MIKEYFIRE CHALLENGE

After watching THE LONG WAY ROUND Christian was inspired to get his motorcycle license. During the summer of 2006 he took his lessons and on them met a guy called Mike Benson, who as it turned out was also inspired by watching Ewan Mcgregor and Charlie Boormans trip around the world together on their motorbikes.

They had an instructor called Alan and over the short space of a year the three of them became great friends and took a bike trip from North Wales to John O Groats together in May 2007.

While on this trip they camped on Ben Nevis, averaged over 450 miles of twisty roads a day and their friendship became stronger. During this trip Mike and Alan invited Christian along on their next big adventure. A six week ride through Morocco and the Sahara Desert set for February the 1st 2008.

So, with three men coming from different walks of life, Mike a fireman, Alan a motorcycle instructor and Christian an actor, they were set to do a trip every year over the next five years leading up to copy Ewan and Charlies trip around the world.

Sadly, though in June 2007, shortly after returning from their Scotland trip Mike Benson passed away while on exercise at Holywell Fire Station. Mike was 30 years of age.

After Mikes passing Christian and Alan decided to honour Mikes memory by starting a foundation to raise money for charity in his honour. They have called this the Mikeyfire challenge.

The two charities are The Welsh Air Ambulance and the Fire Service National Benevolent Fund.

They soon discovered that there was a fair amount of interest in what they were doing, so they opened up the challenge to anyone that wanted to join them, so that others could share in the experience.

The first challenge was to ride from home in North Wales to the top of Scotland - John O Groats and then to Land's End  at the bottom of England and home again. 1915 miles in four days. This challenge started on the 26th October 2007.

For more information on the challenges please visit their website at  http://www.bikeschool.co.uk/challenge .

Alternatively for more information or to make a donation please call Flintshire Bike School on 01352 731030 or visit www.bikeschool.co.uk .

Photo taken at the World War 2 Memorial at Ben Nevis - Scotland May 2007.                Alan, Mike, Christian.

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            We did it !

It took us riding from 7 in the morning right up to 11pm at night. We camped at the side of the road, a car park and by a lake. The total time from leaving North Wales - up to John O Groats - down to Lands End and back home was 3 days and 8 hours. Total mileage was 1915 miles. We are currently getting the sponsership money in so there is no total at the moment.

I will write a longer write up with more pictures shortly.