Hi there
I did it!! :)
Having spent nearly a year fund raising and preparing for the biggest ride of my life so far, my fiend Tony and myself joined 70 other riders in a hotel car park in South London on Friday 25th June. 3 days later we were stood under the Eiffel Tower in Paris, having experienced some of the most wonderful countryside (and hills) England and Northern France have to offer.
The weather was fantastic, with temperatures registering in excess of 33 degrees throughout the weekend. Fortunately there were regular feed stations to top up with water, and the event organisers ensured we were also well fuelled with food throughout the trip... in fact they did such a good job, I actually put on weight over the length of the ride!
Our wives were waiting at the finish line to greet us, and I even got a hug, despite having just cycled 72 miles that day in scorching heat and didn't smell at my best! The weather stayed with us for a day of sight seeing the following morning, and then we took the slightly quicker route back courtesy of Eurostar!
We took some pictures during the weekend, some of which I've added to the gallery. Check them out and see some of the highlights for yourself. I unfortunately didn't get any shots of my blow-out on Day 2, but trust me I had one. Quite a shock when bombing along in the leading 5 man peleton at about 30mph on a French country road, but fortunately I had all the kit with me to undertake repairs and still managed to finish the day in the top 10 :)
But it wasn't all about having fun. There was an important reason for undertaking the challenge in the first place. 29 charities were represented by the 70+riders that took part, and in total over £100,000 was raised for some very worthy causes. From my perspective, when you include gift aid, I raised £1,600 for Railway Children. Given my personal belief in this wonderful charity, I am so truly grateful for all the support that has been provided. Some of the stunts that I pulled to raise money were almost as much fun as the ride itself, but it is the generosity of friends, family and members of the public that touched me most, and I know that the Railway Children team are equally grateful for the chance to invest this money in the worthy schemes they are running in the UK and abroad.
Tony and I made some good friends over the 3 days, and we have committed to stay in touch. Now we have a taste for this, we are already looking for the next challenge... so hold onto to your cheque books, I may be knocking on your door again sometime soon ;)
Many thanks once again for your support
Darren
