PLEASE NOTE: The event now being completed this page will cease to accept donations on the 9th September 2007. If you wish to donate after this date please forward to Debbie Vallis, Saint John Houghton School, Abbot Road, Kirk Hallam, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, DE7 4HX. Thank you.

Yes, we intend to ride our bikes from Saint John Houghton School in Ilkeston, Derbyshire to Lourdes in the French Pyrenees.

At the time the ride takes place (9th - 19th July 2007) John will be 65 years old and Neil 51 years old (a mere youngster!)

We anticipate 10 days riding for the 750 mile journey, our route being off main roads wherever possible.

We are likely to be riding in temperatures of 30 degrees plus, however the hard work will be worthwhile if we succeed in raising our target of £5,000

                                       And it's for a great cause.

Cancer has, unfortunately, affected a number of people connected with the School recently. 1 in 3 people will develop cancer during their lifetime. Early detection together with the right treatment and encouraging a healthy lifestyle can help to save lives. We therefore chose Cancer Research UK as this is relevant to all kinds of the disease in its quest to finding cures.

The School buildings require constant maintenance and upgrading. The PTA recognise this and has set up a special fund to help.

We would like to help them both. So please support us - whether you know either of us or not - to make a difference. Thank You.

UPDATE 8TH JUNE 2007

Many thanks to all who have donated already, we really appreciate your generosity. Training is now paramount as we are only 4 weeks away from the start, oh eck!!

I (John) have been out in the Derbyshire hills today on a 70 mile ride, (quality miles) whilst Neil, (cheats every day) by going to work on his bike! He also races every Thursday evening in a time trial. Well he will be handy to shelter me from the pravailing wind in France.

We will keep you good people updated and to those who have yet to visit our web site, thank you in anticipation. Looking forward to 9th July ... honest!

UPDATE 17th JUNE

I'm compelled to reiterate the last update and say many thanks for all the support. Training has continued with more quality miles in the Derbyshire hills for both of us. We now have just three weeks before the 'Grand Depart' (thats how the French describe the start of Le Tour De France) and there suddenly seems like we have a lot to do! Oh well, we'll get it sorted no doubt.

Still looking forward to 9th July.... really!

UPDATE 25th JUNE

Well yesterday (Sunday) was a good day. First Neil and I rode the Great Nottingham Bike Ride 65 miles, including riding to the start, in all that rain. We were with two cycling friends, Steve and Matthew and somehow it turned into a race between us four and anyone who cared to take us on. We won of course, it was a great workout, excellent training. Secondly, Borrowash Catholic Church held a coffee morning on our behalf organized by Mr. & Mrs. Addison, Neil's parents, which raised £180. Fantastic, well done and thank you.

Two weeks to go, really up for it.....honest!

UPDATE 2nd JULY

ONE WEEK TODAY AND WERE OFF! I speak for both of us when I say, the adrenalin is now running. Yesterday Neil and I rode our last training ride together. Neil will be riding to work every day and a time trial on Thursday. Me, I have one more ride on Wednesday, then its rest time!  We would both like to thank all the latest sponsors and encourage all those yet to visit the site, PLEASE help us to reach our target, we seem to have a long way to go.

Look forward to reporting to you all how we did, somewhere around 22nd July. Now its really on, (struth is it) we can't wait......believe it, honest!!

PS. To the TV, Radio and newspaper editors, 8.00am at Saint John Houghton School next Monday. See you there.

9.7.07

John and Neil set off at 8.30am, they were cheered on their way by many staff, students and members of their families. Thanks to Derby Telegraph for sending your reporter. Tonight the lads are staying in a pub in Kineton, this is near Stratford on Avon.        SB.

10.7.07 The lads have had a long hard day today and have decided that the South Downs should now be called the South Ups!! Good weather but a very undulating course. The steepest hill was a 1 in 3 climb!! The Tour riders haven't even been up anything that steep as yet! They have peddled 90 miles and are staying the night in a pub in Whitchurch near to Andover. Tomorrow promises to be much easier. (They hope). SB 

11.7.07 They have now completed 210 miles and are sailing overnight to St. Malo. Had a really good day with lots of sun. SB

12.7.07 Today the chaps have travelled from St. Malo to Messac which is 40 miles south of Rennes. They covered 86 miles, 10 miles of wondering how to get out of Rennes!! and the rest on the actual journey. They are tired but ok. SB

13/14th July  Friday was very hot 33 degrees and they travelled from Messac to St. Philbert-de-grand-Lieu. Unfortunately Neil had a big problem with his bike but they found a bike shop and the chap sorted it out. This held them up of course so they didn't quite get as far as they wanted. However today they have cycled 90 miles and have reached La Rochelle. Again it has been hot. They have met up with John's cousin and his wife, who live fairly near. It's Bastille Day so they should have a good evening I think!  SB

15th July  Phew! Today was so hot and windy that the lads decided to cut the ride short after 50 miles. They had a strong, hot, head wind all day so it was quite hard going. They are staying in Sainte overnight and hope to reach Bordeaux tomorrow. They have now completed 506 miles, only another 250 to go!! Keep it up you two!! Well done so far. SB

16th July. The prayers were answered and the weather was cooler, only 27 degrees today and cloudy - it even rained for a very short while. So the lads have had a slightly easier day and have cycled 80 miles, they are staying in St. Vincent de Paul on the outskirts of Bordeaux. SB

17th July. Today has been really hot again, 34 degrees all day. Phew! However the lads managed to ride 80 miles and are staying the night in Brocas 7 miles NW of Mont de Marsan. They now only have 90 miles to ride, so they are going to take the next two days quite gently. They do need to find a bike shop as a spoke has broken on John's back wheel, apparently this is affecting his back brake, so it does need fixing before the mountains!  SB

18th July. Today should have been an easier day, the temperature was lower and it was cloudy so a good start. They made good progress untill they stopped for a coffee and to have a rest because they were nearly at todays destination. Wrong! The French have decided in their wisdom to change all their road numbers and the chaps unknowingly took a wrong turn. So instead of Morlaas being 20 miles in the end they cycled 40 miles to find it! However they are fine, found a hotel and are looking forward to a mere 20-25 miles in the morning to reach Lourdes and to be welcomed by the school party who are already there. (They took the easy option and went by Bus and some members of the party even flew!) Tonight they have completed 743 miles. I am sure they will be delighted to reach their destination and many prayers of thanks will be offered up. SB

19th July. Neil and John rode into Lourdes at 1pm local time to be welcomed by members of the St. John Houghton school party. They are delighted to be there. Hurray! Well done lads we are all very proud of you. If you haven't sponsored them yet please try and be as generous as you can to boost the fund nearer to the Target they set. Thank you very much to all those who have sponsored them, we are very glad of your support.  John and Neil will be flying back on Saturday morning and the bikes are coming by bus!  No doubt the chaps will be full of tales to tell us on their return. SB

24th July. Well we did it folks. Many thanks to my lovely wife Suzanne for the daily updates via text messages and phone calls. No need to go into daily stage details, its all in the updates above. The ride was an unforgettable experience for us both with many high moments and only one low really, when we managed to completely de-hydrate ourselves. Still it was 36 degrees with a hot headwind thrown in. The ride into Lourdes was the highlight, not just because we'd finished, the welcome from Saint John Houghton Staff, Students and some pilgrims from Nottingham Diocese was overwhelming on the St. Michael Bridge, which is a through road, but they just closed it! Thank you to all our supporters for your sponsorship and believing in us. Shame we have'nt yet reached the target, but, if there are any generous benefactors out there, we'd love to hear from you. 

John Beardsley                                                                                         Neil Addison