UPDATE 11.09.11 - Well we made it home. What a ride and what suuport we have had from everybody. A really warm welcome awaited us at Teynham. Thanks to you all.
UPDATE 04.09.11 - As promised now we have reached the target for fundraising we have both had our legs waxed. I will get some photos up later. A big thanks to Pure in Whitstable for doing the leg waxing for free as their donation to our cause. It didn't hurt too much, not that you would have guessed it from Matts yelps!
Another big thanks to www.Evolution-Slimming.com who have provided us with a box of energy shots. I think we will need every one of those as the miles go by.
It has been really heartening to see the level of support we have been given by everybody as we prepare to take this ride on. To put it into context we have only ridden over 90 miles in a day two or three times ever. THis coming week we have to do this 4 days in a row!
UPDATE 10.08.11 - Completed a 95 mile training ride at the weekend, possibly the hardest day on a bike I've ever had. A new respect for what lays ahead.
As a side bet as the ride is on road, if the donations reach £500 we will both wax our legs, now that has got to be worth extra donations. We do appreciate all the suppport we have been given and donations made so far. Thank you to all of you.
How we come to be riding a tandem from Edinburgh to Kent is a long story of a small girl, Chris's wife and Chris's big mouth.
Louise works at a pre-school. Over the past couple of years she has been looking after one particular girl who really touched her heart. This little girl, who is now 5, has recently been diagnosed with Mucopolysaccharide Disease. This will limit her life to her mid teens and cause many problems and complications during her short life. When Louise asked Chris if there was anything he could do to raise money for the MPS Society his over active imagination and big mouth annouced he (and that always means Matt as well) could ride his bike from Edinburgh back home.
As plans developed the bikes became a tandem. Not a well considered decision as neither Chris or Matt have ever ridden a tandem before! With the loan of a tandem agreed the plans were made and the ride is on.
We will be riding from Edinburgh on 7th September around 100 miles to Corbridge. This will be a tough day in the saddle as we come through the Scottish Borders, not an area known for being flat!
8th September will see us head for York through Northallerton and Thirsk, completing another 90 miles.
Day three we ride just over 100 miles east of the A1 to our destination north of Peterborough. The milage will be increased to visit a small hamlet "Land of Nod". For those of you who have known Matt for many years will understand why we have to go there.
The forth day is another 90 miles to Cheshunt. By now the legs will be aching and its possible we may not be talking to each other anymore.
11th September is our final day as we ride through London and down the A2 to Teynham. This is a shorter day at just over 60 miles, but I'm sure Shooters Hill will not feel like an easy ride.
So thats it, 450 miles, 5 days, 2 blokes and a tandem. Please dig deep and donate to the worthy cause and help us reach our target.
Chris & Matt
More information on the condition and the MPS Society please visit http://mpssociety.co.uk/
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