2020 travels through the North East

Wednesday saw Will Cowey, Simon Fry and the North East Team set off from Hawick on a sunny afternoon to Tarset (approximately 8 mile south of Kielder water) to kick off their part of the 2020 Challenge. 

                            

 

               

After numerous hill climbs, a missed turn (which went un-noticed for 9 miles!!!!) and some really good downhill’s there was time to chill out before the sun set over Kielder Water.

Thursday saw the team complete Legs 2 & 3, Setting off from Tarset (2 members down!!) heading to Newcastle Labs (Science Central) via Corbridge. The first section, covering 22 miles, was supposed to be all downhill!! However the team rallied each other on to arrive in Corbridge on schedule for a well-deserved lunch.

Fuelled by pies, tarts and maccaroons (anything but another energy bar!!!), and as the weather started to take a turn for the worse, leg 3 was a 21 mile ride to Newcastle.

  

Before completing the leg the team popped into the Alzheimers Society Newcastle branch to meet up with their Public Relations Manager, Ken Oxley to show our support to the great cause and another photo opportunity. Ken was so impressed with the 2020 Challenge he couldn’t resist getting the details into a press release for the local paper!! With only a few minutes to scrub up Ken took a couple of snaps as the rain threatened to dampen our lycra but not our spirit!!!

We even made it in to the local paper

The team completed the short ride from the Alzheimers office to Science Central where the baton was handed over to Alex Taylor and the Newcastle Labs team.

Friday saw the completion of legs 4, 5 & 6 at a glorious 10 degrees. A 6 mile walk or run depending on the personnel from Newcastle Labs, Science Central to the Hebburn Office via McDonalds commenced the day’s proceedings. Once the guys arrived at Hebburn the baton was taken to St Anthony’s School in Sunderland. Leg 6 was a relatively easy 18mile bike ride form St Anth’s to the Alumno Sheraton Park Student Accommodation project in Durham, where Leg 7 was to commence on the Tuesday following the bank holiday.

       

Having the bank holiday weekend to “Gee themselves up” for Legs 7 and 8, Michael Scott and Luke Mazzoni commenced their day’s ride from our Sheraton Park project arriving at Middlesbrough Town Hall just after midday. Leg 8 was a short 17 mile ride to Swainby where the baton was to be passed over to our rambling group to commence on Wednesday.  

    

Wednesday morning saw our ramblers Kevin Armstrong and Mark Mew walk from Swainby to Nether Silton covering 8.5mile. Due to the glorious weather they had to stop off at the local watering hole for refreshments, powered by what only can be described as “SHANDY” the lads completed the walk and handed the baton to Gary Dobson.

                                                      

The final leg for KNE was completed by Gary, covering 20mile in an impressive 1hr 30, he arrived at our final check point Catterick Racecourse.

   

On Thursday morning the Northern team picked up the baton to commence their 75mile cycle to Scarborough.