Dorothy Archer
Tony's Cycle Ride Around the Cornish Coastline
Fundraising for Pancreatic Cancer UK
Story
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING.
Having competed my ride we have raised £801 plus £125 gift aid.
THANK YOU AGAIN.
Now I've completed it maybe we can increase that figure even further.
I'll leave the page open for another couple of weeks.
The Story
In May last year my first wife, Melissa, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After a brave struggle with the disease throughout last summer, she sadly died last November.
My daughter Jodie moved to Leicestershire from her home on the south coast in May to help her stepfather Ron, Melissa's husband, look after her Mum.
Throughout this difficult and, at times, traumatic summer for all involved, the practical and specific help and advice Jodie received from Pancreatic Cancer UK was invaluable.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive types of cancer with a shockingly low survival rate.
Despite a survival rate of just 4% after five years, pancreatic cancer receives only 1% (£5.2 million) of the total cancer research spend, including government funding.
As I understand the situation, Pancreatic Cancer UK is a very small and under funded organisation compared with the major cancer charities. In fact, I have a friend who lost her husband to the disease and was unaware the charity existed!
For that reason I really felt the need to do my bit.
As with a number of folk in their 68th year, I have my share of aches and pains, but with the help of a little battery assistance I find that I can still manage to cycle 40 or so miles - on a good day!
I know the Cornish coast well from the days when I was able to yomp the coast path, and it occurred to me that with careful planning - and a bit of luck - I could maybe manage to cycle the 300 or so miles from Plymouth to Barnstaple via Land's End, keeping as close to the coast as possible and avoiding main roads.
Although my bike has battery assistance, which helps a lot with the hills, I still have to pedal all the time and put in considerable effort myself to conserve battery power to help with the really steep bits!
I divided the journey into 8 bite size 'legs' and started off on May 7th and completed the challenge May 17th.
I spent 26 hours on 8 days out of 11 pedalling 311 miles.
Total ascent was 20,823 feet.
Average speed was 11.5 mph.
Maximum speed 42.7 mph.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT
For those of you who enjoy a little more detail, the following was my route:
Leg 1 Plymouth-Cremyll-Portwrinkle-Downderry-Seaton-Looe-Polperro-Polruan/Ferry/Fowey-Par-St Austell....40 miles
Leg 2 St Austell-Pentewan-Mevagissey-Gorran-Caerhays-Portholland-Veryan-Portloe-Ruan High Lanes-St Mawes/Ferry/Falmouth...39 miles
Leg 3 Falmouth-Constantine-Gweek-Mawgan-Manaccan-St Keverne-Lizard Village...45 miles
Leg 4 Lizard Village-Mullion-Gunwalloe-Helston-Portleven-Penzance...25 miles
Leg 5 Penzance-Mousehole-Lamorna-St Buryan-Land End-St Just-Zennor-St Ives-Hayle...40 miles
Leg 6 Hayle-Godrevy-Portreath-StAgnes-Perranporth-Newquay-Padstow...45 miles
Leg 7 Padstow-Wadebridge-Port Quin-Port Isaac-Crackington Haven-Bude...45 miles
Leg 8 Bude-Bideford-Barnstaple...40 miles
TOTAL DISTANCE...APPROX. 310 MILES
Links for completed legs. Photos and Stats.
Leg 1
https://plus.google.com/photos/103240125853875114895/albums/6146485687162306497
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/767881114
Leg 2
https://plus.google.com/photos/103240125853875114895/albums/6146927398225013681
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/769496526
Leg 3
https://plus.google.com/photos/103240125853875114895/albums/6147696654031903777
Leg 4
Leg 5
Legs 6 7 and 8 combined
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/777488604
(can't get this link to work whatever I do)
Please copy and paste into your browser
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