Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

One day in late February (probably 22nd but it is slightly weather dependent) I am going to attempt to ride from our home in North Wiltshire to Cardiff Hospital in order to visit my step-grandson Jake who is a patient there. He has short bowel syndrome and has not been able to go home since he was born in November last year

The care that he receives there is exemplary, truly wonderful, but there are always extras that can be provided for the babies, children and the parents looking after them in any hospital. I am hoping that you will feel able to join me in donating a few quid to the amazing work that goes on there making difficult lives a little bit better.

I get to see Jake once or twice a week and we are really lucky in that we live near the motorway and the hospital is literally alongside the carriageway. We can drive door to door in about an hour. I want to try it the hard way. By rusty bike.

I have a couple of advantages, the highest point on the journey is only about forty minutes into my journey and so the worst bit is over early on and I can get across the "Old" Severn Bridge for free (kerching!).

I reckon that it is going to be between sixty and seventy miles by the time I lock the bike up. This is a mere training run for "proper" cyclists but I have to admit that I might not be in the absolute peak of fitness. I have just looked myself up and apparently for my height I am my safe weight plus one Kylie Minogue!

Furthermore rather than using a modern carbon fibre technological marvel I am going to use my twenty year old mountain bike complete with rack, panniers and mudguards. I am going to eschew energy gels and blood doping for a nice cup of hot chocolate in Chepstow and a hydration break at The Rose Inn at Redwick. However there is, I am afraid, going to be a certain amount of lycra involved. I'm also investing in a #TEAMJAKE reflective jacket (no sleeves) which may be my favourite part of the whole enterprise. 

I have been practicing a little, learning the route bit by bit and I think there is a better than even chance that I can a. survive and b. make it to the hospital before the end of visiting which will probably be seven o'clock that day. 

I'd dearly love you to support this. I'll update this page with any news as the training progresses and the saddle sores develop. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe, they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity in the hospital. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for me and Noah's Ark.