On the road at last
After months of planning and some frantic last minute preparations we have finally got underway.
It wasn’t the most auspicious of starts. We departed Trafalgar Square just as the heavens opened and the rain didn’t stop all day. After 95km in the rain we relented and accepted we weren’t going to make it to Dover, which was still 70km down the road.
It was always going to be a big day to get to Dover and the rain and cold got the better of our stubbornness. We owe a huge thank you to Reece Wood who provided much needed moral support cycling alongside us through the rain and has put us up at his mum’s house near Faversham for the night. A hot shower and prospect of a roast leg of lamb currently feels like one of the best things that’s ever happened!
Thank you to all those who turned out in Trafalgar Square to see us off and joined us for a few miles out of London. It was all a bit overwhelming so sorry if you didn’t get much sense out of us.
Thank you to all those who have donated so far. We’ve raised nearly £5000 of our £20000 target for Save the Rhino. The more we learn about the scale and pace of the poaching crisis in southern africa the more determined we are to battle through days like today. Every little helps.
Finally thank you to George Garnier who has kindly provided us with a whole range of RagPicker cycling kit. We now look like total professionals and with Save the Rhino emblazoned across our backs we’ll hopefully be turning heads across the world.
We will now catch a ferry to Dunkirk tomorrow and continue our planned route from there. The legs currently feel like we’ve been doing squats all day so the extra weight has definitely made an impact. Prospects for fitting into trousers when we get back already look poor…
Fantastic start despite a light shower! Really enjoyed just being there to see you two start your trip. I wont be planning on too much London cycling for the future but interesting that the Mall was closed to everyone else but you two…you even had a two-horse police escort and some blue lights!Take care and best wishes for your tour, John Jackie & Catherine. x
Good luck to you both! We will be following you from South Africa!
Not only am I reading the blog, but I’ve even signed up to word press boys so that I can continue the dream. Best of luck in these early rainy days and remember, never lose the wheel! X
There once were two strapping young lads
Who declared loud and clear, “We’re not cads!
We shall ride for the rhinos
Until every guy knows
That poaching their horns is just bad”.