We're not done yet

We'd hoped to be able to post some video of our glorious departure (or us riding off through an industrial estate, depending on your point of view), but thus far the technical gremlins have defeated us.
What we can show you, though, is a cutting from the Newbury Weekly News from the week after we got back - I was going to put it up earlier but forgot.

You can also read a full acount of the trip in the November edition of Out & About, free with the Newbury Weekly News on October 21.

We are very grateful to the people who have donated since the last update - Robert Lester, Richard Deal, Lin Wilkinson and Malcolm Howe. The current total stands at £2,923 with Gift Aid, so we're confident of hitting £3,000 before we wrap up on October 10.

New picture slideshow

Here's a slideshow of pictures from the trip - enjoy!

The money is still coming, and that's down to people's generosity - big thanks to out latest donors, Martin and Louise, Robin Palmer, Mrs McAuley, Mark Taylor, Wendy Hubbard, and Freda Fleischer.

The Day After..

Richard: The day after, and a chance to reflect on the previous day's ride, which was, frankly, awful. When some grinning idiot of a TV weatherman says it's going to be "breezy" today, what they mean is that somewhere, someone is going to be wrestling for 260 miles trying to keep 260kg of motorcycle plus passenger and luggage in a straight line. Amazingly, while we hugged the hard shoulder and tucked ourselves in behind slower vehicles, blokes on BMW R1200 GSs were blatting past in the outside lane - how to they do it? Is speed the answer? Someone please tell me.
Oh, and my helmet decided to fall apart at Keele services - the flip front hinge became unscrewed, so I had to swap with Clare so that I could get my glasses on.
By the time we reached the outskirts of London, rush hour traffic was preferable to the wind, and the welcome we were given by the good folk of Beating Bowel Cancer made it all worthwhile. By eight o'clock we were at home with fish and chips, Lidl champagne and University Challenge. We know how to live.
Today, the pain in my arms and shoulders is testament to how much I had to wrestle with the bike yesterday, while the stiffness in my left ankle is just Hank (as I call him) reminding me what bikes can do to the human body.
And still the money comes in: many thanks to our latest sponsors - Sam Tesch, Tricia, Nick H, and Liz and Richard Pugh (and the team at Lyndon Design).
Still to come over the next few days - the winner of our 'estimate the fuel' competition, a full gallery of pics, possibly some video of the departure, and of course the final total raised. So keep logging on.

Clare: Very, very nice not to have to sit on anything with two wheels today, though I can still hear, and feel, the humm of the engine.  Yes, by the end, I was seriously becoming 'Half Woman, Half Bike'....  Have to say the last four days have proved a real experience. I feel really lucky to have taken part in it and to have helped raise money at the same time.  Lucky to have seen the changing landscape, to have heard the changes of accent along the way and to have met some great people.   So many of us have got a connection with cancer and been affected by it.  Even our landlady in Stranraer, shared the fact that she had recovered from breast cancer and, along with other local ladies, had organised a fundraising Ladies and Tractors Day, when they decked out their tractors with pink ribbons.  How brilliant is that!  

On a less serious note, my leaning skills as a pillion have definitely improved (well, I think they have!!).  I have also learnt that it is possible to be 99% asleep and not fall off the back and that in moments of extreme terror, such as on really windy motorways, I have a tendency to squeak.  I think R must have thought he had a demented gerbil behind him - not a becoming feature! I think I may even have swallowed the mouthpiece from the intercom as it seems to have disappeared...  I also learned that it's best not to over wave out of enthusiasm when you see other riders otherwise you could be taken for a fluorescent windmill!  

Thank you everyone once again for all your support in memory of Kath and for raising funds for Beating Bowel Cancer.   I'll leave you with a couple of pics....

Base layers - you're not dressed without them

Beating Bowel Cancer loaned us this banner to prove that we've done it!

We've done it!

It/s 4.35pm and we're sitting on the offices of Beating Bowel Cancer, being fed tea and chocolate biscuits - thanks for that warm welcome.
It's not been an easy day's ride, down a windy M6, so the welcome we've had here has been fantastic!
Here's a pic of the moment we arrived in Teddington, 1,000 miles later. A more detailed account will follow later.
In the meantime, thank you again to everyone who sponsored us - it means the world to us, and to Beating Bowel Cancer.
Mother would have approved! 

Just a quick note to say .. it's so nice to be out of that wind!   R told me last night that Kath would go on the back of Russell (R's Dad's) motorbike in her younger years, but would only climb onto the saddle the day before she was due to go to the hairdressers.  Kath was always immaculate, and Helmet Hair would never have been an option!   I have a feeling she would take one quick look at my windswept nest today (post M6), smile, then wrinkle her nose in that way she had and say... 'Oh dear'..   Clare .

