Organiser, Ben Steele

Not quite, but sort of.

One of my Son-in-Laws, Ben Steele, has organised, and is riding in an endurance charity cycle journey from London to the French Alps – the last bit of the journey being of course distinctly uphill.

I am going as support car driver and general dogsbody, so for the next eight days this Blog will be devoted to daily reports and photos of our progress across England, France and even a bit of Switzerland.

The Ride is in support of two UK cancer charities (Cancer Research and Macmillan Cancer Support) and they have raised an incredible £30,000 already.

If you get the urge to chip in a donation to this worthy cause yourself this can be done very easily and securely by visiting their Virgin Money Giving page.  No donation is too small.

None of the riders are cycling professionals, they’re a bunch of friends who’ve got themselves off their office chairs, done some serious training and committed themselves to riding the best part of 100 miles per day over a total of eight days to get to somewhere near Morzine – chosen because it happens to be one of the staging points, half way up a very big mountain, for the Tour de France.

I suspect they are all barmy taking this on but it’s all in a good cause.  I’ve been in training for it too, although not exactly on a bicycle and it’s mostly been a question of eating the odd salad and drinking more Thwaites Mild and a bit less Famous Grouse.

I’ll introduce the riders to you as we make our journey and describe their efforts and sufferings in as entertaining a way as possible.   There are bound to be some funny moments to report and maybe the odd spill, although hopefully nothing too serious.

Ben’s been very organised and resourceful and he even roped my Winger friend Ian Cardwell in to help with the route planning, so at least we’ll have someone to blame if we get lost.  I’ve ignored Ben’s instructions to the other team members to take with me only three sets of lycra cycling wear and a T shirt, jeans and flip flops for the evenings in favour of more conventional touring attire for an ageing Winger; apart from anything else I couldn’t get cycling stuff in a colour to suit me, not to mention a big enough size.

Not quite sure what I’m letting myself in for but at least it should provide for something to read on the Blog which can’t possibly be regarded as GWOC-bashing.