On Saturday 5 July, Bartho and I are taking on a repeat of our trip from London to Île de Ré. Only this time, it’s different.

After last year’s 500km ride, we’re now embarking on a 750km journey over 6 days. That’s 50% more filth, 50% more sweat, 50% more pain… and still 0% change of clothes.

Together, we’ll face hills, headwinds, hotel breakfasts, and each other, all in pursuit of adventure, nature, and the perfect croissant. Bartho is ready. He’s 12, full of energy, wit, and determination. I’m 48, full of coffee, joint pain, and chamois cream.

We come well trained. We notably did a 200km round-trip from London to Brighton, a test of mental resilience on several levels, notably as it coincided with the Sinner - Alcaraz final, which we missed entirely.

This is also the opportunity for us to raise money for the Rainforest Trust, an organisation working to protect the Amazon. They’ve already placed over 50 million acres under permanent protection. And thanks to a generous (and anonymous) matching donor, every pound given will be doubled!

For those interested, I’ll be keeping a small WhatsApp blog during the ride — hope you’ll be part of the journey!