Joshua Moodie from Croyde is bidding to ride 15,000 miles from Lands End to Russia
An endurance cyclist from North Devon is to attempt a ground-breaking, unsupported cycling expedition from the Atlantic coast of Europe to the Pacific coast of Russia, crossing two continents and more than a dozen countries over the course of approximately one year.
Joshua Moodie, aged 22, from Croyde, will set out from Land’s End, Cornwall, on September 14 for his expedition ‘Atlantic to Pacific - The Long Ride East’.
It is believed to be a world-first attempt to cycle continuously and self-supported from Land's End to the Pacific coastline of Russia, traversing Europe, Central Asia, and East Asia before finishing on the edge of the Pacific Ocean.
Joshua will sail from Portsmouth to France before continuing eastward on a demanding international route, crossing diverse terrains. These will include Alpine passes, Balkan mountain ranges, Central Asian deserts, reaching altitudes of 4,665 m in Tajikistan. He will travel through the remote steppe and wilderness regions of Mongolia, finally finishing on the Pacific coast of Russia.
The full journey is expected to cover approximately 15,000 miles (24,000 km) over the course of a year, entirely unsupported, with no vehicle back-up, crew or logistical support.
Joshua previously completed a solo, unsupported ride from Land’s End to John O’Groats in 2024 in 18 days, undertaken in early-season conditions to test endurance in harsher weather.
The journey spans two of the world’s most geographically and culturally diverse regions.
Alongside the physical expedition, the journey will serve as a long-form documentary project. He will film throughout the route, producing an evolving narrative that documents both the cycling challenge and the people and organisations encountered along the way.
A central focus of the project is collaboration with small, grassroots NGOs (non-governmental organisations) working in regions along the route. These organisations operate in fields including poverty alleviation, conservation and environmental protection.
Joshua’s trip will support a number of charities, including the Pickwell Foundation and Earth Action North Devon and he said the charitable element was the real inspiration for the challenge.
He explained: “Growing up around charities and with my parents being involved in quite a few along with my sister and my uncle, they've all been kind of surrounded by small charities and so that’s my inspiration - just trying to help.
“I see the struggles that small charities have so that's really inspired me to try and make a bit of a difference and to shed a light on what they're doing.”
Joshua, who studied conservation, biology and ecology at Exeter University, has been planning the trip for the past year, including arranging visas, insurance and working out a route of countries it is safe to travel through.
He said he knows it is going to be challenging: “I think that the mental battle is probably harder than the physical in a way.
“To stay motivated and moving, I think is going to be hard, but I think you meet so many people that inspire you each step that it will just carry itself over. So I'm not too worried. I suppose maybe some of the borders might be a bit of a challenge.
“There's definitely some sketchier little regions that I go through that I'm going to have to try to look at before I go on the ground and assess. There's a lot of altitude as well - there's a serious risk of altitude sickness in some sections.”
He added: “From the Atlantic coast of Cornwall to the Pacific coast of Russia, this journey is a reminder that despite our political and cultural differences, people everywhere share the same hopes for their families, communities and the future.
“This ride may cover thousands of miles, but in the grand scheme of things, it's just a bit of cycling. The true achievement belongs to the organisations working tirelessly to support vulnerable communities and create opportunities for those less fortunate. My hope is simply to use this adventure to draw attention to their remarkable work.
“With so much negativity in the media, I hope this journey can be a small reminder that people and humanity are still capable of great good.”
He is still appealing for support in the form of sponsorship and equipment including, high-performance cycling equipment, lightweight camping and expedition gear, and a drone for aerial filming and documentation.
He will also be posting updates on social media and Youtube – search ‘The Long Ride East’.
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