Help for Heroes, 3000m Bike Ride. shane_lloyd@hotmail.com
On the 26th of January I shall be setting of on adventure that will test my mental and physical limits a chance to raise money and inspire people. So to that end I am looking for sponsorship for this event. It would be much appreciated if you all donated to this cause (as little or as much as you can) it all goes to charity Help for Heroes. I shall be leaving Great Britain and arriving in the big apple, equipped with my back pack, push bike and with my eyes on the prize Los Angeles enduring 3000 miles, 100 miles a day travelling through all sorts of different terrain but I shall stop at nothing well maybe to sleep.
Taking on this task spontaneously had it difficulties with travel and equipment. I have been provided with help from British rail, Expida, Continental airlines and United airlines which has made my journey less stressful. I have been given a bike from The Bike Shop in Penarth, I have also received kit from Cotswold.
Due to constant training with Kevin More at Phoenix Gym and keeping to my own fitness programme, I have achieved the skills to complete this task ahead.
Thank you all for visiting my page hopefully you will contribute towards the course. I will be posting further information of my journey as I go.
Shane.
I arrived in Manhattan on the 25 of Jan at 1400hrs local. I ended up walking around for looking for somewhere cheep to stay clearly I didn’t think that part through because I was in Park Avenue. The concierge on the desk gave me a room at a reduced price. As soon as I had seen the room I thought to myself for a brief moment what the fuck am I doing this bike ride for I should just stay here and enjoy the warmth and comfort of this essence 4* hotel. I couldn’t stay in and do nothing so I had a walk around the big apple taking in the sights and doing some last minute admim. On returning back to my room the cheeky folks from the hotel had chipped in for the course and gone out and bought me a high vis Nike vest. Later that night thought it would be a clever idea to grab one’s self a night cap.
Arose from my slumber at around 7am packed the rest of my kit and set off on the mission ahead little did I know how much of an epic it would be to escape the city on a push bike. Well after getting geographically missed placed more than once I got back on the right track and found my way to another bar called Rusty Kale's Pub. Yet again I cannot thank them enough for the free lunch and a point in the right direction. The burger there was huge and amazing sorry I couldn’t finish it all. I left the bar headed down the 505 I think, then on to the 1-9 and ended up on the 78 which for those who don’t know is like the M4 during peak traffic. Not a good place to be. Upon fixing to punchers on the side of the highway (not cool again) I found my way back to the 1-9 in a town called Newark. I was previously warned about this town by the members of Rusty’s bar not to travel through there at night. So to that end with the ever fading light I picked a nice cheep hotel called the Hilton which was the only place in sight. Well after a sh*t first day and only 70 miles in the bag things weren’t looking good.
Waking from my slumber at the start of a new day things were just going to get better and better. I headed west along the 28 towards Philadelphia. For everyone back home the signs in the US are crap and not well placed. After about 3hrs of cycling and guessing where I was going I stopped at a lock smiths shop to confirm I was on the right track. I picked this shop as they were flying the flags of all the American Armed Forces and a penal to a pinch of sh*t I knew they would help. Help is not the word. Turns out the kind people in that shop run a Jersey based charity for the soldiers out in the war zones on which they kindly send out care packages. For more information check them out at http://www.operationjerseycares.org/. They phoned the papers and Angelica's Café just up the road. The food was amazing and tasted even better as it was free. Cheers again. Well the kind people in the café sent me in the right direction down the 202 heading south towards a US Navy base in Philadelphia. Thank you Paul for the accommodation arrangements worked out really well.
Now then this is where the trip has taken a sudden turn. Upon arriving at the base having done 218 miles in total now I was lost didn’t have a clue as to where to find out what room I was in so I did same thing any good bootneck would do. I knocked on the first door I could hear sounds coming from. A US Marine pilot answered the door after finishing clipping his toe nails, drove me to the correct building then offered to take me out to get some food as the base galley was closed. 30 minutes later showed and good to go I was picked up from my room and headed out. Should have seen this one coming really, forces being forces no matter which country you are in just can’t leave the beer alone, so I ended up getting pissed and having an amazing time off 3 pints. I met loads of new and generous people who have since helped me out big time. I can’t thank them enough. They have bought me a train ticket south due to a big snow storm on it’s was in the north, a mobile phone just in case, food and drinks. The marines have also phoned friends and family members to try and hook me up with places to stay along the way. Cheers guys and girl for all the help and support.
I am currently still at the base (28) but I am on the train to North Carolina in the morning at 0830 hrs. I will still be doing the same distance just in a warmer climate. It’s way too cold here to ride my bike and with heavy snow on the way this weekend I can’t afford to get stuck. Plus Ohio has loads of snow at the moment and there is no way I will make it by the 26 of Feb, so that is why I’m heading south.
Well ill keep you all posted as the trip continues.
