Off to Spain - on our bikes!
FOUR FRIENDS SET FOR TOUGH 11-DAY CYCLE TREK TO MALLORCA
FOUR friends are cycling over 1,000 miles from Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People to Mallorca to raise money for the charity.
Lisa Shuttlewood, 50 and Michael Gould, 51, both of Loughborough, and Donna Adlam, 50, and George Cowan, 70, of Mallorca, will start the 11-day trek next Saturday.
As well as clocking up the miles, the friends will be climbing many steep slopes, including the Pyrenees mountain range.
In total they will reach an elevation of 52,000 feet, which is almost twice the height of Mount Everest.
The challenge will be made even trickier as the friends do not have a support vehicle – meaning they will need to carry all of their possessions and spare parts themselves.
Lisa said: “I live in Loughborough, not far from Rainbows, so I know what an important place it is and how much it means to so many.
“I wanted to do something special for Rainbows and this will be a real challenge for all of us. We are strong cyclists, but we are really pushing our boundaries and because we want to raise as much as we can for Rainbows, it gives us more of an added purpose.
“Because we are self-supported, we will be carrying everything on our bikes, or on ourselves. Usually a trek like this would have a support vehicle to carry all of the essentials but we will have all of our spares, such as inner tubes and chains, and tools and clothes and energy food and so on.
“If one of our bikes breaks down in the middle of France, then we have to fix it there and then.”
The target is £2,000, and the team is over half-way, with the total standing at £1,192 yesterday afternoon.
Gary Farnfield, of Rainbows, paid tribute to their efforts.
“This sounds like an epic challenge and we would like to thank the team for supporting of us,” said Gary. “We need the support of fundraisers to help us to continue to brighten short lives. We wish them all the best on their incredible journey.”
To support the team, visit: