Update: I am delighted to announce that Michael Coleman from Cambridge will join me on my ride to Aberdeen. So, this will be now a joint venture and we are therefore raising funds together for ARUK.

Michael Coleman:

I've always liked cycling.

As a teenager it was for the independence, as a parent it was for getting young kids to school with every combination of child seat, trailer and tandem imaginable, and these days it's for staying 'young', or so I tell myself!

So when I heard Michael H was cycling from Norwich to Aberdeen for the Alzheimer's Research UK conference, there was only one thing to do - obviously! March weather could be 'interesting' but definitely more fun in a pair. Please help us support Alzheimer’s Research UK who are doing so much to advance dementia research and to develop the next generation of dementia researchers.

Michael Hornberger:

There are a few things you should know about me:

I love cycling challenges

I use those cycling challenges to raise money for charity

I hate cycling in the cold and wet

For my next challenge, I combine all these elements together by cycling from Norwich to Aberdeen (~500miles/~800kms) in March 2023.

Why Aberdeen you might ask?

The reason is that the 2023 Alzheimer Research UK (ARUK) scientific conference is in Aberdeen (14-15th March). I would have gone anyway, but instead of taking the train both ways, I cycle to the conference and then take the train back.

The plan is to cycle the distance in 4 days with 3 stopovers (Hull, Newcastle, Edinburgh), starting on the 10th March and arriving on the evening of the 13th March in Aberdeen. Each day is ~125miles/~200kms cycling, which is long but I have done similar distances before. The bigger challenge will be the weather. To do such a challenge in the summer would be a delight but cycling to Scotland in March sounds cold, wet and windy. Did I mention already that I hate cycling in the cold and wet? Let's not talk about the wind which is the eternal nemesis of a cyclist. It's, therefore, the perfect challenge for me. And for your benefit you can see me suffering - in the wet and cold - for a good cause.

So, please donate some money for ARUK via the provided links. However, we understand there is a cost of living crisis ongoing, so if you cannot spare some money just send us good wishes - we need it!

If you want to follow our progress more closely, please send me (Michael H) a message and I can add you to the WhatsApp group to which I will post regularly during our trip.

Scotland, here we come!