Hello everyone!

Well the good news is we all survived the coast to coast challenge, and what a challenge it was!!   Before we'd even started on Friday, we walked 3 miles to our capsite and cycled 10 miles to drop our bikes at the transition point - all in the wind and rained.  That theme seemed to continue through the whole weekend.  It rained continuously all of Saturday, from start to finish of the 55 miles or so completed on that day.  The relentless hills and the cold rain brought some real low points on Saturday, but as a group we managed to push through.  A hot shower and hot food met us at the end of day one in Fort Augutus and we were in massive need of it!!

Sunday was just as cold and wet as Saturday had been.  The off road section of the mountain biking (all 17 miles of it) was really tough and saw me get covered in mud!  After cycling we hit the trekking, going half way up one side of Ben Nevis, then heading down and across the other side of the valley to walk over the another mountain.  Picture this - you've been walking for 9 miles up and down hills and then you are faced with going up and over a mountain of over 1000ft for the next 5 miles.  You are soaked anyway and its still raining.  You are effectively walking up a constant stream of water, ankle deep, with patches of mud every so often.  Visibility is about 10 metres because the clouds are close around you, the other side is very slippery and I must have fallen over 10+ times!  Its at times like these that I honestly thought the highlands had it in for us and was insulted by our futile attempts to race across them!

They did actually time us across the two days - to be honest I was just glad to finish!  For those interested, our times were:

 

Simon:  35 hours, 14 minutes and 8 seconds (distorted because Simon couldn't do the second bike stage due to injury)

Tej:  19 hours, 59 minutes and 37 seconds

Jes: 19 hours, 19 minutes and 58 seconds

As you can see, we have raised a huge amount.  This is a great achievement by you all so thank you very much for your support from all of us and Dreamflight.

Thanks again and enjoy the photos - yes we wore the ears for the entire journey - that in itself is an achievement!

 

 

Hello!!

Thankyou for visiting our Justgiving page.

Each year Dreamflight helps to bring happiness to a group of seriously ill or disabled children by taking them on their ' of a Lifetime'.  Once a year, 192 deserving children from all over the , accompanied by a team of medical carers, head to to spend 10 magical days of fun and excitement. Many children could not undertake such a trip without the support of the army of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and non-medical volunteers who care for the children 24 hours a day. www.dreamflight.org

The aim of the trip is not only to just have fun, it is also to inspire the children to go on and achieve great things where they may have given up because of their conditions. 

In order to do our bit for Dreamflight and help raise some money, the three of us have decided to do something truely INSANE!!  We are taking part in the to Coast which is a journey of 109 miles over two days across the Scottish highlands, starting on the in Nairn and finishing on the west coast of in the Isles of Glencoe after undertaking many many hills!!  The two days are: 

Day 1

·  Trek/ Run - 7 miles

·  Road Cycle - 47 miles

·  Mini Kayak & Run - 3 miles

After a gruelling first day (have I mentioned the hills?!) we spend the night in absolute luxury in a tent at (on Loch Ness) before taking on Day 2:

Day 2

·  Off-Road & Road Cycle - 38 miles

·  Trek/ Run - 14 miles

·  Kayak - 1 mile

More details at http://www.scotlandcoasttocoast.com/index.html

As you can see, we were clearly out of our minds for even trying this one (again - the hills!) and therefore we hope that you will recognise this by supporting us and Dreamflight by donating lots and lots of your money.  So please, please, please support us and Dreamflight by giving anything you can spare.  Your support means a lot and will definitely make the aching and painful night in our sleeping bags feel worthwhile!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. So please dig deep and donate now!

Thanks for your support

Simon, Tej and Jes

 

Help us pay for 1 child to go away with Dreamflight

Dreamflight is a charity organisation that has operated every year since 1987. Its goal is to change the lives of children aged 8-14 years, effected by life altering and life limiting medical conditions by providing a once in a lifetime holiday. Dreamflight believe that fun and joy are just as important as medical research and equipment - especially for children who perhaps can't wait long enough for the breakthrough they need or whose illnesses and treatments have brought pain, distress and disruption to their lives.

Once a year 192 children, nominated and selected from across the UK, board a charted Boeing 747 and are taken to Florida for this 10 day life-changing holiday. The children are divided into 12 groups of 16. Each group is hosted by a multitude of volunteer nurses, Dr’s, physiotherapists and non-medical volunteers who all provide 24-hour care. Dreamflight is not just a holiday. The children leave their families behind giving them an opportunity to discover independence, confidence, and a whole new outlook on life. For the past 4 years I have been privileged enough to be a nurse in the Pooh Bear group. The Pooh Bear group are responsible for children selected from the South East of England including London and Kent. I have been a paediatric nurse since 1994 and I can honestly say that I have never been so humbled and proud to be part of such an epic event. Watching the transformation that occurs in these children is truly inspiring and quiet honestly difficult to put into words. One parent of a Dreamflight child recently told me that she cannot believe or put into words herself the changes in her son and the increased confidence and positivity he has come home with. This is not an isolated response. In 2008, 8 of the returning Para Olympians from Beijing, many of them medal-winning, had been Dreamflight children citing the trip as a turning point for them.

For one child to go away with Dreamflight costs approximately £3000 of fundraisers donations.

A donation of £300 sponsors a child for one day at a theme park.

My request to you is to please pledge as much money as you can spare to help change the lives of these children.

If you would like more information about Dreamflight and other ways that you could support us please visit

www.dreamflight.org

Many thanks

Simon, Jes & Tej