I too am interested in participating in a tour ending in Beijing for the Olympics. I am 51 years old, have been teaching in Eastern Europe for the past 2 decades, living for the summers to ride. Check out
www.bicycle.lt to see photos and travel journals of past tours. My 17-year-old boy would most likely join me. He is a Lithuanian citizen. He has ridden with me for the past 6 summers. I am considering taking him out of school for one year and home (road) school him about the ways of the world. The longest he and I have been out is 20 weeks and 8000km on a ride from North Cape to Athens for the 2004 Olympics.
I envision a tour with each participant being self-sustaining, equal and open to the language of the road and the spirit of the people. My wish is to travel with a semi-organized group but I do not want to be the leader, just an equal participant.
Currently I am teaching in Sumy, Ukraine in the north of the country 15 km from the Russian boarder.
Please contact me. I would like to join you.
John Clark