Our Business Manager, Harriett Busby, participated in a team of 8 riders as they cycled from London to Paris in 4 days to raise an incredible £19,500 for our newest charity partner, Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity. The ride took them through two European city centres, rural villages, countryside, two ferry terminals and even past a World War 2 Memorial site before finishing at Paris’s iconic Eiffel Tower. The full 312 mile route with distances and stops is below:
Day 1 – London to Dover (84 miles)
Day 2 – Calais to Arras (78 miles)
Day 3 – Arras to Compiègne (76 miles)
Day 4 – Compiègne to Paris (74 miles)
The ride was organised by Tristone Capital and we were proud to see our Axon Moore logo on the team jerseys as sponsors of the team. Harriett talks about her experiences below after the opportunity of a lifetime:
The ride was simply amazing! We experienced every possible emotion, from excitement and anxiety at the start, through to frustration and even anger during the ride, all the way to joy and relief once we had finished. However it was so worth it to raise such a fantastic sum for Rainbow Trust. We started the ride as a team and we finished as a team as we completed the challenge in Paris.
The challenge was a huge one and the toughest day was day 1. Not only were we racing to catch the ferry at Dover, but we faced an 84 mile with an intimidating 6,500 feet of elevation. It felt like it was hill after hill and after the experience, we all agreed that the South Downs should be renamed the South Ups!
There were numerous funny moments during the 4 days. Firstly, one of our riders (Ash) arrived in London completely unprepared, wearing converse and gym shorts, with no water bottle, bag or snack for the day 1 ride... Needless to say he regretted that! Due to an old injury, Ash found it more comfortable to ride with his handlebars upside down! When he finished in Paris, he gave his bike away to a French lady completely at random! This sounds like an act of generosity but really Ash had been in the back of the mechanic’s van for some of the way after multiple bike issues!
We experienced a shocking situation on day 3 when our mechanic was embroiled in a police matter which resulted in arrest! They had a description of a man driving a van away from a robbery that matched him! It was pretty shocking to experience but fortunately he was rightfully released when they realised the suspect was in a brown van, not our white one!
Throughout the ride there were a few falls and other accidents but despite the eventful episodes of the bike donation and the incorrect arrest, the ride was well planned and executed safely in what was a superb 4 days. We are delighted to have raised over £19,500 for Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity, which almost doubled our initial target of £20,000
I would highly recommend Global Challenge Adventures and the London to Paris challenge for anyone that owns a bike and lycra – even if you only take it half seriously. It’s very doable with some training and commitment. I’m now considering a London to Paris in 24 hours or even a 10 day ride through Costa Rica. Cycling challenges aren’t over for me just yet…I’ve got the bug!
Congratulations once again to Harriett and the team on this fantastic achievement. We are filled with pride and delight that you have completed such a mammoth challenge while raising money for such a worthy cause. We are already planning our next big charity fundraiser for the Rainbow Trust, the 2023 Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge!
