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This April I will be joining a group of colleagues to cycle from Stevenage to Cambridge. A cycle ride memorably completed twice in one day by Michael, on a ramshackle bike, with a full days work in the middle, and a football match, and a few beers. But he was incredibly fit!

Michael was and is a great inspiration to so many of us, and we wanted to do something to honour his memory and raise some money for the place that looked after him, and his visitors, so well in his final weeks. 

Please give generously to help Arthur Rank Hospice do the same for others.

**UPDATE**

After a joyous reunion of colleagues past and present in the company car park, and the wait for the inevitable latecomer, we took a few pre-event photos and set out from Stevenage on a dank and overcast Sunday morning. We were off shortly after 9am and climbed our way leisurely through the almost deserted cycle tracks of the town. We eventually emerged at the top of the town and were ejected onto the road to Walkern where we hit the open country with a nice quick glide down into the village of Walkern.

There was a brief check-in with the support vehicle and then we set of on the slow climb up through north Hertfordshire on quiet country roads; Cromer, Rushden, Redhill, at one point being overtaken by a mature runner as inexperienced legs attempted to drive us up the slopes. Eventually we topped out somewhere near Sandon and started a gentle descent towards the A505 where we had our first break. The support crew were ready with drinks, snacks, cake, and for some a much needed coffee!!

We carefully shepherded everyone across the dual carriageway for another gradual climb before the sharp descent into the pretty village of Ashwell. Now into Cambridgeshire the roads opened out and the inclines were fewer and more gentle, so we attempted to build up a little more momentum. Sadly the winds were very much against us, with the prevailing south westerly switching to a brusque north easterly for the day, and this is where it really started to punish us. The front runners scampered away with the tail-enders struggling to keep up, but we kept going. Steeple Morden, the war memorial outside Litlington, Bassingbourn, pausing for a quick winegum break to assess the way ahead before Meldreth. A temporary change of direction in Shepreth and took us into the beautiful village of Barrington - an ideal location for a summer game of cricket or lounge on the green had the weather been kinder - but we were on our way towards the biggest challenge of the day. 

At 47m over 1.3km, Chapel Hill isn't exactly the Alpe d'Huez, but for a bunch of unfit scientists ranging in age from 14 to 62, it was a formidable climb. Some pushed, some cycled, some puffed and most struggled, but all smiled as they crested the summit and saw the support wagon waiting for our second and final stop. Again there was cake, drink, and this time glorious views over the destination of Cambridge in the distance.

There was much stretching and moaning about saw bottoms and aching limbs as we set off again for the last stint. A rapid descent took us into Haslingfield and then a quick blast up to the village of Barton where we were able to join the cycleway into Cambridge. The noisy road, and persistent rain showers only increased our determination to get on with it and after lengthy waits to cross the M11 roundabouts, we slipped into Cambridge, cut through the traffic on the ring-road and finally made it to the pub on Parkers Piece for a welcome drink and some lunch, just as the sun came out!

So some 4 h 20 min and 35 miles after leaving Stevenage, 16 of usarrived in Cambridge in memory of a dear friend in Michael Kranz who sadly lost his battle with cancer a year ago. I think Michael would have been very disappointed in our performance, but I hope he would have been proud of our effort! He was very much at the heart of our thoughts and conversations during the day. So well done to all who took part and cycled further than ever before. Thank-you to all those who contributed to our spectacular sponsorship total of nearly £3000 which will help Arthur rank to continue its valuable work. And finally thank you to Michael for being such an inspiration to us all!