Dear Supporters

" You were the power in my pedals and the sunshine when it rained, most of all you "told" dementia carers and patients that they are not alone, thank you for your support."

It was an awesome experiance. If I learned anything then it is that a genuine smile, a please and thank you make all the difference. And that they are a lot of nice, helpfull people out there.

14.06.11 Last and shortest day of riding. Only 12 miles but all uphill; made Ditchling Beacon look positively flat. Arrived at Spitzingsee. Mission complete; 1152 KMs; 720 miles.

13.06.11 Diessen/Raisting to Schliersee/Neuhaus. Breathtaking scenery, humid; thunderstorms, hail&rain. Lost count of the hills. But what goes up goes eventualy down; at great speed. 

12.06.11 Guenzburg-Diessen am Ammersee. Pictures villages, Kestrels, Rainbows and for the first time I can see the Alps in the distance. 

11.06.11: Stuttgart-Guenzburg over the Stubersheimer Alp. Lots of rain & lots of hills, lovely scenery even in the rain! If you ever visit Guenzburg the "8 Maedchen House" B&B comes highly recommended.

10.6.11: Rest day in Stuttgart. Good food and Strawberry& cream cakes.

9.6.11: Waghauesel to Stuttgart. First realy challenging hills. Georgeous vinyards and the river Neckar. 

8.6.2011:Mainz to Waghauesel;  98 wet & windy miles, just like home; lost several times.

7.6.2011: Koblenz to Mainz, hot & amazing scenery. Good bike track, apart from the last 12 miles, rough as under construction..

6.6.2011: Zons to Koblenz. Followed the Rhein; very industrial. Dry and warm. Dubious accomodation in Koblenz. Glad to get away by 6 am.

5.6.2011: Xanten to Zons. Xanten is a lovely medieval town. Thunderstorm, hail and rain all morning. lovely pm. More Asparagus. 

4.6.11 Zaltbommel to Xanten. Miles and miles of Asparagus. Crossed the boarder into Germany. First hills. Hot and sunny.

3.6.11 Hoek van Holland to Zaltbommel. Hot, flat and very bike friendly. Lost in Rotterdam. Lovely and helpfull people.

Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the Alzheimers Society and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - you raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

It was a frosty January morning in 2007; blue sky and bright sunshine. Too nice a day for bad news. After 14 months of tests the specialist looked at me and said "Anton, take Helen home and look after her, there is nothing more I can do". During the early part of our journey the support of a loving family was enough. When things became more challenging, the professional advice from Social Services and the Alzheimers Society was invaluable. The wonderful people from Longacre helped to care for Helen at home for as long as possible. Then the day came when for Helen's own safety this was no longer possible. After a heartbreaking yet at the same time somehow rewarding "journey" Helen got to spend her last 6 months with the "Angels" of St.Clare. If anyone ever wants to know what dementia care should be like, they just need to visit St.Clare in Burgess Hill, Sussex. We were very fortunate that Helen received the excellent and compassionate care she did. I know that many people, even younger then Helen, are not that fortunate. Through lack of information or not knowing where or how to ask for help, many carers and dementia patients suffer in silence. The Alzheimers Society, with your help, not only supports the fight against dementia but raises awareness and provides vital information and support for carers and patients. Thank you very much for your support.

Why am I cycling to Spitzingsee? It was Helen's favourite place. We always hoped to go back there for one last time. It was not to be. Just driving or flying there wouldn't do justice to Helen's sense of adventure and her "can do" atittude.

Route: Hoek van Holland, Hertogenbosch, Xanten, Cologne, Kolblenz, Mainz, Heidelberg, Stuttgart, Ulm, Munich, Schliersee, Spitzingsee

Many Thanks

Anton