Way back in April of this year I told you about Welsh adventurer Ash Dyke's plans to trek the entire length of the Yangtze River. At the time, Dykes was expecting to set out on his journey sometime in July, but a few unforeseen delays caused him to reschedule for August instead. Now, he's ready to get started at long last on what promises to be a year-long journey through the heart of China.Dubbed Mission Yangtze, the expedition is expected to cover approximately 6437 km (4000 miles) as Dykes walks along the river from source to sea. The Yangtze holds the distinction of being the longest river in the world that falls completely within one country, wandering through tall mountain meadows, thick forests, dense jungles, and even arid deserts on its way to the sea. The Welshman will have to overcome all of those challenges if he hopes to become the first person to ever walk its length.
Dykes has said that this expedition will be one of the most technologically advanced ever. He plans to release regular updates on his progress via Facebook, Twitter, and other social media outlets. He'll also release weekly videos and the entire journey is being filmed for a documentary series too. To that end, he'll be followed by a film crew for much of the trek as well.
According to reports, Ash is now very close to actually launching the expedition and should get started in the next few days. His most recent social media updates have indicated that one of his cameramen was suffering from altitude sickness, but that he was recovering and preparing to start as well. Hopefully we'll get an update indicating that Mission Yangtze is underway at long last, as this should be an interesting adventure to watch unfold.
Watch for regular updates to Ash's website, particularly as things get rolling along soon.
