I've been lucky enough, through good health and circumstance, to cycle to some fantastic places and have some fantastic experiences. Climbing mountains, getting to the beautiful view point or cycling through and above the clouds makes you feel blessed and extraordinarily lucky. Whilst I can't share all of those experience I can use them to help others. I guess it's because of this that I feel that R2R is so important and a great way of raising funds for charity.

I don't mind admitting that I'm new to cycling! However armed with my Boardman bike and enthusiasm that is not aligned with my ability (yet) I am almost evangelical about the benefits of getting on a bike.

On one of our Sunday rides (a short 100km to Sandy in Bedfordshire) Mark (Pitsi) and I considered what fun it would be to start a cycling team. We'd start it on the basis that, like all our projects, it would quickly accelerate to being completely out of control - it hasn't disappointed!

It was only a matter of time before Simon joined and R2R was born. Once the logo and the kit was in place it was simply a case of getting support and that support has come in spades.

My first "season" of riding has already given me some great experiences; riding with 27,000 people to Brighton (and not falling off Ditchling Beacon), cycling up the Stelvio Pass and around Lake Garda in Italy (I may have mentioned that before... once or twice!) and riding my first 90 miler around the Avon Cycleway. The part season has taken me and my bike over 1000 miles, 8 punctures and 3 spokes. The waistline transformation is quite a pleasing by-product too!

I'm really looking forward to the challenge of completing stages of the 2010 Tour de France Route with the William Wates Memorial Trust in July.  The aim is to complete the most gruelling challenge of the tour and raise over £1200.