NOTE: This is Part I of a two-part Podcast!

I'm excited about sharing my latest interview on the WorldRider Podcast with Ryan Pyle.

This guy is the real thing.

Ryan is an adventure traveler and motorcycle rider, television host and producer, author, professional keynote speaker, Guinness world record holder, mountain climber, award-winning photographer, and I'd like to add—humanitarian and philosopher. Okay, those last two titles I've given him—deservedly as you will learn while listening to these two podcasts.

Truly, this interview was so engaging and the topics incredibly intriguing that I couldn't edit it down to one hour-long episode. So I've decided to share nearly the entire conversation in two parts—a first on the WorldRider Podcast.

I've been following Ryan Pyle since my journey to China in the summer of 2015. In China, he earned a Guinness world record for the longest continuous motorcycle ride in a single county. The journey became the subject of two books and launched "Tough Rides" a successful television series that aired on the Travel Channel. He has been an inspiration to me and an invaluable sounding board for ideas on travel to China, India and elsewhere.

Ryan Pyle is principal of Ryan Pyle Productions. He was born in Toronto and after a collegiate basketball career and graduating from the University of Toronto with a degree in International Politics, Ryan decided to try his hand at international diplomacy by relocating to China. It didn't take long until Ryan was a sought after photojournalist whose work appeared in Wall Street Journal, TIME, Newsweek, Fortune, Outside Magazine, and ultimately becoming a regular contributor to The New York Times.

In 2009, Ryan was named as one 30 emerging photographers in the world. He then produced documentary films, several television series, and started writing books about his experiences in China and his travels around the world. You can find his Tough Rides series on Vimeo and iTunes. And here is the trailer for Season One of Ryan's Extreme Treks.

Here is more information on his books and television series:

TELEVISION SERIES

2018 – Extreme Treks: Season #3 – In Production

2017 – Extreme Treks: Season #2 – Distributed by TCB Media

2016 – Tough Rides: Brazil – Travel Channel

2014 – Extreme Treks: Season #1 – Distributed by TCB Media

2014 – China’s Great Gateway: Shaanxi – Discovery Channel

2014 – Tough Rides: India – Travel Channel

2013 – Touch Rides: China – Travel Channel

PUBLICATIONS

2017 – Sacred Mountains – Photography Book

2016 – Tough Rides: Brazil – Written Book

2015 – Sacred Mountains of China – Written Book

2014 – Chinese Turkestan – Photography Book

2014 – The India Ride – Written Book

2013 – The Middle Kingdom Ride – Written Book