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Pair begin tough Silk Road odyssey in Istanbul Continued from pg. 1 servation on both sides of the boundary in mountains along the Silk Road and wilderness beyond. "The greatest threats our planet faces today transcend political borders, whether climate change, poverty, peace and security, water issues, or habitat and biodiversity loss," said Harris. "These are all tightly interlinked challenges and to tackle them we need to think beyond borders." Cycling Silk will study those issues in the mountains and deserts of the Silk Road. The expedition will explore conservation initiatives straddling the border in the Caucasus, Tian Shan, Pamir, Himalyan and Karakoram mountains. The two women are starting in Istanbul, Turkey, the geographic edge of Europe and the origin of the historic Silk Road, they will bike through Georgia, Azerbaijan, cross the Caspian Sea by ferry then continue from Kazakhstan through Uzbekistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, China and Nepal to the expedition's final destination in northern India. Harris and Yule have been friends since childhood. Harris is a writer, scientist, adventurer and photographer. She won a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford University where she completed her Master's thesis on transmountainous route. They will explore and document each proposed protected area along the mountainous routes. They have planned periodic stops along their route to explore and document each TBPA case study, interview scientists, conservationists, government officials and local communities, and continually update their followers on their website www.cyclingsilk.com. The expedition is sponsored by Seven Cycles, Polartec, the WILD Foundation, OneWorld Sustainable Investments and Wings WorldQuest, among others, and endorsed by the IUCN-WCPA. In addition to their previous trip along the Silk Road, Harris and Yule also biked coast-to-coast across the United States in 2005. The two women will share their explorations through a multimedia website and classroom outreach, and they plan to make a documentary upon their return. "We believe that people must first care for a place before they feel compelled to protect it, so our goal with Cycling Silk is to leverage adventure into environmental advocacy," said Yule. "We hope to instill a deeper understanding and inspire a greater appreciation for wild spaces and species that transcend borders, both on the Silk Road and beyond. 3 Independent & Free Press, Tuesday, January 25, 2011 Melissa Yule, left, and Kate Harris, formerly of Georgetown, are trekking along the Silk Road between Instanbul and northern India over the next few months. The pair began their odyssey recently in Turkey. Submitted photo boundary conservation and peace parks. She also holds a Master's degree from MIT in earth and planetary sciences. Yule is a social scientist, environmentalist and endurance athlete. In her work and research she combines community development with environmental science to study ecological impacts on human health. She has a Master's degree in International Development from the University of Guelph. Throughout their trip, Harris and Yule will conduct research to develop case studies on cross-border conservation at six existing or proposed TBPAs or "peace parks" along the START SMART INCLUDES 2 YEAR COMPLIMENTARY MAINTENANCE PROGRAM + /NLY .EW,EFT $EMOS !VAILABLE Your Choice /NLY .EW,EFT $ 2010 COROLLA CE Automatic, Air, B Package, Power Locks, BU42EP Model, CD Player + 223 60 MONTH LEASE ($500 DOWN) * + TAX 2010 MATRIX 1.8L Automatic, Air, B Package, Power Locks, KU4EEP Model, CD Player Purchase or lease any new or demo 2010 in stock Corolla or Matrix from January 25th until January 31st, 2011. Receive a 2 year factory maintenance service schedule or 48,000 kilometres whichever comes first. Payment based on 60 month lease with $500 down payment, all taxes and first payment due up front. 24,000 kilometres per year or 7¢ per kilometre for over mileage. MSRP Corolla $18,289 after rebate. MSRP Matrix $20,084 after rebate. Purchase option price at lease lend: Corolla $6,427 + tax, Matrix $7,055 + tax. Rebates have been applied and are taxable. Corolla $1,500 including $500. Matching downpayment Matrix $2,000 including $500 matching down payment. Lease rate over 60 months for Corolla 2.5% and Matrix 1.5%. See dealer for details. Expires Jan. 31, 2011. GEORGETOWN TOYOTA 15 MOUNTAINVIEW RD. N., GEORGETOWN 905-877-2296 WEBSITE at www.georgetowntoyota.com