In the time I spent with my Grandad, we had a few conversations about a mutual hobby of ours- cycling. I remember him telling me that he once cycled all the way from Manchester to Blackpool in one day, a ride that I've since done myself. I also remember him telling me about a ride he did to Liverpool, but he never managed to finish the ride.

Despite my Grandad's very active lifestyle, he began to develop dementia in his late sixties. His symptoms progressed quickly and on August the 24th 2012, my Grandad passed away in the early hours of the morning. 

My Grandad spent the last weeks and months of his life in hospices and hospitals that administered the medicines and gave the care that allowed us as a family to enjoy our time with Grandad for just a while longer. None of that time would have been our's if it weren't for charities such as the Alzheimer's Society.

There are 800,000 people living in the UK with Alzheimer's, with over 60,000 deaths a year attributed to the disease. The number of Alzheimer's patients is set to rise, hitting one million people by 2021. The Alzheimer's society has a goal of ensuring each patient is properly diagnosed as early as possible, administering the appropriate care and medical help, as well as providing the much-needed support to families and carers throughout the progression of the condition. Many of the donations recieved by the Alzheimer's Society are directed funding pioneering research into the cause, cure, care and prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

Since my Grandad passed away, I've been searching for a way to support such a worthy cause, which brings me back to cycling. I remembered the ride that my Grandad did to Liverpool, so decided I'd attempt the ride in his memory. I don't know the route that he took, so I'll be going from the house where he lived for most of his life, to Albert Dock in Liverpool, right in the centre of the city next to the River Mersey. Once I'm there, I'll cycle back home along the same route, which brings the ride total up to 80 miles. This ride will take place on the 24th of March 2013, which would've been my Grandad's 71st birthday.

If you're interested in sponsoring me, doing so using this JustGiving allows you to "Gift-Aid" your donation, which allows UK taxpayers to add around 25% to their donation through tax-relief for the charity. If you'd like to sponsor me but you'd prefer not to use this page, I'll bring along a sponsorship form so you can do so the old-fashioned way! 

Any donation, no matter how small, is greatly received. The Alzheimer's society deserves all the support it can get, particularly as more and more families are become affected by dementia.

There're a couple of links below showing the ride route, the second also includes an elevation graph, so that gives an idea of how hilly the 

http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q782/jonil93/LiverpoolriderouteMMR_zpsa4573f07.png

http://i1359.photobucket.com/albums/q782/jonil93/Liverpoolrideroute_zps6469bf77.png