First of all, a big THANK YOU to everyone who sponsored our family charity ride on 2 September. You will be pleased to hear that we made it in one piece (but a friend did not - more of that later) and have our certificates !

We started off early on 2nd September - having to cycle to the train station to get the train to the start. We eventually got there and set off just after ten o'clock on a reasonable sunny day - but with a wicked west wind which was to blow in our faces all the way to Windsor. Progress was slow but steady at first as we went through Richmond, Hampton, Twickenham, Teddington (past Teddington Film studios), Strawberry Hill, and Sunbury to the first stop - 7 miles gone and one fifth behind us. We stopped for a fuel intake and a coffee, just to help wash down the gallons of Red Bull we were pouring down our necks (it was free, after all).

The next leg took us through Sheperton towards Chertsey, by which time we had split up a bit. Unfortunately Kelly and I were ahead with Sarah-Jane and then received a phone call that one of our friends had fallen off her bike and broken her wrist in three places. It cast a shadow over the day but we reemembered why we were doing it all and set off into the wind once more. Jenni and Connor caught up with us at half way just after Virginia Water and we stuck together for the rest of the journey towards Windsor. This was where all the hills were (usually all of them up and very little down!) and the headwind made things even worse. Yet we plodded on, walking up the hills too steep to ride up in the hope there was a down-slope on the other side. My thighs were beginning to ache at this point.

Following a particularly steep hill we had a little bit of a downhill ride and could relax, before being dragged kicking and screaming into the Barley Mow public house at Englefield Green. We fought hard but eventually were forced to drink a pint or two before escaping and carrying on for the last leg - "only six miles to go" shouted the cheery marshall. It was at this stage that my legs were pretty much giving up the will to live and I found out that Kelly was taking the more than occasional rest !

The wind got worse but we continued on, catching tempting glimpses of Windsor Castle along the route. Once we reached Datchet I knew it was not much further, but try as I might, my thighs were just about giving up. They had already turned into lead, then to jelly and back to lead again and were not responding to my brain anymore. Perhaps my brain was not working properly either as somebody said I had been sitting on it too long that day....

Windsor eventually came and although poor Kelly and I had to walk some of the last two miles, we made it to the finishing line where we were greeted by the rest of the family who asked what had kept us? At least the Bowel Cancer people were very pleased to see us, knowing we had raised funds for an excellent cause.

After a short break in Windsor (during which we found a great exhibition of old cars) we took the train back to Feltham and cycled (aargh) back home.

It was painful at times and very hard going against an unforgiving wind. But we raised a lot of money thanks to your sponsorship and for that we are extremely grateful. It makes all the pain very much worth while, so thank you all.

Bernhard, Jenni, Sarah-Jane, Connor and Kelly

PS - if you have not sponsored and feel you wish to do so, you can still do so until October. Many thanks!