Hi everyone!
I’m writing in the hope of getting some much-appreciated and desperately-needed help from some fellow cycling nuts. I'm begging for quotes, accomodation in France, and exposure for fundraising!
I’m a 38yo father-of-two, Cat4 (STILL fighting for 3...) racing/TT lover, and I’ve committed myself to cycling 500 miles in 72hrs (although in practice I’m aiming for 64 hrs), SOLO (pray for tailwind) , unsupported (pray the bike holds up), from London to south of Poitiers in mid-west France.
I’ll be doing 170m each day in 12-14hrs elapsed time based on training so far. I’m supporting London’s Air Ambulance, ‘Magic Breakfast’ (breakfast clubs for neglected or disadvantaged kids) and the A-T society (an unpronounceable degenerative disease that kills young).
It’s on the 29th May!
So what am I asking for!? Three main hopes, I’ll be glad for one, two or three hits!!!:
1. I’m hoping for a quote from a well-known pro/ex-pro cyclist about the distance I’m cycling – 3x170miles, no drafting, no rest day. To use for my fundraising, to help people get a sense of the size of the challenge and what problems/pains/mental focus challenges that will present. I’m all too aware...but I really think a quote could be a fun way to get it across to a wider audience. Could you gents organise that for me from your contacts do you think? I have no network points and I’d be SO grateful.
2. I STILL haven’t secured my two accommodation points in France (fail!!). I’ve attached a full text below but the basic gist is I need food on arrival, a bath, more food, some food, and a bed and some charging points and IDEALLY a track pump. I’m travelling light/fast, no bag or panniers, I plan to send a spares pack to each stop. I’m hoping someone wants to get involved, preferably a cyclist! Could the french pro-teams help find me someone? Could you try some network friends and see if they want to help my mission? I know there are folks who would love to do it (I would!) just a qu of finding them...
a. Night 1: Abbeville http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=la%20ferte%20bernard&safe=images&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl
b. Night 2: La Ferte Bernard http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=la%20ferte%20bernard&safe=images&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl
3. I would love any kind of exposure to attract more fundraising on my page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TomMann
. Any shout outs, tweets, any ideas for media who might run my story. I’ve tried really hard to create a really arduous ride so I’m hoping there’s a story there.
Thanks a million in advance for any help you can muster! Below is my accommodation request translated into french too!
All the best
Tom Mann
P.S here’s my most recent training on Strava... http://app.strava.com/activities/53746024
http://app.strava.com/activities/51203415
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*full accommodation request text to forward* :
Hi my name’s Tom, I’m 38 years old, ¾ French, a father of two, and I live in London. At the end of May I am attempting an extremely difficult solo bike ride to raise money for 3 different English charities, riding from London to Poitiers (800km) in just 3 days. Night one will be near Abbeville, Night two will be near Nogent le Rotrou.
Let me straightaway say that I am not asking you for any money at all! I am simply writing to you in the hope of finding a volunteer household who are willing to provide me with accommodation where I can eat, bathe and sleep on night (x), before getting up at 4am and hitting the road again.
I know this is a really big ask, but I’m hoping someone you know might want to be part of this wonderful story, knowing that without their generous help this whole event could not happen at all. I’m thinking that a fellow keen cyclist might be a likely candidate to approach with this request, as they will understand the size of the challenge I’m taking on. £250km per day, in hills, for 3 straight days is a horrible distance, and I will be in pretty bad shape when I arrive each night. They also might have some of the basic equipment that I need. HOWEVER it would be perfectly fine for ANYONE to put me up – I can and will send a parcel of vital equipment to their house before I arrive.
You might wonder why I don’t just find a Gite or hotel. This is an option, but the main reason I prefer this model is basically the certainty of wholesome food no matter what time I arrive. If I suffer mechanical or physical problems I may well arrive late and in bad condition – I would need to know that I will still be able to eat and sleep despite the delay. Additionally, a volunteer household would mean I could send a parcel of supplies for myself for the next day. I’m not using a pannier on the bike – I have to keep it light and fast in order to cover the ridiculous distance each day. This means I need to send specific supplies/spare parts ahead of me to use the next day.
All I need from a volunteer household is:
1. A bath
3. Lots of hot food
4. A bed
5. Somewhere to put the bike (might be dirty if the weather is bad)
6. Somewhere to hang my clothes to dry
7. An old rag to clean my bike chain with.
8. A PC with at least one USB port (for charging my equipment)
9. Breakfast at 4:15am (we could just leave the food out on the table the night before if that is easier)
11. (This one is optional, it just saves me sending one if the person already has one/can get one) A ‘track pump’ for ‘presta’ valves - so I can top up my tyre pressure in the morning – it makes a huge difference to rolling resistance)
If you think anyone could help, or if you would like some more information about me, please do get in touch. I can supply references (from France if you prefer) to give you comfort that I am who I say I am, and that it is safe for someone to have me in their home.
