Eight years. Seven continents. Four world records. One goal: circumnavigating the globe east to west and pole to pole using human power alone.
It's a long endgame, but for Angelo Wilkie-Page, the fact that "it's a true first" makes the expedition worth it.
"In 2015 there are very few true firsts left and that's kind of the ultimate goal to try to be the first person in history to circumnavigate the world from pole to pole under human power," says the South African of the project he's dubbed Expedition 720 degrees.
"It's entirely under my own steam. So I'll be cycling, rowing and paddling my way across the world," says Wilkie-Page, who is hoping to raise one million dollars by the end of his trip for Heifer International South Africa to help the country's most impoverished communities.
The 30-year-old had been working toward the November 2014 launch in Los Angeles for more than a year, an idea born of an early fascination with circumnavigation.
Wilkie-Page cycled in to Prince George Monday afternoon, muddy and tired after 11 days straight from Squamish, where he stalled after a "massive snowstorm" hit.
"Ever since Squamish it's been a lot tougher, obviously temperatures have dropped substantially and made things a little more complicated. Road surfaces have changed, it's been a lot hillier," says Wilkie-Page, estimating that including his weight, bike and pack, he's carrying 200 kilograms. "It's just been a little more challenging, more beautiful at the same time."
In Prince George he has a bed to sleep in, but that's far from the norm. Most mornings, he doesn't know where he'll stay that night.
"I've slept on the beach. I've slept in some spectacular mountain passes, motels hotels, friends of friends, I've stayed in a church."
In an Oregon state park, Wilkie-Page found shelter in a restroom while a storm whipped branches from the trees.
"Every day produces it's own new challenges and that's why you can't plan too far ahead, you just have to be able to adapt," he says.
He admits a lot can change in eight years, but he has a stubbornness that will keep him going.
"I think you need to be in order to complete this kind of thing," he says. "I kind of just taken one day, one week, one month at a time."
He says there are long stretches of isolation, but has been overwhelmed by the "incredible generosity" of people along the way. He also marvels at the changing landscape, particularly the "jagged coastline" and northern California's Avenue of Giants, a 31-mile stretch through an ancient redwood forest.
"That was incredible riding through all the redwood trees. I took a moment of reflection there," he says.
Wilkie-Page doesn't consider himself a professional cyclist but by no means is he a green athlete. He's competed in an Ironman triathlon, he's an avid sailor and he's climbed in the Himalayas.
Anchorage, Alaska is the final destination for this first leg of his expedition; there will be eight in total.
But for now, he'll have a few days rest in Prince George to regroup and re-gear.
"There's still a long way to go."
