My story

Thank you for visiting our fundraising page. Please dig deep and sponsor us online.

We are riding motorcycles from Lisbon to Timbuktu and back in January 2008 and from Lhasa to Kathmandu in May 2008. The round trips total 15000 kilometres. 

The trips are a good opportunity to raise interest in and funds for Leukaemia Research which sponsors treatment at centres around the world including Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge, England.

We know a young chap who is being treated at Addenbrookes currently and ask you to make a contribution towards their efforts.

The Timbuktu trip is being led by world record holding endurance rider Nick Sanders www.nicksanders.com  The participants are all amateur riders.

The Himalayas offer a stark contrast to the arid Saharan conditions. We will ride over the highest road pass in the world (5600 metres) on Indian-built Royal Enfield 500cc bikes. We will be joined by osteopath Dave Gutteridge for this trip - probably a good thing!

Two madcap schemes for the price of one. Bargain!!

PLEASE NOTE that, unlike many sponsored events, all of the money you donate will go to Leukaemia Research though the justgiving system. None will be used to pay riders' costs in any way. The riders have all paid for their own trips in full.

Donating through this site is simple, quick and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor us: Leukaemia Research will receive your money quickly 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 us.

Many thanks for your support.

Tim Fairless  Yamaha XT660R

Greg Shaw  BMW R1150GS Adv 

Roy Clarke  Honda XRV 750 Africa Twin

PAGE UPDATE 04/02/2008

Back from Timbuktu with 66% of us in good order. Greg and Tim made the full trip, Unfortunately, Roy had an 80 mph head-on collision with a Moroccan minibus and had to fly home. Roy is mending and his bike may be repairable. "All part of the adventure" and he is pleased to still be here to fight again.

Morocco is an excellent place for bikes. Brilliant roads. Decent places to stay. Friendly people. Interesting landscape. Worth a return visit.

Western Sahara/Mauritania is desert with added desert and sandstorms and minefields. Definitely the "Billy No-Mates" of the world, and deservedly so.

Mali benefits from the Niger and is pleasant throughout the area irrigated by the river. It's desert elsewhere. People are friendly and laid-back generally. They have annual music festivals in Segou and Bamako which would be fun.

Timbuktu? Definetely a "been there, done that, no need to go back". The last 440km of unpaved road tested our bikes fully with hard rocks and soft sand holes. All the riders fell at least once. One rider fell 9 times in 400 km = lift 250kg of dead weight in 35 C x 9 whilst wearing protective riding gear. Character-building.

Overall a successful trip with very good company. We achieved our first objective.

My gallery 1

My Teams

My company

My charity

Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research

Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research

Charity Registration No. 216032

Leukaemia & Lymphoma Research is the only UK charity solely dedicated to research into blood cancers, including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. Your contribution really will make a difference to the lives of the 30,000 people diagnosed every year with a blood cancer. beatingbloodcancers.org.uk

Donations 25

Good luck, hope you get some real Dales weather (thinking of you, Roy!)

Donation by Alistair Copeland on 02/01/08

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Good luck. Join me on the 2009 Trans Am?

Donation by Nigel Richardson on 31/12/07

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Donation by Jacqui on 17/12/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Donation by Brett on 12/12/07

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Will be thinking of you on our Kerala trip

Donation by Roger on 05/12/07

£25.00

+ £7.05 Gift Aid

Good luck!

Donation by Joseph on 20/11/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Tim, have a great ride...

Donation by Matt Kerslake on 15/11/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

great cause, you have my support and thanks for supporting me

Donation by michael barratt on 15/11/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Donation by Jack and Olwyn Fairless on 14/11/07

£200.00

+ £56.41 Gift Aid

Donation by Phil Richards on 14/11/07

£100.00

any excuse for a bike ride or are you bored at home

Donation by john kehoe on 13/11/07

£50.00

Sounds great - good luck!

Donation by Martin Joynes on 13/11/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

Just don't drop the bike like you did in Oz Tim!

Donation by Eric Papas on 13/11/07

£40.00

I guess "Mysorearse" will be replaced by "Sandy Bottoms". Best wishes for the trip.

Donation by Frank Dominey on 15/10/07

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Very best wishes

Donation by judy on 14/10/07

£25.00

Donation by Des on 10/10/07

£100.00

+ £28.21 Gift Aid

Tim - glad to see you are still a member of the lunatic fringe... 'enjoy' the trip!

Donation by Rob on 10/10/07

£50.00

+ £14.10 Gift Aid

Can we auction your bike when you get back ? Ewan Mc Gregor got good money for his !

Donation by Kaizen Contract Services Ltd on 05/10/07

£400.00

+ £112.82 Gift Aid

What an adventure...very proud!

Donation by Jo on 02/10/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Good Luck

Donation by Blacky41 on 02/10/07

£10.00

+ £2.82 Gift Aid

Good Luck and Keep Safe

Donation by Biker Biker on 02/10/07

£5.00

+ £1.41 Gift Aid

Donation by Phil Richards on 02/10/07

£100.00

Wish I was Going :-) Have a Good 'Un

Donation by Steve Cholerton on 01/10/07

£20.00

+ £5.64 Gift Aid

TIM raising a BUCK or TWO - I knew there was a joke in there somewhere !

Donation by Rob on 01/10/07

£100.00

+ £28.21 Gift Aid

"What's in it for me?"......"Sand." :-)

Donation by Tim Fairless on 01/10/07

£100.00

+ £28.21 Gift Aid

Donation summary

  • * Online donations£1,585.00
  • Offline donations£20.00
  • Text donations£0.00
  • Total raised£1,605.00
  • Gift Aid£358.21

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