“Life, are you living it? Have fun whilst making a difference”

That was it. I was hooked. I had just purchased a Big Issue magazine and, on browsing through I found an advert that seemed to jump out at me. The more I read the more I felt I had to do it. I got really excited. It would even be in the month of my 52nd birthday and it seemed to me I couldn’t spend my birthday in a more extraordinary way.

The fact that ‘it’ involved cycling 411kms in Kenya in 5 days just seemed to make it even more compelling. I went online and read all about the project and the cycle ride and by that time it just felt like the right thing to do. Crazy or what?

I rang Julian and said to him we have to do this, surprisingly (he’s normally more resistant to my latest schemes than this) he said he was tempted and that we would talk about it. Smart guy Julian, after 5 years with me I think he’s now worked out the tactics - don’t say ‘no’ to her else she will just do it anyway just say ‘hmmm… sounds good, we’ll talk later’, hoping I will have gotten over it by the time he gets home, or he will have had time to build a strong defence case to persuade me of the errors of my ways.

To be honest after a few days I was beginning to wane and then stupidly or not told my dear friends Marg and Janette about it and they got all excited and said I HAD to do it and they would help me make it happen. Now I was beginning to feel a bit sick. Telling Julian I was mad was one thing but having your friends encourage you in madness is quite another.

Julian wasn’t entirely a no, but he did raise some sound points: we didn’t have bikes, they would be expensive. We hadn’t ridden for 30 years, no fitness. We would need to train, and to raise the money, too busy. I would need a medical check, my asthma. We would be cycling a 28 km ascent on the third day having done an 11 km ascent the day before, (I’d managed to ignore this when I read the itinerary). Where would we train, the roads are pretty dangerous, etc.

Now this was back in April. By early May the excitement was fading, and I hadn’t made much progress, although I did get a medical check. The ride documentation sunk further and further down my in-tray but the idea, the challenge, just wouldn’t go away and by then Marg and Janette were making more noise about action and I kept putting it off. Marg said ask people, don’t you know that there are people in your life who want to support and give to you: hmmm, okay, maybe. So I sent out an email stating the facts and wonderful, generous people said they would support me. So that was it, I said to Julian I just felt I had to do it and would he help me train. He said yes, and he then he said would buy my bike too!

The die was cast and there was no going back, I had overcome the first challenge. Well that’s what you tell yourself isn’t it?

So, on the Monday I went off to Mike Vaughan’s Cycle Shop in Kenilworth to find a bike. Mike’s a great guy, and in no time at all I’m kitted out with a Trek bike or is it cycle? And all the extra bits I need including padded cycling shorts. I went back on Tuesday, picked it up with all the accessories fitted and brought it home in the back of the car!! Very proud of my shining new black bike with just the smallest amount of pink detail, I was in love. Into the hall she went and I was a kid with a new toy.

Julian arrived home that evening and he was most impressed. He looked her up and down, noted her sleek lines and stylish looks and he was in love too!! The next day he said he wanted a bike and that we would go on the Saturday and buy his. He says it is not true, but personally I think he was just a bit jealous of my new sleek friend and wanted one of his very own.

Later that day he rang and said I’m going to do it, I am going to Kenya with you. I must be mad but if I have to train and help you raise the money, I want to be there in Kenya with you. I am going to ring the charity right now and do it.

In reality it was unexpected as I had let go of the idea that Julian would come as he is so busy with his work and finding the time to train etc was going to take some managing. I just wanted his support in what I was taking on but wonderfully he’s chosen to do it too.

So, it’s the first ride - Julian’s that is. Off we went on Saturday to get his bike and Mike showed him several options and suggested he try them out on the road. I had been fortunate that it was raining hard the day I went in so had been spared this possible indignity. There was no place to hide: with me there cheering him on Julian took the bike out onto the road.

Frankly the bike shop is not ideally placed as it is on a crossroads with traffic lights and all up hill from the shop but valiantly he pedalled off, wobbling as he went. I was just a bit concerned because he had said he liked running more than cycling and I was afraid he would come back and say no to the whole idea. However if I was concerned about the wobbles I became more worried when after fifteen minutes he didn’t return.

Several other riders had left after him and had returned. Just as I was imagining the worst I spied him walking back down the hill - with bike – and a sheepish look on his face. Still expecting some damage I was relieved by the fact that he had managed to slip the chain some way back and had not met a foreign object. He was embarrassed and I was relieved. Undaunted he took the second bike out, I didn’t look this time and, within the allotted time, he returned triumphantly.

So there we were fitted out with wonderful new bikes and at the beginning of our challenge.