Thankyou for coming to my  Page.

As most of you will know 2016 was an extremely sad and testing time for us and our extended families.

When bad news comes in like the tide,you've got to wonder  quite what's going on?

I have witnessed such sadness and I have to say In equal parts such bravery!

We came into 2017 looking for brighter and better times.

Its the year i turn 50!!!!

I know I cant quite believe how that has happened?   

The idea makes me laugh!. REALLY 50?!!!!!!

Its just a number. (thankfully that's how I feel about it)

So please don't expect responsible behaviour from me.

It's a  step too far!

With that said, maybe this is why I came up with the Crazy idea to cycle Vietnam to Cambodia to celebrate this milestone.                                  

Too celebrate life.                                                                                               

If the last year has taught me anything its life is not a given....its a gift!

For my 40th birthday I had a party and In truth I fear people are truly still sobering up from that fantastic night such was our enthusiasm. Genuinely I don't think we could go through another night like that so soon!!!     

With adventure in mind i approached Deborah Horton and Clare Brown to see what there thoughts were on it.

Though Deb took some coaxing  she agreed and I am extremely proud of her...as i know I'm taking her out of her comfort zone.

 Now for Clare Brown I think I forgot just how SPECIAL Clare is! 

 Clare with great enthusiasm decided to share  some of her  last experiences whilst cycling with us.Without going into too much detail we immediately sought counselling and with great conviction and relief we have decided to leave her at home!!!!!!

Sorry Tony!!!!!   she's all yours!!!

Fortunately for us we had two other enthusiastic beauties that were crazy enough to sign up to come along with us .

I have to say I'm thrilled to bits to have Christine Robinson and Fiona Curry are back on board again. We had great fun last year doing The Pennines......laugh a minute all that  cycling  on the flat!!!!! Not to mention the gargantuan swelling of Christines tongue at the finish line!!!!

This ride never started out as a Charity Challenge .

We had already fully paid up for our trip when we heard the devastating news of our good friend Carol Stead.

My friendship with Carol started in the The County Arms where in our teens everything started and finished really.

It was The centre of our Universe .Makes me laugh at the thought. Oh what a fantastic time we had lots of madness and mayhem.

I could recount lots of memories of Carol.                                               

My first concert with her  to see Transvision Vamp.   

Watching Paul Weller in Dalby Forest in torrential rain.

It didn't thwart Carols enthusiasm.Nor dampen her love of Paul.

She loved her music.

The Fleece Funwalk (an annual charity day.)We all turned up fully made up as teenagers do.Looking like we were going on a night out.

Clare Brown in Stilettos.One of the reasons no doubt that she has such trouble riding a bike.                                                                                         

And then Carol arrived looking like an Olympic medal winner.That was the thing about Carol she was organised,focused and would always give everything her all. 

As our lives have changed over the years we have always kept in touch.Still managed a rare night out every now and again.Carols death In truth has hit me  hard, i'm sure alot of you feel the same. Carol came through some really difficult times in her life. Losing her Mum Marguerite was huge blow to Carol.                                   

If i had one wish it would be that life had been kinder to Carol in her last years.

Carol should have joined us last year on our Pennine Bike ride though unfortunately she was too ill to take part.

 I know that she would have loved the idea of this challenge and that she will be with us in Spirit .

Our last visit with Carol  in the hospital was filled with laughter around her bedside.In fact she gifted us a new nickname for Clare Brown and that will always make me laugh.

And I will ALWAYS cherish that memory.

Since losing Carol sadly  we had lost another very good friend in Bob King.

I have known Bob King all my life.And since meeting Andrew my partner I  spent many  Saturday nights in Bob's company  in the pubs in Northallerton.

Bob was a man who knew what he liked,where he wanted to go and with whom.I would always laugh on a night out when Bob would say  " Come on then shall we go to the next pub?"with three quarters of a pint still in hand like a magician he would make it disappear!!!!  

Much to the changrin of the  lads!Leaving Binnsey,Buggsy and Andrew struggling to keep up.

 People of all ages on a night out called to Bob, or Uncle Bob as he was fondly known as.Everyone knew him.

 Bob loved his holidays.He was a definite sun worshipper and always looking forward to his trips to Tenerife. 

 Bobs disdain for walking was a well known fact, so there is no doubt in my mind his face would be a picture at the thought of cycling Vietnam to Cambodia.. 

Carol And Bob are sadly missed by their family and friends. They gave us a lots of memories and  a lot of laughter.

And that is why we have decided that we would like raise funds for Northallerton's New Cancer Centre in Memory of good friends.

Also we will be making a donation to The Christie Hospital in Manchester for the care given to Carol there.

On behalf of myself and all the other members of our Team we would like to say Thankyou for coming to read our post and for supporting us.