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The wheresyourbike charity challenge – fat bottomed men with boobs on bicycles

Photography is my work and my hobby and both take up most of my waking hours. Nevertheless, I do have other interests outside of pictures – or more accurately, I have another hobby that I photograph.

I cycle.

To build up my quads – to help treat an old knee injury – I wake up most days at 5.30am and head off around the local hills for a couple of hours, usually covering 30-40 miles before breakfast. I ride a Scott CR1, a light, solid number that I’ve ridden from one corner of the UK to the other.

Scott CR1

Indeed, my most recent run covered Britain’s two most famous corners; John O’Groats in the far north of Scotland to Lands Ends, in far southwest Cornwall, in a charity cycle.

John O’Groats to Lands End

With a few like-minded mates, we set up the ‘wheresyourbike’ challenge, cycling the length of the country in embarrassingly tight lycra and fake boobs in support of a few charities: Breakthrough Breast Cancer, KISS, a children’s charity, and the health information exchange of Guernsey.

Tight Lycra & Fake Boobs

The idea was for five of us to cover almost 1,000 miles in under 10 days. So it was a fair challenge we set ourselves.

The journey took in the breathtaking mountains and valleys of Scotland, drab down-at-heel northern English cities and picture postcard Cornish fishing villages.

John O’Groats

Invershin Bridge

Arran Hostel

Ben Nevis

Kirkstone Pass

Clun Castle

Seven Bridge

Our nights were spent in small, welcoming guest houses singing rugby songs and old standards such as Hey Jude and American Pie while downing copious amounts of local ales and single malt whisky.

Treffry Tavern

Overall we covered 955.4 miles in 86 hours at an average speed of 13.5 mph. The total ascent during the journey was 49, 478 feet ? the equivalent of cycling up Everest almost twice! In addition we burnt up 55,973 calories over the 10 days ? or 5,597 a day.

St Michael’s Mount

Ironically, though, given our late night drinking sessions, I actually arrived back home heavier than when I started!

Between us we managed to scribble a daily blog of the ride. Please click here to read more about our time in the saddle and also to find out more (and even donate, if you like) about the charities.