Raised: 136%
Target: £3,000.00
Raised so far: £4,075.00
Donate now

My story

 

The Gumboots charity is truly awesome. It's a fairly small organisation that works directly with local people in community projects in South Africa.  They all live in little shacks, many with no running water or electricity. Yet all of them have a great vibrancy and character. They just don't have the opportunity to get out and fulful their potential, which is where your very generous donations come in!!


So please sponsor us now!




AFTER


Dear all,
 
On Saturday 20th June, 5 cyclists and 1 driver set off from Lands End.  On Friday 3rd July at about 9pm, 2 of us crossed the finish line at John O'Groats, welcomed by our one man mountain support team - Bob. 
 
 Between the cyclists: Richard Dai Thomas, Dominic Mahoney, Lara Gardner, Fuzzy and myself, we covered well over 3000 miles.  
 
Richard Fuzzy Thomson, a legend among men, did the whole thing covering about 1050 miles.  Due to personal circumstances, I had to skip the equivalent of a long day's cycling and covered in total around 900 miles  It has been one hell of a journey. Here are a collection of images and memories:
 
 Day 1- (lands end- St Austell) Terry's large English Breakfast at Whitesands cafe, a couple of miles from Lands End.
 
Cornish hedgerows, wild flowers, mining chimneys, stone cottages, tall hedgerows.  The pain of those steep, winding ups followed by the relief of the cool, shady downs.
 
 Day 2- (St Austell- Totnes) Hay fever attack in Looe pharmacy, scampi and a kind donation from the fruit and veg lady selling off watermelon.
 
Lara's fall near Plymouth.  A painful shock and nasty graze but fortunately nothing broken.
 
A delicious venison dinner from Chris and Lisa our hosts and fine company including willow tree, roses, kittens and chickens (silk variety with punk hair do)
 
 Day 3- (totnes- honiton) A complicated morning mission to pick up car from Padstow and bring it back to Totnes.  Thanks again for your patience guys.  Mission culminated in me mindlessly putting petrol into my diesel van.  Fortunately, the ratio was not fatal so the tank didnt have to be drained.

Lovely final hill of the day with large mushroom carvings amongst the pine trees. 
 
Chocolate pudding, hot shower and a warm welcome from our Sudbury host, Richard.
 
The next weekish (Honiton-Northwich):
 
Long winding roads, lush rolling hills along the English Welsh border and the river Wye; a fleeting greeting and a " how do you do" from an old couple in herefordshire as they sipped tea on their veranda; hundreds of rabbits and an equal number of road kills;  chasing cloud shadows; Breakfast with 100s of kids and carol singing on PGL's christmas day (25th june); welcome at Nantwich of dipping swans and quacking ducks.
 
Day 9 Funny story - It is just Fuzzy and myself for this leg. After a long afternoon's cycling, we planted the flowery tent discreetly in a farmers field,  planning to be up and out before he was.  At around 11.30, awoke rather suddenly, as a red light flickered on the canvas.  I opened the tent, Fuzz and i waited... i was about to close the tent when i noticed a small red laser dot on Fuzz's forehead.  Scenes from predator, came to mind.
  Anyway, we decided that we'd probably been busted by the farmer so i got out and headed towards the source of the beam to negotiate.  As i approached the drive, the car that was pulled up, skidded, screeched and sped off.  Were they afraid of me? Had they gone to get back up?  Were they locals hunting? or kids messing about?  Either way, we were left undisturbed for the rest of the night but that did put an end to our off the cuff camping.
 
Last few days:
 
Blow out, puncture, lots of creative work with duck tape and bungees ; epic Gilby hospitality in Kirby Lonsdale with local ales, meats, donations and good hearty company; 140 mile day to Avington, dynamic dreams, horses, more extreme highs and lows, dry stone walls, haggis, william wallace monument near Stirling, geography lessons on glaciated valleys, alto nimbus cloud structures and consequences of poor town town planning in Cumberland.
 
On the penultimate day just beyond Inverness, there was a nasty accident.  There had been thunder storms and the roads were wet.  Fuzzy and Dai approached a cattle grid with caution.  Despite the slow speed, they both came off the bikes.  Fuzz buckled his wheel but was fine.  Dai, landed badly and broke his hip.
     It seemed unfair, after 700 + miles, for his ride to end here.  Dai had a no-nonsense response and on seeing him in hospital, we found him philosophical and keen to get through the master sudoku book as quickly as possible. 
 
Final Day Extract
 
After about 80 miles of cycling, we had our final refuel, scones and bacon butties in Wick, 17 miles to go.  It was a long straight road towards the end.  As we dipped over the hill a mystical island emerged, rising up from the mist and the sea in the warm evening light.
 
Fuzz and i rode side by side- 2 gingers, 4 wheels, pedalling towards their Eldorado.  A sharp right and we awaken from our reverie.  A one-mile-to-go sign and the very bog standard village of John o'Groats starting to unfold.  The Utopian mirage had been the Orkney islands.
 
