Picos Original Riders

Picos Original Riders
Highlights of 2010

Last of the Picos Riders - to Rome Alone!

Our first two charity rides were a huge success - raising over £20,000 for the South East Cancer Help Centre.

The Centre does a fantastic job of supporting patients and carers at the most difficult times of their lives. They make a real difference and you could help them in their work by contributing to our fundraising. Donations can be made via JustGiving.comhttps://www.justgiving.com/Tom-Vaz/ or directly into the Centre. For more details of the Centre and their work see their website at http://www.sechc.org.uk/

After 3 years of rest it seemed time to dust off the old muscles, bones and sinews and do one more spectacular ride in aid of this fabulous charity.

This time I will travel alone for 25 days, mainly following the ancient pilgrimage route to Rome, the Via Francigene, covering a distance of around 1,400 miles.

The route travels through Newhaven - Dieppe - Paris before I eventually reach the Via Francigene in Eastern France. From then on it is pretty simple apart from having to cross the Alps without an elephant!

Saturday 11 July 2015

Day 1 Leaving Home

What a lovely send off from the Centre this afternoon. I've never seen so many people pleased to see me leave before!

Special thanks to Dave, Dave and Maggie who followed me out of Coulsdon to Farthing Downs. Indeed the Daves kept me company all the way to Turners Hill.

The two flags I pinched at the last minute are still attached to my bike as I wait, salivating for a last, princely meal of bangers and mash at the aptly named Hope Inn.