Friends use pedal power to smash 1,100 mile charity cycle ride

May 24 2012 by Camilla Goodman, Buckinghamshire Examiner

A FATHER and his friend will be using pedal power to smash a 1,100 mile journey for charity.

Doug Ramsay 52, of Brushwood Road, Chesham, and his colleague Dave Micklewright, 47, from Ruislip, donned their bicycles and started their 1,100 mile Long Way Over Challenge from London to Venice on Saturday to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

The gruelling journey began when Mr Ramsay set off from his home address at 8.15am on Saturday and met father-of-two Mr Micklewright in St Albans.

The duo, who have worked together in Harrow for 19 years, hope to reach their destination on May 31, where friends and family will be waiting to greet them.

Mr Ramsay completed the 1,000 mile journey from Lands End to John O'Groats in 2009 with two other friends leaving him with an appetite for more.

The experienced cyclists, dubbed Mad Doug and an Englishman have been training by cycling to work and recently cycled 150 miles to Bournemouth.

Father-of-two Mr Ramsay said: “I’m looking forward to it but I’m also a little apprehensive because you never know what’s going to happen. There’s a lot of pedalling and a lot of hills to get over. Only Mad Doug and an Englishman pedal out in the midday sun!

“Since the Lands End to John O’Groats challenge there always had to be another big fundraising event, and this is it.”

The friends, who have also run several London marathons together, decided on the charity after hearing about the good work it does.

Mr Ramsay said: “I’ve become aware of so many people and their families who have had unimaginable help and support from Macmillan in their hours of greatest need.

“Also the enthusiasm and positivity of Macmillan supporters seen along the London Marathon route was nothing short of absolutely staggering. I thought, I’d like to support them too, and thus London to Venice was born.”

The friends hope to raise £5,000 for the charity from their challenge and have already raised about £2,000.

You can follow the pair’s progress by visiting their Facebook page on www.facebook.com/DavenDougsEuroride.

To sponsor them visit www.justgiving.com/Doug-and-Dave-TheLongWayOverChallenge.