Mike cycles to Paris and Amanda has a baby
Since the beginning of the year Mike has been training hard on his handcycle in preparation for a 3-day cycle to Paris in support of The Back Up Trust and Aspire, both spinal injury charities. He has been out at least once most weekends cycling round Richmond Park a couple of times, and in the last couple of months has been cycling to the park from home, a couple of circuits, and then back home which is about 21 miles. He also raised a phenomenal amount of sponsorship - including about £700 from DHL Foundation - and the total was just over £7000. He paid the costs of the trip himself (we both feel strongly about sponsorship going towards the cost of someone's "holiday") so it all went to the charities. There were items in the local press and on the local website (the latter having a rather over the top reference to "heroic").
The cycle ride took place over the weekend of June 3-6. We got up very early on the morning of June 3, loaded up the handcycle and drove over to Crystal Palace for the 6.30 am meet. Having unloaded the cycle etc in the car park they decided that the vans couldn't get under the height restriction so we relocated everything to the entrance. It was bitterly cold and there was a lot of hanging around - they didn't set off until 7.30 by which time Mike had been sitting in the cycle for an hour not doing anything and getting very cold. They had a briefing talk at the beginning which included taking turns at cycling at the back with the hand-cyclists (of which there were 4). Corporate T-shirts and gillets were issued and everyone put them on for the official start photos.
Mike had to work hard on the first day to keep on schedule to catch the ferry. There was a contingency plan of picking up the hand-cyclists in the van if they weren't going to make the ferry on time, and Mike was determined that he would cycle all the way. He had to keep hassling them at food stops to give him his refreshments so that he could get underway again.
Mike's report of the trip goes thus: 290 km, 2990 m of ascent, 3 days. Weather quite cold, perfect for cycling. No rain during any of our cycling, just a bit overnight. The sun came out on our 5th crossing of the torrent which is the Seine, just before our finish at the Eiffel tower.
There is a blog from one of the riders which gives more details and a few more photos: https://www.aspire.org.uk/Blog/cycling-london-to-paris
They came back by Eurostar. I met him at St Pancras and took all his luggage back by tube - while he cycled off to the Chiswick practice towing his wheelchair.
Route: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2ZFDlsNw63iTURmR2dBTTVFVk0
Tuesday 7th. I went up to Northamptonshire to meet up with Beryl. I first went to Heyford Marina to collect my bike from Intrepid. This went very smoothly - I was so relieved to find that the boat had been moored with the front facing the bank (unusually) and my bike was in the lounge at the front so easy to get at. Beryl and I went for a walk round Pitsford reservoir, although we didn't actually go very far round as Beryl was having difficulty walking and was using a stick. We had a drink at the cafe - but they were very unwelcoming and difficult. We then went to a local pub for lunch and then looked round the local church where there was an interesting flower festival. Beryl of course was soon talking to the locals!
I heard later that Amanda had her baby at 6 pm - he is called Harrison Darren !! I was able to add the name and date to a cross stitch I had done and make up the card in the evening and then post it on the following morning before setting off for Devon, which was a relief as it would have had to wait until after I got back if she had been any later. He is a beautiful baby (of course) and looks a lot like Dad.
The cycle ride took place over the weekend of June 3-6. We got up very early on the morning of June 3, loaded up the handcycle and drove over to Crystal Palace for the 6.30 am meet. Having unloaded the cycle etc in the car park they decided that the vans couldn't get under the height restriction so we relocated everything to the entrance. It was bitterly cold and there was a lot of hanging around - they didn't set off until 7.30 by which time Mike had been sitting in the cycle for an hour not doing anything and getting very cold. They had a briefing talk at the beginning which included taking turns at cycling at the back with the hand-cyclists (of which there were 4). Corporate T-shirts and gillets were issued and everyone put them on for the official start photos.
Mike had to work hard on the first day to keep on schedule to catch the ferry. There was a contingency plan of picking up the hand-cyclists in the van if they weren't going to make the ferry on time, and Mike was determined that he would cycle all the way. He had to keep hassling them at food stops to give him his refreshments so that he could get underway again.
Mike's report of the trip goes thus: 290 km, 2990 m of ascent, 3 days. Weather quite cold, perfect for cycling. No rain during any of our cycling, just a bit overnight. The sun came out on our 5th crossing of the torrent which is the Seine, just before our finish at the Eiffel tower.
There is a blog from one of the riders which gives more details and a few more photos: https://www.aspire.org.uk/Blog/cycling-london-to-paris
They came back by Eurostar. I met him at St Pancras and took all his luggage back by tube - while he cycled off to the Chiswick practice towing his wheelchair.
Route: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2ZFDlsNw63iTURmR2dBTTVFVk0
Tuesday 7th. I went up to Northamptonshire to meet up with Beryl. I first went to Heyford Marina to collect my bike from Intrepid. This went very smoothly - I was so relieved to find that the boat had been moored with the front facing the bank (unusually) and my bike was in the lounge at the front so easy to get at. Beryl and I went for a walk round Pitsford reservoir, although we didn't actually go very far round as Beryl was having difficulty walking and was using a stick. We had a drink at the cafe - but they were very unwelcoming and difficult. We then went to a local pub for lunch and then looked round the local church where there was an interesting flower festival. Beryl of course was soon talking to the locals!
I heard later that Amanda had her baby at 6 pm - he is called Harrison Darren !! I was able to add the name and date to a cross stitch I had done and make up the card in the evening and then post it on the following morning before setting off for Devon, which was a relief as it would have had to wait until after I got back if she had been any later. He is a beautiful baby (of course) and looks a lot like Dad.
John went over to visit them shortly after Harrison was born and took some nice photos:
