“So where are you right now?”
“I arrived back in Kathmandu yesterday after three weeks on the road, traversing the Himalayas from the Western Chinese-Nepal border,” says Cory Wallace, the Canadian endurance mountain biker known for chasing adventure wherever the trail—or lack thereof—leads him.
It’s a rare pause for Wallace, who admits, “It’s time for some recovery for both the bike and the body after riding big on 20 out of 21 days!”
The adventure begins
Wallace’s most recent adventure was a dream in the making—a Himalayan traverse from the far western edge of Nepal. Joined by Christoph Sauser, the legendary Swiss mountain biker, the pair set out with a singular goal: to pioneer a new cycling route high in the mountains, where few—if any—had dared to pedal.
“The idea was to stay as high up as possible while still finding rideable areas,” Wallace explains. With Nepal’s expanding network of roads, once-inaccessible landscapes are opening up, revealing pristine, untouched terrain perfect for exploration.
For 13 days, Wallace and Sauser rode 8-to-12 hours daily, traversing rugged trails and remote passes before reaching the Annapurna Circuit. “We finished our ride together in Besisahar,” says Wallace. It was a bittersweet farewell as Sauser returned to Switzerland, leaving Wallace to press on solo for another week, charting new high-altitude routes back towards Kathmandu.
Now, Wallace contemplates heading eastward to complete the traverse to the Indian border. “It all depends on the weather,” he notes. With winter creeping in, snow threatens to close off the highest passes.
Why Nepal?
For Wallace, Nepal is a second home, a place he returns to every winter for four months of riding and exploration. “Nepal has some of the best riding in the world,” he says. “The vast network of trekking trails and dirt roads, with virtually no traffic, makes it a biker’s paradise.”
Add to that the culture, the hospitality of the locals, and the ever-present teahouses and villages offering food and shelter, and it’s an easy place to bike pack.
“In the far-off regions, where they see very few travelers, the people are especially friendly,” he says. While many flock to tourist hubs along well-trodden routes, Wallace finds himself increasingly drawn to the remote and untamed corners of Nepal.
The crisp, stable weather is another draw. “The mornings and nights can drop below freezing, but it’s still much…
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