Blowin In The Wind

After a long day's riding through Ireland, and a mercifully short ferry ride, the Balyatt B&B near Stranraer was a welcome sight. Pat and her family made us really welcome, to the point of moving their car out so that the bike could have a berth under cover on what was a really wet night.
There is something strangely comforting about sitting up in bed watching Last Night of the Proms while the Scottish weather batters your bedroom window. We were glad to be inside, in such comfortable surroundings.
This morning, after a spendid breakfast (extra haggis for Sir!), we set off on the A75 to Dumfries, a road seemingly made for motorcycling - smooth tarmac, lots of bends, and stunning views of the Galloway Firth.
By lunchtime, we had crossed back into England - or Country Number Five as we now call it.
If the A75 was wonderful, the same cannot be said of the M6, where the gusting wind got so bad that in the end, we stayed in the inside lane, tucked behind a camper van reluctant to go faster than 50mph while the wind tried to force us on to the hard shoulder every now and then. To the BMW riders whizzing past in the outside lane with a cheery wave, it must have been highly amusing.
At Westmorland Services, the drama of dropping the bike (no damage to either it or rider this time!) was offset when a chap came up to us and introduced himself as neilmudd from the Yamaha Diversion Club, who had read my earlier posts on the club's website - great to see you neilmudd!
Arriving in Lytham, it was bliss to be able to swap the bike for a hot bath and a beer at Alison's, and an Indian take-away with Nigel and Liz - many thanks to you all. (Thanks also to our most recent sponsors, Carrie Faithfull, and Alex and Katy Pert).
The final leg tomorrow will see us leave Lancashire for the offices of Beating Bowel Cancer in Teddington - milk, no sugar, please!

Making friends with some wee cows in Stranraer

Enough riding for one day - arriving in Lytham

That was Ireland, so it was

Well, we're on the Belfast-Stranraer ferry after a brilliant day. Ireland's roads were made for motorcycling - smooth, new and largely empty. Apart from some dodgy drivers on the Dublin ring road, it's a cracking place to ride. The weather has been kind to us, after a very wet night, and amazingly out kit was dry this morning, after yesterday's soaking. We did encounter some rain, not long after arriving in Northern Ireland. "It's not a day for bikes, God love ya" said a chap who came up to us. I thought he was a priest - turned out he ran the local garage and cafe, so we dried off with a sandwhich.
Managed to get earlier ferry - the empty 5pm sailing - just the thing after six hours on the road. next stop - Scotland.
R

Loved today!  Firstly, I could see properly - yesterday the wind blew one of my lenses out of my eye so I was left with a lop-sided view of the world. Grrrh...   Today, though, everything was pin sharp.  Loved counties Wexford, Wicklow, Meath and Louth which passed in a flash of sunshine and wind.   Still have to close my eyes though when R overtakes or goes too long in the fast lane, wimp that I am!  Only down side of empty roads was that there were no other bikes to nod at (forget Debrett's, this is Biking Etiquette!).  R had deputised nodding duties to me but had nothing to do...  Ah well, bring on Scotland.  C

PS Just HOW long does it take for wet gloves to dry out?  Felt as if my fingers had been trapped in the icebox compartment for most of the day...   

The morning after the storm - Rosslare Harbour

Later that day - Belfast Harbour (you can just see the Harland and Wolfe cranes in the background)

A pint of guinness later...

.. ah, the wonders that a hot bath and a pint of guinness (for Richard), Baileys for me can bring!  Now ensconced in our hotel room in Rosslare.    Guess what?  we've arrived in Ireland in the tail end of a hurricane, to quote the guy in the bar.  Ah well, at least we've putour waterproof kit to the test.  Apart from the wind, rain and delays to the ferry actually leaving, it's been a great day.  Three things I've learnt so far on our travels - R's head requires a helmet size of M 58 cms (well, that's what the sticker says on the back of his helmet;  R can do a mean Irish accent and lastly, never, ever sneeze in your helmet.  Night night world. Clare

What have I learned? 1. The unlined gloves make your hands black when they get soaking wet.
2. Five hourse solid riding isn't as painful as you might think, even in sthe rain.
3. It's not a myth - Guinness really does taste better in Ireland.
4. Don't always believe Google maps - having ridden straight past the hotel, which is right next to the ferry port, we ended up on a 20-minute wild goose chase because I had loaded the sat nav with completely the wrong location on the basis of what I had gleaned from the net.
5. Amazingly, the Welsh pennant I stuck to the front mudguard survived all the way to the ferry.
R

Soggy on the poop deck!

On the road - or rather on the ferry

We're on the ferry to Rosslare, after possibly the wettest, windiest ride ever. After a great send-off from Newspaper House, it started raining the minute we crossed the Severn Bridge. And didn't stop. Throw in gusty winds, and you can work out what sort of ride we had.
Still, after five hours in the saddle, we are please to be in the dry, on a comfy chair.
Clare wants to go  out on deck to take the sea air so we're off to sample the Irish Sea. More later!

In memory of Kath

This one is for you, Kath.
Final update before we set off, so a big thank-you to our latest sponsors: Tony Martin, Claire Bouverie-Brine, Gail in Accounts, Soggybiker from the Yamaha Diversion Club, Julian, Myra and Beth Billinghurst, Tim Tomlinson, and Franki Amadio.
Er, that's it - packing and early night. Follow us on the road!

We've passed £2K!

