I've had a pan-European cycle eating away at the back of my mind for the past couple of years, but have never done anything more substantial than the coast-to-coast in the UK and a trip round Lake Maggiore. Now a few things have come together and I'm able to embark on this trip with my sister and my girlfriend. What better company can you imagine? Don't ask my that question when we get back though!

Cycling 1100 (or so) miles to Lake Maggiore from Bangor, North Wales is the biggest challenge I've set myself to date, and will involve cycling almost 10 times further than any single trip I've been on before. As the more experienced rider (and also the one who talked everyone into this in the first place) I'll be the team mechanic and probably relied upon for navigation and general reassurance.

Fortunately we've got some support! My father and uncle are enjoying a road trip alongside our journey so we can travel fast and light. This also means we don't have to spend an inordinate amount of money on accomodation or lightweight kit for touring. 

I'm raising money for the MS Trust because people close to me are affected by the condition, and if the effort and resources I put into the trip can help further their work then everyone's a winner.

I don't normally ask for sponsorship when I'm off on whacky adventures, but I like to think this is different; a rare event which brings part of the family together for an adventure which will most definitely require a hefty amount of preparation and training. 

Follow our progress on our blog Team Pedal on Wordpress