The Cause

Thank you for visiting my online fundraising page in support of Cancer Research UK.

So many lives are affected by cancer. Whatever we can do against it – the sooner the better!

Cancer Research UK is funded entirely by amazing supporters like you. By sponsoring me you can help more people survive cancer. Every pound you donate really does make a difference to Cancer Research UK’s life-saving work into preventing, diagnosing and treating cancer.

Many thanks for your support!

Please read on to learn about my challenge.

 

The Challenge

300 miles cycle ride, give or take, around the north and west coast of the Scottish Highlands.

Just me and my bike! ‘Who’ will probably return with me after the 10 day ride as my best pal, recently christened as “Wilson”. You see, there are not much in-between the villages up there apart from wonderful views and fresh air! Incidentally, that is also the reason I will take about 10 days doing it. A part of my challenge is not only to cycle the distance (and the hills!) but to cope with whatever is thrown at me. There’ll be no support vehicle to carry the bags. :’(  No dear husband to repair the puncture. :’(  No frequent tea shop stops. :’(

 

The Plan

I am flying to Inverness on 27 May.

I will have packed my bike well to make sure it gets there… well, not in one piece - as unfortunately I will have to take it apart quite substantially to pack it well – but in an unbroken state. I will later have to assemble it and do it well, as I’ll be relying on it for the next few days!

I will also have packed my sole luggage, the one that goes on the back of my bike later. There won’t be much in it as weight is a major concern. I’ll take some cycling gear, some tools, a couple of inner tubes, a pump, a phone, a camera, a map… waterproofs, helmet,… water bottle, … some munchie bars,… a book,… some chocolate … you can see where this is going! Let’s just say, it won’t be easy to pack!

From Inverness I’ll catch a train north and when I hit the coast, the cycling begins. I will follow the coast as much as I can around to the west and then south to arrive to Loch Carron, near the Isle of Skye, ten days later. From there I’ll catch a train back to Inverness before I have to pack my bike up into the box once again – not a part I am looking forward to: it is worse than Lego, I can tell you!

A great deal of organisation has gone into setting my route but the mileage will greatly depend on what exactly will I find in-between my daily destinations and whether I have to go off route much to find food and my accommodations. Every extra mile downhill in search of a food shop is an extra mile UPHILL on the way back.

 

About me

So, what is Hungarian girl, born on the flat plains of Hungary doing with her bicycle in the hilly Highlands?

Good question, really! The first time I set out to cycle with my then-future-husband, after repeatedly reassuring him that I cycled every weekend, he had to wait a full ten minutes for me on the other side of a very large hill. The hill later turned out to be a humpback bridge over the railway line.

So it is fair to say that I wasn’t used to mountains, or hills, or anything with a hint of an upward slope. However, I did always like the mountains, the views, the fresh air! Accordingly, I spent the next ten years of my life trying to get on top of the hills but avoiding to actually pedal up. It wasn’t working very well so I’ve given in. Although I may never be fast pedalling up, every time I make it up a hill I always think how much I improved.

So it is now time to test it! Give myself a challenge! Can I make it up those Highland hills?

 

Thank you for taking an interest in my challenge! If you'd like to sponsor me and help Cancer Research UK in the fight against cancer, I would be truly grateful.

I will try to do updates on this website and on my facebook page so feel free to check for news on my progress.

Thank you for your support!

Best regards,

 

Monica (Pénzes) Bird