Kona Adventure Team rider Cory Wallace is one for globetrotting. During the winter of 2020 Wallace spent month after month stuck in Nepal, unable to return to his home base of Jasper in Alberta, Canada due to Covid travel restrictions. But Wallace wasn’t bothered. As someone who makes the most of every opportunity he took the chance to train in the high altitude of the Himalayas, even conquering an Everest ride in the shadow of Mt. Everest. He found himself among new friends staying at a Monastary when he needed housing due to his extended stay and ended up raising 15,000 meals for hungry families. Cory is a glass half full kind of guy, always.
His latest adventure finds him pedaling across southern Africa, competing in events, bikepacking from point to point, and meeting friends along the way. Cory is a man of many talents, but acquiring new friends has to top his list of achievements. While in South Africa, he competed in the Munga, a 1,1500 km stage race over five days in the molten African heat. He said it was the most difficult thing he’s ever done on his bike. More difficult than the time he got the fastest known time summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro, or getting the speed record on the Anapurna Circuit, or winning one of his three 24-hour solo world championships, or trying his double Everest attempt this past summer. The crazy thing is most of those things have happened in only the past few years. Saying Cory is a beast doesn’t do his dedication (or watts) justice.
The man is a pure machine but has a heart of gold. He weaves humanitarian efforts into everything he does from fundraising for meals to helping the Nepalese cyclists raise money for a training center, to helping kids get a taste of riding bikes wherever he is in the world. If you’re not following along with Cory, do yourself a favor and check out his blog or follow him on Instagram. The world needs more people like Cory Wallace.
