Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. Please dig deep and sponsor me online.

As some of you may be aware, I reached a memorable age this year when apparently my life now begins!  So I have decided that I would do something different that would be very memorable.  I am doing a charity bike ride in Rajasthan, India, 2nd - 11th November 2008.  I will cycle 480 km over 6 days  (that's 50 miles per day) in temperatures of 25c - 30c while hopefully raising some money for a great cause!  All money raised goes direct to the NSPCC - this is not a holiday!

Please visit this page on a monthly basis where I will update you all on my progress and preparation to get fit for this challenge.  I will try and make it fun and informative.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: NSPCC will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now!

Many thanks for your support.

Ian R

1st July 2008

Training has commenced properly this week ... did a great hour on the bike tonight, on-road and off-road (and off bike) - hit a rut on a dirt track and came off the bike - great fun!  Roll on the next month!

10th August 2008

August has not been great for training so far - picked up a bug a few weeks back that has slowed me down a little, so not on the bike as often as I would like to be (or need to be!)  Off to California on hols this week.  I intend to borrow the brother-in-laws bike while there and will use the opportunity to get some training in for the hot weather that I can expect in India (and also see a few of the sights on bike - however, it is illegal to drink quality wine in Napa Valley and then ride a bike!)

22nd October 2008

OK, yes it is a big gap between the 10th of August update and the 22nd of October ... but I have been busy training.  So am I ready for this challenge?  I am as ready as I will ever be.  I did over 50 miles at the weekend (Saturday & Sunday) and it was tough at times.  Just under two weeks to go before we arrive in India and I am very excited and also slightly nervous.  A really BIG thanks to everyone for their support, few words of encouragement but many words of advice on the various ointments I need to apply!

Seriously, everyone has been really generous for the benefit of the NSPCC and the children that they protect.  Two people I need to highlight, only because their donations are not on this site, are Sarah Smethem at Telefónica O2 and Tony Doocey and the Accenture Foundation - thanks again!

I plan to update this site on my journey, so please visit between the 2nd and 11th of November for a "cycling" update.

Day 1 - 3

Landed in Delhi on Monday, then had a 6.5 hour coach journey to our hotel!  Went to the Taj Mahal on Tuesday morning, then had a two hour coach trip which turned into a four hour coach trip to the start of our ride.  Had a good 30 mile cycle ride on Tuesday afternoon.  Arrived at our camp in Bayana, yes tents, but very posh tents with onsuite cermaic toilets that lead to a hole in the ground two feet beyond the tent!  Had dinner around camp fire and washed with buckets of warm water at night and in the morning brought to our tent by some nice young men who hung around for a tip.  Today Wednesday we cycled from outside of Agra, Bayana near Bashawar to Bhandarej (99km = 62 miles) in temp of what we all thought was a liitle over 30C.  It was in fact almost 36C!  The sights, sounds and smells we saw today was just amazing ... more cow, camel, goat, dog and waterbuffalo s**t than you can ever imagine!  The people are genuinely warm and welcoming ... too welcoming for some of the women with us!  More to follow in the coming days.

Gave up on the blog - the photos tell a better story, please visit www.photobucket.com/cycleindia2008 and click on IanR_o2 on the left-hand side of the page.

Thx

Ian R