Saturday 14th June 8.45pm
Well, we counted them all out and we've counted them all back, and they did it! The peloton cruised into Fenstanton at 4.30pm on the dot, in V formation as promised, to a heroes' welcome and a great turnout from the village and Clic Sargent. Well done to each and every one!!
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Saturday 14th June, 2.20pm
Crazy has phoned in to say they're doing well and on course to hit the village at 4.30pm. Come on boys!!!!! The finishing line is in sight....
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Saturday 14th June, 11.00am
Morning break check-in. Burnsy has lifted the spirits of our battled-hardened team with Mars Bar Ice Creams all round! The boys stood in an orderly line and clapped like schoolboys...
Paul is struggling bravely on and it looks like he'll be able to glide into Fenstanton along with the other members of the peloton in V formation later this afternoon. A fantastic effort with the fund-raising, the site now stands at £4,761.60 including gift aid. Will we make the £5,000 mark before they get back??? Watch this space!
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Saturday 14th June, 9.30am
Crazy tells me that the boys are poised to set off on their final leg home - they have sacrificed the chance to watch the England vs All Blacks match and will be striking out into the morning sunshine at any moment "like drug-crazed hamsters" apparently.
Good luck!! Hope that calf holds up Paul... a warm welcome awaits you all in Fenstanton!!!!!
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Friday 13th, 7.00pm
Captain Crazy has phoned in to say they have all arrived safely in Holbeach. Today's cycle ride has been most enjoyable, largely along towpaths this morning, and no rain until they were actually coming into Holbeach late afternoon. 60+ miles today. Only one slight injury, Paul has pulled something in one of his calves, which isn't good.
Thanks go to The White Hart in Boston, which provided free drinks with the lads' lunch!
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Friday 13th June, 2.45pm
All quiet on the Western front... they're either pedalling like mad with their heads down, legs pumping and hearts racing or they're sitting having tea and cakes somewhere.
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Friday 13th June, 9.30am
Not much to report from our merry band this morning (apart from the fact that they had a slap-up blow-out Chinese meal last night - not sure Lance Armstrong would have approved...) so I'll just pass a quick message on to 'Iron Man' Mike from friends Heinz and Lynne in Canada: "Great to see such an athletic bunch of guys doing some good. England may have made it to Euro 2008 if they'd known about your talents. Mike, don't forget to look for Jack along the way. We haven't seen him around here, but I hear he's back. Have fun and good luck".
And Happy Birthday to Col's brother Phil! (see donations below).
Lincoln to Holbeach today. I'm trying not to think about how it feels to get back on that bike after 75 miles yesterday...
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Thursday 7.30pm
Day 1 has been completed (approximately 75 miles) but not without mishap. Captain Crazy was involved in a skirmish with a woman driver in a Nissan Micra. She ended up in a ditch, lost her wing mirror and dented three panels of her car. Crazy was untouched. She apparently apologized and told him she hadn't been driving for very long... Garroody also suffered a puncture. This is more like it lads, exciting stuff!
The team are all now safely in the lounge bar of the Royal William hotel in Lincoln city centre, a stone's throw from the Cathedral, nursing their tender parts.
The highlight of the day has been Burnsy's sterling tea and coffee service. Tomorrow the boys are hoping for scones with clotted cream.
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Thursday 12.45pm
Lunchtime break for our honed athletes. Burnsy is playing a blinder apparently, and for their mid-morning break he'd got his cooker on in the back of the white van and made them all a cup of tea with sugar! Come on lads, this is supposed to be a gruelling, back-breaking challenge to test you to the extremes of your physical endurance. Sounds more like Acorn Antiques.
Garroody wins the prize for 'fastest speed' so far by clocking 42.1mph on a downhill run. Captain Crazy tells us Garroody 'has calves like an Adonis'. Crazy also fessed up to falling off his bike. Again. At least he was stationary and not in any danger. Next time try normal shoes and pedals Mark, not those silly cycling things that you can't get your feet out of...
They're now in Market Rasen and heading for Lincoln where they will be spending tonight. Weather report: overcast but mercifully, no rain as yet.
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Thursday, 9.40am
And they're off!!! Ten minutes in and the first puncture though... 'Ankles' Hutson was the unlucky cyclist. No problem though, Burnsy was on hand immediately with a vanful of replacement inner tubes.
No rain for the start of their journey, more than we can say for Fenstanton.
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Thursday 12th June, 9.28am
No word as yet, hope they're all awake.... probably just completing press interviews and photocalls. I hope.
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Wednesday 11th June, 10.55pm
Our first proper report from oop north. The boys have just enjoyed a splendid Italian meal - including stacks of carbs for the ride tomorrow - and a big thank you must go to Wayne for covering the bill this evening. Alex, Charlie and Robyn have agreed to sponsor the boys if they get a mention on the blog, so here you are guys! (This arrangement also goes for anyone else wanting to see their name in lights).
The team B&B (Highcliffe House in Hessle) is 'very nice' and for those interested in this sort of thing, the men have paired up as follows: Garroody and Nigel (they have the boudoir room apparently...) Col and Mark, Steve and Mike and Paul and Chris.
They're all now wending their way to bed, but have yet to stumble upon a friendly northerner who might use the word 'appen.
Lift off will be at 09:30 tomorrow morning - let's hope there's no late bar at the B&B tonight.
More tomorrow. Please e-mail any messages you may have to Elaine at laineyw@clara.co.uk and I'll pass them on.
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Hello to everyone who may be logging on to check the progress of our brave team. The men have all now completed their gruelling, individually compiled training programmes and are raring to go. Cream has been applied, tyres have been inflated and catering-size boxes of Mars Bars have been packed into the white van.
They will be leaving from Fenstanton Clock Tower at 3pm this afternoon (Wednesday 11th) for the long train journey north. Check in from time to time to read of their progress!
Let me introduce you to the team:
Mark 'Captain Crazy' Withers, Mike 'Iron Man' Francis, Colin 'Shoulders' Wright, Steve 'Ankles' Hutson, Chris 'Tigger' Burns (Executive Director of Logistics and Support), Mark 'The Hulk' Garrood, Paul 'Bob the Builder' Warmbold and Nigel 'Snake Hips' Hookham.
Eight good men, strong and true, will be cycling from Hull to our home village of Fenstanton from 12th to 14th June 2008 - some 200 miles in three days!
We have been inspired by the experiences of our friends in the village who were helped tremendously by CLIC Sargent after their young son fell ill last year.
Please give generously, with unexpected and surprisingly large amounts particularly welcome...
Thanks for taking the time to visit this website.
Photo courtesy of Kate Withers (thanks Kate)
