Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Hi, my name is Ian McDowall and I have Autism. I love all types of vehicles and transport, mostly the antique old types of trains, planes, cars, buses and bikes.

I have decided to raise some money for charity by cycling from Shrewsbury to Blackpool to raise awareness of autism and encourage people to cycle, as well as recycle!

The bike I will be riding on was made in the 1940s and it was going to be thrown away but I have had it restored. I am going to prove that both the 're-cycled' bike in its old age and me with my Aspergers Syndrome can complete this challenge. There are no limits as to what you can do when you want to!

I am raising money for Autism West Midlands - One in 250 people have autism and it is important to be aware of what autism is and not just labelling people as being disabled without understanding what it means.

I am also raising money for the Severn Hospice, a Shropshire based charitable organisation caring for people with progressive illnesses. The Landlord of my local, The Prince of Wales pub, is a good friend of mine: we went to school together and she helped with any problems I had. The pub often makes donations to the Severn Hospice and I thought I could repay her generosity by raising money for the charity myself.

28th January

I am not a long-distance cyclist, but I am starting training for the bike ride this month. I am not really sure what 100 miles will feel like as I only ride my bike on short journeys. I will keep this account updated with how I am doing and what my thoughts and feelings are during the preparations for the ride.

Wish me luck!!!!

See also www.justgiving.com/Ian-McDowall/

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