Scaling peaks of Everest (From Stroud News and Journal)

Scaling peaks of Everest

Last summer, the SNJ reported on Jamie Rouan's ambitious expedition to follow the ancient Silk Route to Nepal and climb Mt Everest. Nick Bonnie reports on the team's progress since setting off in December.

IT'S now 11 weeks since Jamie Rouan and the Everestmax team left on their quest to cycle to Nepal and climb the highest mountain on earth.

Jamie, a 22-year-old zoology graduate from Sheepscombe, and the team are currently in northern India in a place called Amala.

The team are completing one of the most gruelling challenges on the planet - travelling from the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea, to the highest, Mt Everest.

Jamie is cycling the ancient Silk Road route before reaching base camp at Everest.

Since leaving on December 22, the team have cycled through Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan - where they needed a police escort due to escalating tensions caused by reaction to the controversial Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

Jamie said: "During one ride in February we had two armed vehicles following us with the girls needing police escort's just to go to the toilet." Weather conditions have veered from a searing 30 degrees Celsius among the dusty dunes of Pakistan to ice and snow in Iran.

But spirits remain high and the cyclists hope to reach the Nepalese capital Kathmandu next month ready to tackle Everest.

On average, they complete 100km a day - and they try to mix with the locals as much as possible.

In Pakistan they had an unusual game of football.

"The game was labelled Pakistan versus England but was cut short by the introduction of a camel and the fact that the game was being played on a main road," said Jamie.

The expedition is in aid of three aid charities - Merlin, SOS Children's Village and Practical Action.

Donations are welcome and can be made online at the Everestmax website www.everestmax.com

The website has weekly updates of the team's progress.