The Three Musketeers – Rotterdam to Paris 2009

 

In 1844 Alexandre Dumas’ D’Artagnan travelled to Paris to become a Musketeer of the Guard and it was there he met The Three Musketeers, Athos, Porthos and Aramis, 3 inseparable friends who lived by the motto: “all for one, one for all”. Now in 2009 the three musketeers reunite to travel back to Paris but this time their adventures will not be inspired by secret missions of love and loyalty to the French crown but rather to benefit a much less regal but arguably more deserving cause, that of The Food Chain.

 

The Mission: 3 men (Jasper, Paul and Chris), 3 trusty steeds (their bikes), 3 countries (The Netherlands, Belgium and France), 3 days (Saturday 17^th – Monday 19^th October 2009), over 450kms. Cycling from Rotterdam to Paris via Brussels and Laon over three days the three musketeers, clad in tabbards (that's the baggy top) and hats, equipped with their duelling swords, will journey south to help The Food Chain in its efforts to improve the lives of people effected by HIV in Greater London.

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The Charity: The Food Chain is a UK charity working to provide nutritional advice and support to people and their families living with HIV in the Greater London area. It provides a range of services from emergency hampers and a Sunday meal service to nutritional cooking classes (Eating Positively) and advice to help people strengthen their immune system, live healthily and build their independence. For more on the charity please contact me directly at chrisnewton23@googlemail.com or, better still, visit their website: www.foodchain.org.uk. .

 

The Inspiration: For The Route – Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish helped put British road cycling firmly back on the map this summer by achieving 4^th in the overall, and 2^nd in the sprint standings of this year’s Tour De France. Next year the Tour De France starts in Rotterdam so the three of us (Chris, Jaf and Paul) thought we’d be amongst the first Brits (albeit disguised as French men) to cycle from Rotterdam to Paris to celebrate British road cycling and raise money for a good cause in the meantime. For The Costumes – When in France an Englishman is safest when disguised as a Frenchman!

 

While cries of “Tous pour un, un pour tous”  and "Allez, Allez, Allez!" will no doubt inspire us as we hurtle south, your sponsorship will, I dare say, provide us with even more inspiration so please give generously. Every pound or euro you donate really will help a very worthwhile cause!

 

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