Dave saddles up for 1,500 mile cycle ride
Golden oldie Dave Luckhurst is preparing for up to 10 weeks in the saddle – as he prepares to embark on a race against time to complete a 1,500 mile cycle ride before his 65th birthday.
Father-of-three Dave, from Brockton near Bishop's Castle, is looking for sponsors for his charity bike ride from one end of the country to another.
It is not your usual John O'Groats to Land's End dash, however – Dave is hoping to complete at least three-quarters of the trek off-road on his mountain bike.
Dave has always been a keen cyclist but admitted this would be the toughest ride of his life. He said he hoped to create a new and unique route between the two landmarks for others to copy and improve.
He said: "I am leaving on Monday and will be travelling though some of the most mountainous land in the UK. I'd like to achieve as much as 90 per cent off-road, on bridleways, forest trails, towpaths, mountain tracks, disused railways and the like, with as little tarmac as possible, but realistically it may be 75 per cent.
"It's not a race – I want to stop and enjoy the changing landscapes, take pics and videos, talk to locals and farmers, have a beer. I don't have an end date, but I have set myself a target of getting there before my 65th birthday in July."
He said he hoped to raise cash for two charities close to his heart, the Marine Conservation Society and Greenpeace, and urged people to donate what they could.
Sponsor forms are at Simpson's shop in Bishop's Castle, Harvest Wholefoods in Lydham or the offices of the Household Energy Service in Bishop's Castle.
People can also pledge at www.uk.virginmoneygiving.com/dave-in-the-rough
