On 19 September 2025, I’ll take on one of Europe’s toughest bikepacking routes: Las Montañas Vacías (the empty mountains) in South East Spain.

Over 9 days, my teammate Dave Pegler and I will ride more than 1,000 km off-road, climbing 13,000 m—completely unsupported. We’ll carry everything we need: food, water, and in my case the insulin I inject six times a day to stay alive with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D).

This is a land of near-silence and isolation, with less than one person per square kilometre. The route cuts across high plateaux, desert-like sierras, rough doubletracks and forgotten roads. Each day demands over 115 km in distance, 2,000 m of climbing, and sometimes hauling the 30 Kg. bikes on our shoulders. With no easy resupply or escape routes, Bikepacking.com rates it 7/10 for difficulty. Add in my T1D and a recent hip replacement, and this may be my hardest challenge yet.

THE CAUSE

We are raising $5,000 for Action4Diabetes (A4D), the charity I co-founded in 2015 with my old Royal Marines friend, Charles Toomey. A4D provides free insulin, blood glucose monitoring supplies, and vital education to more than 1,000 children with T1D in seven countries across Southeast Asia.

Every $500 we raise will keep a child alive for one year. Without this support, many would not survive. Insulin is life, but without the right T1D education, poor management can lead to blindness, amputations, or even death before reaching adulthood.

WHY NOW

Since my T1D diagnosis in 2001, I’ve taken on 21 “Jerry’s Insulin Challenges” - from a UK speed record on the North Face of the Eiger, to the extreme heights of K2. Each one aimed to inspire people living with T1D, while raising funds for those who cannot afford the T1D care they desperately need.

Now, at 64, with an ageing body, I am pretty sure this 22nd JIC will push me the most. For someone with T1D, the fear is always the same. Will I have enough food to keep moving? In Las Montanas Vacias, access to carbohydrates will be my constant concern.

The spark came when Charles messaged me about Romy, a Filipino teenager on our programme: HbA1c of 19%, nearly blind, teeth gone, yet still fighting for his life. (For context, non-diabetic levels are 4–5.6%.) Romy’s courage was a wake-up call—and the reason I’m riding.

YOUR SUPPORT

I want this brutal ride through Spain’s “Empty Mountains” to bring hope and health to 10 young people like Romy who live with T1D in The Philippines. Together, we can give them the future they deserve.

Action4Diabetes (A4D) is a UK-registered charity giving health and hope to disadvantaged young people living with Type 1 Diabetes in South-East Asia by ensuring free access to life-saving medication and support from an empowered T1D community.

We are the only NGO dedicated to tracking, documenting and improving the health outcomes of disadvantaged young people living with T1D in SEA. Unlike other NGOs, we offer ongoing T1D healthcare to those we support.