I’m writing in the hope of getting some much-appreciated and desperately-needed help from some fellow cycling nuts. I'm begging for quotes, accomodation in France, and exposure for fundraising!
I’m a 38yo father-of-two, Cat4 (STILL fighting for 3...) racing/TT lover, and I’ve committed myself to cycling 500 miles in 72hrs (although in practice I’m aiming for 64 hrs), SOLO (pray for tailwind) , unsupported (pray the bike holds up), from London to south of Poitiers in mid-west France.
I’ll be doing 170m each day in 12-14hrs elapsed time based on training so far. I’m supporting London’s Air Ambulance, ‘Magic Breakfast’ (breakfast clubs for neglected or disadvantaged kids) and the A-T society (an unpronounceable degenerative disease that kills young).
It’s on the 29th May!
So what am I asking for!? Three main hopes, I’ll be glad for one, two or three hits!!!:
1. I’m hoping for a quote from a well-known pro/ex-pro cyclist about the distance I’m cycling – 3x170miles, no drafting, no rest day. To use for my fundraising, to help people get a sense of the size of the challenge and what problems/pains/mental focus challenges that will present. I’m all too aware...but I really think a quote could be a fun way to get it across to a wider audience. Could you gents organise that for me from your contacts do you think? I have no network points and I’d be SO grateful.
2. I STILL haven’t secured my two accommodation points in France (fail!!). I’ve attached a full text below but the basic gist is I need food on arrival, a bath, more food, some food, and a bed and some charging points and IDEALLY a track pump. I’m travelling light/fast, no bag or panniers, I plan to send a spares pack to each stop. I’m hoping someone wants to get involved, preferably a cyclist! Could the french pro-teams help find me someone? Could you try some network friends and see if they want to help my mission? I know there are folks who would love to do it (I would!) just a qu of finding them...
a. Night 1: Abbeville http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=la%20ferte%20bernard&safe=images&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl
b. Night 2: La Ferte Bernard http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&q=la%20ferte%20bernard&safe=images&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl
3. I would love any kind of exposure to attract more fundraising on my page at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/TomMann
. Any shout outs, tweets, any ideas for media who might run my story. I’ve tried really hard to create a really arduous ride so I’m hoping there’s a story there.
Thanks a million in advance for any help you can muster! Below is my accommodation request translated into french too!
All the best
Tom Mann
P.S here’s my most recent training on Strava... http://app.strava.com/activities/53746024
http://app.strava.com/activities/51203415
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
*full accommodation request text to forward* :
Hi my name’s Tom, I’m 38 years old, ¾ French, a father of two, and I live in London. At the end of May I am attempting an extremely difficult solo bike ride to raise money for 3 different English charities, riding from London to Poitiers (800km) in just 3 days. Night one will be near Abbeville, Night two will be near Nogent le Rotrou.
Let me straightaway say that I am not asking you for any money at all! I am simply writing to you in the hope of finding a volunteer household who are willing to provide me with accommodation where I can eat, bathe and sleep on night (x), before getting up at 4am and hitting the road again.
I know this is a really big ask, but I’m hoping someone you know might want to be part of this wonderful story, knowing that without their generous help this whole event could not happen at all. I’m thinking that a fellow keen cyclist might be a likely candidate to approach with this request, as they will understand the size of the challenge I’m taking on. £250km per day, in hills, for 3 straight days is a horrible distance, and I will be in pretty bad shape when I arrive each night. They also might have some of the basic equipment that I need. HOWEVER it would be perfectly fine for ANYONE to put me up – I can and will send a parcel of vital equipment to their house before I arrive.
You might wonder why I don’t just find a Gite or hotel. This is an option, but the main reason I prefer this model is basically the certainty of wholesome food no matter what time I arrive. If I suffer mechanical or physical problems I may well arrive late and in bad condition – I would need to know that I will still be able to eat and sleep despite the delay. Additionally, a volunteer household would mean I could send a parcel of supplies for myself for the next day. I’m not using a pannier on the bike – I have to keep it light and fast in order to cover the ridiculous distance each day. This means I need to send specific supplies/spare parts ahead of me to use the next day.
All I need from a volunteer household is:
1. A bath
3. Lots of hot food
4. A bed
5. Somewhere to put the bike (might be dirty if the weather is bad)
6. Somewhere to hang my clothes to dry
7. An old rag to clean my bike chain with.
8. A PC with at least one USB port (for charging my equipment)
9. Breakfast at 4:15am (we could just leave the food out on the table the night before if that is easier)
11. (This one is optional, it just saves me sending one if the person already has one/can get one) A ‘track pump’ for ‘presta’ valves - so I can top up my tyre pressure in the morning – it makes a huge difference to rolling resistance)
If you think anyone could help, or if you would like some more information about me, please do get in touch. I can supply references (from France if you prefer) to give you comfort that I am who I say I am, and that it is safe for someone to have me in their home.
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