final year of her PhD in Neuroscience.

Roger is an experienced extreme adventurer who was named the 2006 Australian Geographic Young Adventurer of the Year. Megan, a former president of the Monash Outdoors Club, enjoys off-track bushwalks and remote off-track cycle tours throughout Victoria and Tasmania in summer and in winter.

The students plan to commence their adventure holiday in April 2009, and spend 12 months travelling through areas including the Ural Mountains in Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Western China, Mongolia and Siberia.

Their planned route will take them through untracked territory where no roads or towns exist and as a result they expect to endure week-long stints without access to water or food.

Their sole mode of transportation throughout the journey will be a quike -- which they describe as a "purpose-built, four-wheeled, tandem recumbent".

"This all-terrain vehicle is a one of a kind vehicle, the first time such a vehicle has ever been built, let alone used - a world first," the students said.

"It has been built to handle the most extreme terrain, from ice and snow, to sand and mud, from -50°C to 50°C, thus allowing us to venture into areas otherwise inaccessible by car, train, plane, boat or on foot.

"However, what makes this vehicle unique is it's truly all-terrain -- the attachment of inflatable pods and a pedal-powered propeller completes the transformation for use on water."

The students said the aim of their adventure would be to experience and document the lifestyle, traditions and culture of the various nomadic groups and endangered ethnic minorities they encounter.

"Whilst living with these diverse and fascinating peoples for extended periods of time, we will be fully immersed in their lifestyle and culture, recording our experiences on a variety of different media, including audio, video and stills," the students said.

"Our journey will be tracked live in real-time and transmitted to an audience via our fully interactive, multimedia website."