Mike Kings of course - " how do you feel about doing a sponsored bike ride from GEARS+ to Gloucester and raise money for GEARS+ and a cancer charity."

It seemed like a good idea at the time, we prepared some road bikes for the participants to practice and the date was set for the intrepid party to leave GEARS+ on the 18th August.  A couple of days before the bikes were brought into GEARS+ for a service prior to leaving on their epic journey and the riders Mike King, Mark Neale, Matt King and Tom Upton duly presented themselves on the morning of 18th.

The planning had been "typical" with the support crew trying to get the riders to recognise all that would be involved and the riders just concentrating on pedalling, so with the assitance of Dave Eccleston and Jonathan Flynn from GEARS+ the group, having been fed the obligatory bacon and sausage barms were finally ready to leave.

The campsites were booked and the support crew, Julie King, Trish Bartlett, Abi King and Suzanne Bartlett and Gromit set off with camper van, trailer tent and spare bikes to find the first site just outside Chester, whilst the riders, led on the first stage by Jonathan Flynn pedalled off towards Trafford Park. Birch Bank Farm in Christleton , Chester had been chosen for the first night and having set up camp the next job was to find a supermarket and start to prepare a meal for the "hungry bikers". Easier said than done after searching for over an hour the police had to be asked where could we possibly get some food in the sleepy Cheshire country side. Having sorted that problem a phone call informed us that the cyclists were lost, they couldn't follow the map and where were we.

Eventually just as dusk was falling they rode onto the campsite with lots of moaning about aching limbs. After a hearty meal it was early to bed in preparation for the next days adventures.

Thursday was far less eventful, a lovely campsite, booked as the Old Swan that had changed its name to the Wingfield Arms at Montford Bridge near Shrewsbury and we knew there were lots of supermarkets we had passed them on the way in. On the way to do the daily shop the cyclist were spotted and looked quite cheery, they thought they were near their daily destination but we knew better. So we returned, organised a rota for showers and cooking and prepared to wait for the intrepid crew.

Friday was  less serene, it poured down all day we arrived at the campsite at Doddington Farm, Bewdley, which sported a cafe and shop, booked in, went to move onto our site and the jeep refused to start. Not being afraid to have a go Julie and Trish tried jump leads, fuses etc but to no avail and the garage had to be called. The battery had died, without warning and the crew were stranded until a battery could be brought to get things moving again, not only that but again the riders were lost and had to be rescued. Tired, wet and frustrated the team came back to pasta but no sympathy.

On Saturday it was Abi's turn to take to the road, we fastened the pull along to a bike for her to try but she wasn't happy, so we decided we would meet the riders along the route for her to join in on her own bike. Having transported them to their start point we then had to decamp and start to drive the final leg to Long Levens, Gloucester.

Whether Darren and Elle Armitage were completely aware of what they were letting themselves in for we do not know but the cyclists, with Abi leading rode down Gifford Close to a champagne reception, well they were sprayed with fizzy stuff. Its incredible what you can get into a suburban back garden, an Audi Quatro, a trailer tent and a a camper van. By far the smallest campsite of the week. After showers and a change of clothes it was off to the chinese buffet, this was followed by bowling on the Wii and a sense of relief that next day we would be on our way back north.

After a breakfast of bacon barms it was load up, fuel up and away, the journey was going well even if we were a bit squashed in the jeep when yet again fate dealt us a blow, we had a puncture on the trailer tent and had to pull in to be rescuesd by the AA. Luckily they were there within an hour and we were once again on our way back to GEARS+.

What a week, but we are all back in one peice and are all speaking despite our ups and downs and hopefully we have raised some money to support the two charities.

 We would like to say a special thank you to all of the campsites who gave us discount rates and especially to Doddington Farm who were so helpful with our emegency and to Darren and Elle for making us all feel so welcome when we finally arrived in Gloucester.