The Endless Endurance of Circumnavigators
The men credited with the first human-powered circumnavigations of the earth are sharing their story in two new books.
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Both Jason Lewis and Erden Eruc, the men who pulled off the first human-powered circumnavigations of the earth (Lewis with help from a partner; Eruc following up with a solo effort), have new books out. The Seed Buried Deep is Lewis’s second installment in his narrative trilogy detailing his 13-year—and nearly lethal—project. Eruc (Outside’s 2013 Adventurer of the Year) has just released Journey of a Lifetime, a large-format photo book chronicling his multi-year ‘round-the-world journey.
Both men completed full circles around the planet using only human propulsion: no motors, no sails, no aircraft of any kind—just muscle, grit, and ingenuity. Their respective voyages included rowing and pedal-boating across the oceans, and cycling, hiking, and even in-line skating across the continents. The distances are almost too massive to fathom; the endurance involved simply off the charts.
Both books delve deeper into the details of their unprecedented voyages. Proceeds for Eruc’s Journey of a Lifetime will help support a pending documentary film about his trip.