Skip to main content

Tom's Big Bike Ride


Last December, we celebrated an important anniversary. It’s twenty-six years since Tom was diagnosed with testicular cancer, twenty-five years, really, after the surgery and follow-ups, of coming out the other side. Despite a glitch a few years ago, when the removal of what turned out to be an entirely harmless lump led to him being very seriously ill with an MRSA infection, Tom’s been well. To celebrate his survival and to commemorate the lives of family and friends who've been lost to cancer along the way, Tom decided to raise money for Cancer Research UK by cycling 50 miles from St David’s in Pembrokeshire and back along the coast here, to Sarnau, – a pretty, but punishing ride with some stunning views and horrendous hills. This is the story of his big bike ride.

A perfect day at St David's
The view from the support vehicle (aka The Biscuit Tin)
9.50 a.m. And he's off!
First stop Goodwick, Fishguard
Where The Support Driver sits in the sun
Bang on time, Tom arrives and refuels with coffee and cake before the next punishing hill

After five hours, fifty miles and £200 raised, Tom's home and celebrating

To see just how tough it was, you can trace Tom's ride here and see his fundraising page here

Comments

Jane Lovering said…
How excellent of Tom! Well done that man! Having that glorious weather and those wonderful views won't have made it seem any easier, but it does make the resultant pictures prettier...
Chris Stovell said…
Thank goodness there was a break in the depressing weather we've been having, Jane. I think it would have been even harder in today's icy wind and grey skies.
Sarah Tranter said…
LOL re the biscuit tin, Chris. A wonderful achievement, Tom and such a fantastic thing to do to raise both awareness and funds. Someone up there clearly approved by contributing sunshine. Hope you aren't aching too much today. And that he's not moaning about the aches too much, Chris :) Hugs Sxxx
Chris Stovell said…
He couldn't have had a better day for it, could he, Sarah? So pleased he did it. Cxx
Pondside said…
Well done, Tom! I had a look at the map and at the elevation - no small feat that ride.
Chris Stovell said…
Thank you, Pondside - The Support Driver thought those climbs from the luxury of the car! Very proud of him for doing it.
Mandy K James said…
You must be so proud! Good on Tom! X
Frances said…
Big congratulations to you, Tom. Your many and varied accomplishments continue to accumulate.

Bravo!

And Chris, thanks to you also for this post with its fine photographs of a very fine day.

What a great duo you all are. I was visiting the Met with friends on Saturday, and we stopped into that grand Temple of Dendur area, and of course, I thought of our day there. xo
Flowerpot said…
Well done Tom! Hooray for you both x
Well done to Tom, what a wonderful achievement!

Popular posts from this blog

My First Book Signing!

It’s a fine, dry day and there’s an Italian market in the square outside Waterstone’s. Good for a book signing? ‘Bad,’ says Tim. The stalls are blocking the view of the shop and the fine weather’s keeping everyone outdoors. Hmm, that must be why they’ve only put one small poster up for my event, I mean why waste the Blu Tack? Tim demonstrates handing off the marauding hordes After much refolding of a black tablecloth and a rummage around for some books, I’m invited to take up my position at the author table somewhere between ‘fantasy and horror’, children’s books and a poster of the next author, Bobby ‘Iron Duke’ Windsor who’s signing on Monday. Once Tom, Lily, my lovely daughter, and her partner, Russ, are all sure I’m not going to run away, they leave me to it, taking it in turns to make sure I’m all right and bring me tea. Very soon, I notice a small boy watching me. When he returns with his family I learn that he would like to be a writer. His method, he tells me, is to rewr...

A Winter's Tale

Thursday 2 December Feeling confined in her snow-muffled flat, Ma takes a walk up her front path to take the morning air. As she returns a cat jumps over the wall and startles her. She slips on the icy path and lands heavily on her shoulder. When her injury doesn’t spontaneously heal, she eventually gives in and calls her local GP surgery. In the evening a GP visits and summons an ambulance ‘sooner rather than later’. Around 10.30 pm Ma is admitted to her local hospital. X-rays suggest she has a fractured scapula which will require emergency surgery. She is put on a nil by mouth regime that night and transferred to a larger hospital for an emergency operation. However, she’s picked a busy period for her accident so the operation doesn’t take place. Saturday 4 December The operation is rescheduled for this morning, so Ma’s had a second night of nil by mouth. A CT scan shows that Ma’s humerus is broken in four places. Despite her obviously smashed-up arm, which is in a sling and...

Forever Young

Looking at the blurb for my new Lacura WrinkleStop from Aldi, I see that its active ingredient has been ‘proven to help • Reduce forehead wrinkles by 52% • Reduce crow’s feet by 24% • Restrict 82% of wrinkle muscle activity’ That’s quite a claim, isn’t it? Frankly, after years when my face looked like a lunar landscape thanks to the joys of acne, these days I’m just grateful to see a fairly blemish-free skin. Part of me wants to believe that the wonder cream’s making everything looking a bit smoother and tidier, but, hey, there’s also a lot of ‘aqua’ and ‘glycerin’ in the stuff, too. Besides, I could tamper with my skin as much as I like (and I don’t), but I’ve only got to stand next to my beautiful daughters to see the difference. Ma has wonderful skin, so the chances are there are some helpful genes in the mix, but my dad died far too young of cancer, so it’s not all good news. My dad was a carpenter. ‘You can’t get age from a tin, Miss Chris,’ he’d say when rubbing his hands o...