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.