As we arrived, the place was empty and we needed a wave from Bob to point out the finish line.  We crossed it together with fists raised.  There were manly hugs, elation and a great sense of relief.  It had been a journey of ups and downs, twists and turns. 
 
Many thanks to :
 
1) My ginger buddy, Fuzzball for all his fundraising, route planning, patience and resilience in the face of some difficult and unexpected challenges.
 
2) Dai Thomas- for his multifaceted support- riding, funding our van and supplying us with food and drink at crucial moments
 
3) Bob- our driver, for his mapping, photography, encouragement and commitment and for driving all our equipment for a lot of the way
 
4) Lara and Dom for their riding time and fundraising support
 
5) Ang, Judy and Dave for giving lifts, lending bikes and galvanising support for the cause...
 
6) All our hosts- Dai, Chris, richard, Ol, Haz and the Gilbys
 
and a massive thanks to all you lot for your support, moral, financial and otherwise.  We have raised our intended 3000 pounds and the figure is rising.  When converted into South African Rand, this money will go a long way towards supporting the staff and kids involved in these great projects.
 
(     for more pics, please visit http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bob.moore/index.htm    )
 
 

Well Done Donation by Sam Sharpe, Lesley and Richard 18/09/09  

£45.00 + £12.69 Gift Aid

Sorry it's a bit late! Am very impressed you managed to stay on your bikes longer than I did in Spain!! Donation by Anita Rai 09/09/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Colleague of David Lightfoot-well done, this is a great cause. Donation by Digby Hobson 10/08/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Via David Lightfoot - great effort, great charity Donation by alan leibowitz 27/07/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Via David Lightfoot - great cause and close to our hearts Donation by Sarah Griffin 14/07/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

Well done! Donation by Liz Rivers 14/07/09  

£15.00 + £4.23 Gift Aid

Hope its all gone well - many congrats on surviving and raising all that money! Fantastic! Donation by Alice Hill 12/07/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Well done guys.....congratulations on your efforts Donation by Stuart McKenzie 10/07/09  

£30.00 + £8.46 Gift Aid

Always knew you were a hard arse! Donation by David Confino 09/07/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

Via David Lightfoot my small contribution to a very good cause. Donation by sarka tourres 04/07/09  

£30.00

Hope your saddles are still soft, your legs still strong and your spirits still fresh....Brilliant challenge. And for a great cause. Donation by JC (jonathan carr) 03/07/09  

£40.00 + £11.28 Gift Aid

Have you finished yet? Do hope you're not too sore. Well done. We're full of admiration. Nicki and Phil x Donation by Philip Marshall 01/07/09  

£30.00

Hope you made it! I'm a colleague of David Lightfoot Donation by Simon Yauner 01/07/09  

£25.00 + £7.05 Gift Aid

hope it's going well rich. lots of love Elliot and Danni xxx Donation by Elliot Godwin 30/06/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

So impressed what you guys are doing. WELL DONE Donation by Jay Westendorf 29/06/09  

£50.00

Altius et Latius. Go for it and keep going as you can do it. GUMBOOTS is work well done. Donation by Helmut 29/06/09  

£50.00

Donation by Anonymous 29/06/09  

£40.00 + £11.28 Gift Aid

Hope the winds behind you all the way- and the hills aren't too steep! Donation by sheryl thomas 27/06/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Another donation via David Lightfoot. Good luck with the trip and I hope you exceed your target amount for a very worthwhile cause Donation by Adrian Duke-Cohan 26/06/09  

£20.00 + £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck from all at Johnson Naylor sitting on our ***** not out raising money like you hero's. Donation by fiona naylor 26/06/09  

£100.00

Donation by Anonymous 25/06/09  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

Donation by Anonymous 24/06/09  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

David Lightfoot told me about this, and it's certainly a good cause! Hope you have fun along the way, too. Donation by Ruth Hulbert 23/06/09  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Keep your bums in the saddle team & the miles will glide by - and there's haggis to look forward to! Donation by david Lightfoot 23/06/09  

£100.00 + £28.21 Gift Aid

Hi Guys and Girl, I think you've already left so... just keep moving! I hope the weather treats you well xxx Donation by Carrie 23/06/09  

£10.00

May the sun shine on you and the glow from your ginger bonces be seen from one end of the country to the other ! x Donation by Karen Beard 19/06/09  

£50.00 + £14.10 Gift Aid

I can't help but think you'd make more by spending the time wandering around a pub with a bucket but whatever turns you on, pal. Donation by Barney 19/06/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful! Donation by Emer Martin 19/06/09  

£5.00 + £1.41 Gift Aid

good luck me old mate! Donation by Tom Byrne 19/06/09  

£10.00 + £2.82 Gift Aid

Make sure you wear padded shorts! Good luck! x Donation by Elizabeth Sara 19/06/09  

£10.00
Donate now
 
* Total raised online: £1,660.00
  Offline donations: £2,415.00
  Gift Aid plus supplement: £389.23

* Charities pay a small fee for our service.
Find out how much it is and what we do for it.