UNICEF

It’s not every day you get to cycle around the world with your family, but for father and son, George and Josh Kohler, that’s exactly what they’ve been doing for more than a year

A father and son are cycling around the planet for 400 days, travelling through more than 25 countries, and amid the gruelling hill climbs, there’s one destination that stands out from them all.

George, 57, and his son, Josh Kohler, 23, from Norfolk, have been cycling around the world on an epic adventure for over a year. In their mission to ‘Pedal the Planet’, the father-and-son duo have visited some of the most spectacular destinations around the globe and cycled through more than 25 countries, with diverse landscapes of barren deserts to rugged mountains and terraced rice fields.

Since the pair set off from their hometown of Norfolk on 29 March last year, they’ve clocked up thousands of miles, which is expected to reach 30,000 kilometres by the end, and have raised more than £30,000 for charity. By the time they finish their remarkable journey next month, George and Josh will have spent almost 400 days cycling around the world, and ascended a whopping 180,000 metres – the equivalent of 20 Mount Everests!

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They’re currently on track to secure three Guinness World Records titles: ‘Fastest father and son to circumnavigate the world on bicycles’, ‘Furthest distance cycled by a father and son’, and ‘Most countries cycled through by a father and son’. As they near the end of their extraordinary journey, with just weeks to go, George and Josh spoke exclusively to The Mirror, having just finished their South America leg.

While taking a break from cycling in Rio, George, who has his own chimney-sweeping business, said: “There’s been so much we’ve been through, in terms of hardship, challenge, pressure and times when we’ve been pretty much on our knees with things that have happened over the course of the journey.

“But on the flip side, we’ve recovered from that every time, we’ve helped each other through it and the highs that have come from it… the mutual support and respect we have for each other. The amazing people we’ve met, the incredible journey we’ve gone through, the fantastic scenery, and the whole thing has been so awesome to be a part of, and the realisation that it is coming to an end, it’s quite daunting.”

Some of their notable highlights while pedalling around the world for around 7-8 hours a day include crossing the remote Nullarbor Plain in Australia and visiting Iguazu Falls in South America to admire more than 200 waterfalls. One day, they also woke up in Cappadocia, Turkey, to hundreds of hot-air balloons drifting overhead. Yet, there was one destination they hailed as their favourite, and it was far from what they had expected.

The father-and-son duo quickly agreed that China has been by far the best destination they had visited during their lengthy expedition. “We didn’t want to leave,” Josh, a videographer and content creator, explained. “We spent two months cycling through there. We arrived with no expectations, but when we got there, it was completely different to what we had expected. It was incredible. Every day, there was so much going on, so much to see. It’s a completely different culture, the food and scenery was incredible, and the people were really friendly.”

George added: “Little snippets from China include being able to walk on the western side of the Great Wall in this incredible scenery, to witnessing the Hani rice terraces, the largest in the world – it was like overlooking the Grand Canyon but made of rice, it was just insane.”

However, their quest around the globe has been far from straightforward, with the pair battling punishing headwinds, scorching desert heat, gruelling mountain passes and isolated roads along the way. And when it comes down to the country that has been the biggest challenge, they both quickly agreed it was Brazil due to its “very hilly” terrain.

Although Josh added: “South America as a whole, they don’t have a cycling culture or infrastructure, so there’s no back road or anything, so we’re on the highway, and especially in Argentina, there’s no hard shoulder, so we’re on the same lane as the trucks. Mentally, we were always having to be aware of what was going on around us, and going off the road when a truck was coming was quite draining. And then it was around 35 to 40 degrees during the day, it was hot, and very remote.”

George added that Australia was “up there” with the most taxing parts, due to the “size of the country”. He explained: “Until you’ve experienced it, it’s just a figure on a map, but going through a 12,00km stretch of treeless desert with maybe half a dozen or so road houses on the way and beyond that is nothing, absolutely nothing. And it’s hot, it’s dusty, and just goes on forever.”

Now, Josh and George have just a few weeks left in their whopping journey around the world and hope to break three Guinness World Records, which will be revealed only once they’ve officially completed their 400-day venture. The last leg saw them fly from Rio to Lisbon on Monday, 6 April, and they are now pedalling through Portugal, Spain, and France for around three weeks, before returning to their hometown of Norfolk on 2 May.

With the end in sight, it’s a bittersweet moment for the duo as they reflect on their epic adventure together, and both confess to feeling “emotional”. “This has been our way of life for the last year, and there will be a lot of changes happening,” Josh said.

Reflecting on how it’s impacted their relationship, Josh added: “We always knew as a whole, this journey was going to be a physical and mental challenge, but I don’t think we were prepared for the emotional challenge that comes with this, especially as father and son.

“Spending this much time with anyone, you’re going to clash, but especially when it’s your dad. You do get on each other’s nerves every now and then, but it’s learning our boundaries and how we make it work in the best way possible for our relationship. How that’s evolved has definitely been a challenge, but the results have been amazing. The bonds we’ve formed and strengthened have just made this whole thing incredible.”

Aside from creating unforgettable memories together, Josh and George have raised more than £30,000 for UNICEF. They’ve also raised money for Bicycle Links, a bike company in Norwich that supports “people with the provision of refurbished bikes where they can’t otherwise afford them, and who also provide mental health support for people through their workshops.”

You can follow more of their journey on their social media accounts @joshpkohler and @georgemkohler, or donate to their JustGiving page.

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