Two men from Long Wittenham are preparing for one of the biggest cycling challenges in the UK: Lands End to John O’Groats in aid of charity.
Keith Tucker who works for BMW at Cowley and former car worker, now retired, Steve Cook will be undertaking the 1,000 plus miles challenge in August to raise money for the Oxford-based Helen and Douglas House hospice for terminally ill children and young adults.
The journey will start when the pair set off by train to Penzance on Sunday 29th July. After 16 days cycling along the Sustrans National Cycle Network, Keith and Steve should reach John O’Groats on 14th August. They will then spend two days getting back home by train and car. They will be cycling alone with no support vehicle.
Keith said: “Lands End to John O’Groats has been something I have wanted to do since my teenage years. As we have a three-week shutdown this summer at BMW it seems an ideal opportunity.”
“Steve and I have done long distance rides before as part of larger village groups – Long Wittenham to Paris in three days for breast cancer, Coast to Coast for prostate cancer and Coast and Castles for Alzheimer’s. Helen and Douglas house is a really worthwhile local cause that needs as much help as it can get.”
The cycling duo’s progress can be tracked on their Facebook Group “Keith & Steve Cycling LeJog 2018” which lists the route and includes lunch stops and overnight stays. As they progress Keith and Steve will be uploading photos and details of the daily journey.
Sponsor them at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/KeithTucker57
Thank you for the publicity – not for Steve and I, but for Helen and Douglas house, which does amazing work and needs all the help it can get.
As the start draws nearer, the excitement grows, but so too does the trepidation. Its a case of “Oh what have we let ourselves in for?”.
We hope that some of you will keep an eye on our progress via FB, and let’s hope for fair weather as much as possible.
Many Thanks, Keith and Steve