Thank you for visiting our fundraising page.
The flights are now booked, the visas are in place, and the rucksacks nearly packed. After 3 years of planning we, Simon Cook and Paul Hayton, are about to undertake our biggest challenge ever..., We plan on walking the length of the USA following the Continental Divide trail from Antelope Wells on the Mexican Boarder ending in GlacierNational Park on the Canadian Border.
The Continental Divide Trail or CDT is a 3100 mile wilderness trail that runs along The Rocky Mountain range crossing 5 states, 25 national forests, 3 national parks and 3 Indian reservations. We plan on doing this unaided carrying all we need to survive on our backs only leaving the trail to re-supply, take a shower and sink a few well deserved beers!
To complete this physical and mental challenge we will need to walk and average of 20+ miles a day, 6 days a week for a total of six months on a trail which is only two thirds complete. We will have to tackle everything that Mother Nature has to throw at us including mountainous terrain, adverse weather conditions, water scarcity and not forgetting the mountain lions, rattle snakes and grizzly bears!! This is why only a handful of backpackers try this annually and even fewer finish in the same year.
We plan on starting the trip on the 1st May 2008 and you will be able to track our progress on Cookies blog: http://www.made-in-england.org/ - Newfangled technology will plot our exact location and route onto a map using GPS. You'll also be able to keep track of our latest photos, random thoughts, the number the fish we have caught & eaten and other such essential stats.
We are doing this to raise funds for The Cystic Fibrosis Trust as we both have friends that suffer from this currently incurable disease. www.cftrust.org.uk The money raised will help fund research to find a cure for the’s most common life-threatening inherited disease. Your generosity will be greatly appreciated.
Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor us: Cystic Fibrosis Trust will receive your money faster and, if you are a taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.
So please sponsor us now! And thank for your support.
Simon Cook & Paul Hayton
