A Monterey resident who has explored the world returns from a bike tour across Japan.

If it’s on the land or deep in the sea, it’s likely Greg McCormack has explored it.

One could call the Monterey resident an avid bicyclist, but even that description sounds a bit understated considering his résumé. Here’s a snapshot of his adventures on two wheels: the Pan-American Highway, an 18,500-mile journey from Alaska to Argentina; a tour of South Korea, Vietnam and Cambodia; 2,400 miles adjacent to the Pacific Crest Trail from Canada to Mexico; and numerous others.

McCormack is also a trail runner, and has completed the 210-mile John Muir Trail in 11 days. He has a slew of scuba diving certifications, has gone birding on seven continents, was an Alaskan river guide and been a National Park Ranger in six different locations.

And this barely touches his accomplishments.

McCormack spent the first six years of his life in New York City – the antithesis of an outdoorsy lifestyle. The family’s move to rural Connecticut inspired his love for nature.

“As number four out of five kids, I could never get a word in as my older brothers always dominated,” he says. “And so I became kind of a nature nerd. We had two ponds right out the front yard, and at least a half mile of woods.

“I have to be outside when it all comes down to it.”

In April, McCormack returned from a 1,856-mile, month-long bicycle tour from the southern to the most northern points of Japan with a friend. He spoke to the Weekly by phone while he was in San Diego for a whale watching gig.

Weekly: Why Japan?

McCormack: One of my cousins said he wanted to go to Japan. His neighbor had just come back, and said it’s one of the most beautiful countries, people are incredibly kind, very considerate. I’m fascinated with the Pacific Ring of Fire and studied a lot of volcanism. I love Pacific cultures, and I just had this fascination with trying to understand our neighbors.

Did you meet any interesting people along the way?

There were incredibly friendly people from day one. I’ll tell you what, people really go out of their way. Sometimes it started pouring rain, and then we have to grab our rain gear, and you are just randomly in front of some building, maybe somebody’s office. One guy came out and gave us fresh coffee. He enjoyed talking with us, despite the language barrier.

What was your go-to breakfast?

You’re burning 5,000 calories a day, so two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners every day. You know those pastries? The ones with the custard filling, and you get it on your nose, cheeks. Custard pastries are delicious. I did get tired of going to 7-Elevens, but we did eat out at some pretty nice restaurants from time to time. Ride, eat, sleep, repeat.

Any bike issues or body issues along the way?

What’s strange about Japan, even though it is straight across from us, is that the sunrises were like 4:45 in the morning, and then the sunset was early, at 6:15, so there’s not much recovery time. Your body is just begging for rest. But I would say, thankfully, no mishaps.

Any advice for people who want to go on a similar adventure?

A really great place to go is Fort Ord National Monument. You can build your skills there. Every little hill, the first time you do it, it kills you, and you swear you’re never going to do it again. But the second time you do it, you remember how long the hill is, so you take your breaks. By the third or fourth time you’re doing that same hill, you feel like a pro.

Was there anything that you didn’t know going into it that you learned?

What’s a little disconcerting is that you start in the subtropics, it’s really warm, there’s palm trees all over the place. But then all of a sudden, you’re biking north, and then, oh my gosh, there’s snow. So I’d say maybe the last third of the trip there were five-foot snow banks and bulldozers. There were some absolutely brutal days of wind blowing 30 miles an hour, plus freezing rain, and I literally suffered from hypothermia.

It took four days and one hour of travel to get back, and it took me 10 days to recover. You don’t realize the mental and physical toll it takes on you.

So the biking wasn’t the hardest part.

(Laughs.) Exactly.