Oli France: Wild Expeditions & Death Valley To Denali (Ultimate 7 Project)

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In this opening episode of season 3, we embark on a journey with Oli France, an adventurer whose expeditions span some of the most inhospitable places on Earth. Born in a quiet town in England, Oli’s curiosity about the world and the love for the outdoors has seem him to pursue a life of adventure, experiences and exploration that few can match. From the cycling the lowest point in Death Valley to the climbing the summit of Denali, he seeks out the planet’s extremes, driven by a desire to push human limits and connect with the world’s remote landscapes.

Oli’s adventures have taken him to places most of us only read about—cycling solo through bear country, navigating glaciers riddled with crevasses, and being detained in authoritarian Uzbekistan. His ambition is to complete the Ultimate 7, a global expedition traversing the lowest to highest points on every continent.

In this candid conversation, Oli shares not just the details of his treks, but the deeper truths of what it means to explore, endure, and thrive in the wilderness.

What You'll Learn in this Episode:

• How a childhood fascination with world maps laid the foundation for a life of adventure.
• The tale of Oli’s arrest in Uzbekistan & his escape from one of the world’s strictest regimes.
• The physical and mental toll of cycling over 3,000 miles from Death Valley to Denali.
• Close encounters with grizzly bears in the wilds of North America and how Oli faced those fears.
• Navigating the glaciers of Alaska, where one wrong step could mean a deadly fall into a crevasse.
• The psychological and physical challenges of summiting Denali, North America's tallest and coldest peak.
• How teamwork, leadership, and risk management are crucial for survival in extreme environments.
• The next phases of the Ultimate 7 project, including Everest and Antarctica.

Memorable Quotes:

• “There’s something about the wilderness that calls to me—it’s where I feel most alive.”
• “Being detained as a drug trafficker in Uzbekistan was the last thing I expected on my expedition.”
• “Denali doesn’t just test your physical strength, it wears you down mentally, day by day.”
• “Cycling through bear country was nerve-wracking—I knew they were out there, watching.”
• “The Ultimate 7 has been a decade in the making, and I’ve only just begun to scratch the surface.”

Call to Adventure: Take a page from Oli’s Ultimate 7 project: Challenge yourself to discover the highest and lowest points in your own region. Whether by bike, on foot, or any other means, find a way to traverse the distance and reconnect with the wild places close to home. 

Pay It Forward: Oli encourages all adventurers to think carefully about where they spend their money when traveling. S

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