We are joining Pete and the rest of the team on the London to Paris Cycle Challenge in June 2013 – 228 miles in 3 days – in memory of Ruth’s sister Anne Jenkins and to raise funds for the Princess Alice Hospice who were so supportive to Anne and her family.

We enjoyed various cycle rides with Anne and family along the Thames towpath and in Dalby Forest in Yorkshire.  There was a memorable occasion in 2002 when we were cycling round Great Cumbrae (an island off the Scottish coast) and William was on a trailer bike behind Anne.  We were about to set off so Anne shouted “Are you ready William?” and William promptly fell off backwards but bounced back unscathed.  Our father (more recently known as Grandpa) used to cycle regularly from Liverpool to North Wales on a bike equipped with 3 speed Sturmey Archer gears.  He was famously despatched on his bike from Liverpool to Cambridge when his elder brother was suffering from appendicitis – he was allowed one overnight stop in a Youth Hostel on the way.

We enjoy cycling around our local area in East and North Yorkshire where there are many quiet roads and off road routes.  Last year we took our bikes (on the car) on the ferry from Hull to Rotterdam and had a lovely time cycling round the Dutch bulbfields.  However we will have to up our game for this challenge and have invested in new touring bikes as our mountain bikes are too slow for the distances involved.

Thank you to all our family, friends and colleagues for supporting us in this venture.