Sporks #6-9: The Adventure Begins

We have finally officially set off on our cycle trip around the world. Months of preparation culminated in our departure from Hampton Court Palace in London on August 18, waved off by several friends and family members.

We are giving LMF sporks to those people who help us on our adventure. None were more deserving than the four good friends who chose to pedal with us from London to Paris, covering some 450 km in 6 days. They kept us company, and helped distract us from the thought that we were leaving our home and families behind us, and from being too overwhelmed by the road that lies ahead. We would definitely recommend starting a big trip in this way, it softens the edges of the fear of the unknown.

One of the friends who joined us on the trip has Type 1 diabetes, a condition which affects her life immeasurably. Through our cycling adventure, we are fundraising for JDRF Diabetes Research, a charity which funds research into finding a cure. To make a donation to the charity, please visit www.justgiving.com/averylongbikeride or donate £2 by texting NXTC56 £2 to 70070.

Sporks #4-5: Millie & Lucie

Shortly before we left the UK on our bikes, Laura and I took our two nieces - Lucie and Millie - off to the British Lake District for a microadventure.

Laura had sent them an invitation by post to see if they were ready to accept their "next challenge". In response to this, Lucie quipped:

"How can I do my next challenge? I haven't even done my first one yet!"

Anyway, they accepted and their challenges included climbing a mountain, swimming outdoors and sleeping in a tent. All done with gusto.

Sporks #4 and #5 well earned girls!

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Laura and Tim Moss are about to cycle around the world. Read more at www.thenextchallenge.org

Cycling to Paris

Last week we set off on our journey around the world but, after reaching Paris and taking a break, it feels more like  we've just finished a short holiday...

And so a holiday comes to an end.

It started at a palace in Hampton Court with a crowd of well wishers and continued with a smaller crowd of cyclists. Through the Surrey Hills we cycled, struggling under the newly heavy burden of a life in four panniers until met by friends and family with barbecue and cake at a favourite bivi spot enhanced first by rainbows (plural) and second by glow worms.

The team whittled down through Day Two as we bounced along off-road tracks to the south coast, our ferry`s 10pm departure time slipping slowly from distant irrelevance to imminent threat but we boarded at nightfall and settled down for half a night`s sleep in the empty space of a vacated onboard arcade.

Spewed into Dieppe harbour in the small hours we pitched at the side of a quiet cycle route for a second half of sleep and the next/same day progressed along an endlessly flat, tarmarced and traffic-free yellow brick road of the Avenue Verte, frequented by armies of charity cyclists like us.

Sunshine and boulangeries were the key features of the proceding days as cycle paths gave way to country roads gave way to urban sprawl as we approached and entered the outskirts of Paris.

And so a holiday comes to an end. It ended at a palace in Versaille with a crowd of well wishers and it will continue with a smaller crowd of cyclists: two.

Spork #3: Daisy

The first spork to be awarded to a dog.

It was supposed to be a short rest day but our navigational errors and the bitter weather turned it into an epic. The low point came after three hours of hard cycling when we stood outside a Co-op eating reduced "yellow label" pasties and realised that we were no closer to our destination than when we had set off.

Thankfully for us, Daisy and her two minders - Vicky and Dave - had put on a huge spread of food and made up the spare bed for us when we finally arrived.

(P.S. Vicky makes her own hand made jewellery which you can see here)

We're cycling to Australia. Follow us.

Spork #2: The Cheshire Samaritans

No doubt the term "Good Samaritan" is heavily overused but in this instance it would be an understatement.

Back at Easter, we were pedalling through Cheshire into, as ever, a head wind. It was late evening, I was cold and hungry and putting my foot down in a sugar-deprived funk about stopping for the night.

The one thing we need before setting up camp is water. That either means a stream, a pub or someone's house. In this instance, houses were the only option so we knocked on the door of the first place we passed.

Or, rather, Laura did the knocking whilst I stood grumbling at the side of the road, trying to shelter from the wind. As she approached the front door, the owners stepped out clearly on their way out for the evening.

"Oh, sorry, nothing important," I heard Laura say, "we'll try next door."

"Don't be silly. How can we help?"

I didn't hear the rest of the conversation but five minutes later I see Laura walk past the upstairs window of the house. Baffling. Most people have taps downstairs.

Laura reappeared at the front door and beckoned me over as the owners walked past.

"Well, make yourselves at home. We'll be back around eleven o'clock", said Linnie as she and Don made their way to their car.

This couple - who had never met us before we appeared out of the blue, looking tired and grubby - were about to leave us in charge of their house for the night.

We asked for water and they gave us the spare room.

A spork well earned and in the post.

My wife and I are cycling to Australia. Read more at www.thenextchallenge.org