London to Paris for Charity

John Wells will be riding in a London to Paris cycle ride 2-5 July 2014 in aid of The Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity. There could be up to 100 participants riding in the event on behalf of their chosen hospice but so far he is the only one supporting FNHC.

This is an extremely worthy cause well known locally to have helped people with life limiting illnesses (and their families) through their most difficult times.

The ride starts between 0630 and 0700 on 2 July at Crystal Palace and we ride 90 miles to Dover. Participants have to be there by 1800 to catch the ferry to Calais where they spend the first night. The next three days are 85, 75 and 65 miles arriving at the Eiffel Tower on Saturday 5 July.

Four consecutive days covering so many miles requires a lot of training and John has been working extremely hard since December. January and February were difficult and he had to cycle into strong, cold winds and quite often through two inches of water on the roads! Fortunately we are blessed in this area with cycle paths and reasonably quiet country roads. He has used the Amber Way into Aylesbury, the Pebble Way to Dinton and the Phoenix Trail to Thame many times. In building up to 150 miles a week he has done his best to be considerate of all other road/path users and would like to thank any pedestrian, dog walker, cyclist or driver who has responded to my bell and made way for him. He hopes they have appreciated him slowing down for them and thanking them as he passes.

He hopes that he will be fit enough to acquit himself adequately on the actual ride in July, and thinks it quite likely that he will enjoy the ride more than the training!

If anyone would like to sponsor him and thereby support Florence Nightingale Hospice they can do so via http://www.doitforcharity.com/johnwells.