With three days to go before we ride off into the sunset - alright the drizzle - the total raised in donations currently stands at £2,030. So huge thanks go to our latest donors, Tony Martin, the Cobham Hubbards, and Christine and Danny.
Our ride was also given a boost by the arrival of these natty, bespoke high-vis jackets. They have been supplied, free of charge, by Keith Burr, of Newbury company Recognition Express, to whom we are really grateful - thanks again Keith.
Please do check out his company's website - the business supplies a huge range of promotional goods, and unlike a lot of firms, can handle small orders as well larger commodities. Here's the link:
http://www.re-newbury.co.uk/

Four days and counting...

Only four days before the Big British and Irish Ride in aid of Beating Bowel Cancer. The bike is fettled and polished, the gear is stacked in neat piles in the spare room, the maps have been perused, and most importantly, we're just £25 short of reaching £2,000 (before Gift Aid is even added).
Big thanks to our latest donors, Helen Bailey, Keith Nuthall, Gail Dobson, and Anne Hubbard.
We're hoping Rob McElwee will donate some decent weather. Always preferred Ian McCaskell myself...

Sorry Teddy....

But if you can't fit into one of these four bags - pannier inners (x2), top box, or tank bag - you can't come with us. :(
This is going to be an exercise in travelling light!

Where the money goes

We are now confident that thanks to the generosity of the people who have sponsored us, we will have raised somewhere in the region of £2,500 for Beating Bowel Cancer by the time we finish our ride.
So what will the money be used for? Here are some examples:
£10 could cover the costs of printing and posting Beating Bowel Cancer's information booklets to 10 people. Beating Bowel Cancer provides all its patient information booklets free of charge and they offer invaluable advice for patients and their relatives at all stages of their bowel cancer journey.

£30 could help Beating Bowel Cancer put a patient in need of support and advice in touch with one of its Patient Voices. This group is made up of bowel cancer patients who have direct experience of the disease, and the reassurance and support they provide to other patients is invaluable.

£100 could help address the serious issue of inequalities by supporting Beating Bowel Cancer's  media campaign to make treatments for bowel cancer available to all. Beating Bowel Cancer  believes that every patient, regardless of ability to pay, should have equal access on the NHS to a licensed drug that their clinician has judged to be clinically appropriate.

£3,000 could pay for a reprint of one of Beating Bowel Cancer's information booklets such as Prevent & Detect, a comprehensive guide to symptoms and screening information, bowel cancer in the family, prevention measures, methods of diagnosis, treatment choices and a useful medical glossary.

£7,000 could pay to print and send out an edition of Beating Bowel Cancer triannual's newsletter, free of charge, to more than 10,000 patients and friends of Beating Bowel Cancer. “The News” is a vital part of the charity's communications with patients, family members, medical professionals, MPs, donors and others who have an interest in bowel cancer. It is also available for download from the Beating Bowel Cancer  website (see below or right).

£25,000 could pay the costs of one of Beating Bowel Cancer's  part-time Nurse Advisors for a year. Speaking to a Nurse Advisor can help allay fears, encourage people to seek advice early and increase chances of a successful outcome. This is an invaluable service not only for bowel cancer patients but also for their relatives.

£50,000 could allow Beating Bowel Cancer to run a nationwide campaign to GPs, encouraging better and earlier detection of bowel cancer by providing key information and resources to GPs and GP surgeries. At the same time, posters and leaflets in each surgery will help to educate people about bowel cancer.
All this and more information can be found at the Beating Bowel Cancer website, http://www.beatingbowelcancer.org/
 
With exactly one week to go, the current total stands at a whopping £1,905. So we say a huge thank-you to the people who have donated since the last update: Caroline Franklin, Pauline at Zurich, the Haslam family, Jeff Carter, Nigel Donaldson, Jane Boulton, Mike Farwell, Alan and Nikki Setherton, an anonymous donor, Steve Ambrose, Chris Day, and Graham and Libby Down.
What is really touching is that while many of our sponsors knew Mother, a great many did not. We really do appreciate everyone's support.
Final word of the day goes to Jeff Carter, who, along with a generous donation, left this comment on the Virgin Giving site: "If you take a swear box with you the funds will rise astronomically - my bet is at least 3 soakings and one breakdown! Still I am sure you will be watched over with a mixture of pride, smiles and rolling of eyes!"
How well he knew her...

When you add on the Gift Aid....

...we've passed the magic £2,000 mark. Yup, our latest sponsors, Kate & Co, Tim Marshall, Carolyne Whitworth, and David and his family, have taken the total of donations to £1,620.
BUT, when you add on the Gift Aid, ie the money which comes back to the charity in the form of a tax refund from the Treasury, or the HMRC, or George Osbourne's piggy bank, (I'm not altogether sure which) the total is £2,003.54. So a huge thank you to everyone who has taken us to that point, and of course to everyone else who has donated.
And of course a big thank-you to George Osbourne, who's a solid chap, against whom I've never said a bad word. Ever. ("Woah, bit of politics there, yes indeed." People who weren't  Ben Elton fans in the 1980s now completely confused...)
Let's see if we can't just take that figure a little bit higher. C'mon folks, you know what to do if you haven't done it already. In the immortal words of Bob Geldof......