Lines

Dew on a Web

Dew on a spider's web is a wonderful sight,

Early morning finds what has been created at night,

Lovely designs spun so nice,

Without a pattern of device,

Looking at a mat of lace,

Shows how long it takes to place. 

Dorothy Snow

Every Little Helps.

I'm chuffed, chuffed and thrice chuffed to announce that Tesco Bridgewater Extra, Banbridge will be kindly supporting my 500 miles Cycle Challenge in July 2015, for the Children's Heartbeat Trust. (Route here)

There will be a three-day collection in-store from Friday 19th June - Sunday 21st June, where yours truly will be floating about.

You know peeps, since undergoing what one might call 'major open heart surgery' just over two years ago now, Tesco were the first (and only) employer to look beyond this, see the bigger picture and, as Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid would say... Take a Chance on Me.

From my Line Manager Natasha....to my Personnel Manager Tess, from 'Auntie' Brenda and the ladies on the Customer Service desk......to the lads in the warehouse, from Day One all my colleagues have treated me with the utmost understanding and kindness and looked out for me (more than I do myself), and I can't thank them enough.

To my store manager Stephen Magill and all my Tesco colleagues I'd like to say a massive thanks for getting behind my cycle challenge, and in particular I'd like to thank Natasha Blundell, Customer Service Manager and David McKay, Community Champion for all their advice and willingness to help me with fundraising.

Every Little Helps......a lot!

6 days in July: The Route

Ok dear readers, as promised here is the proposed route for my cycle challenge in July (please click on the map for a bigger image).

We have re-routed thanks to very kind offers of accommodation.

The overnight stops are: 
Wednesday 1st July: Castle Archdale *Camping*
Thursday 2nd July: Limavady *accommodation kindly offered* 
Friday 3rd July: Ballyclare *accommodation kindly offered*
Saturday 4th July: Newcastle *accommodation tbc*

A lot of tweaking has taken place in the past few weeks due to the original route also being deemed too hilly and met with, well let's just say an air of despair in some medical quarters, heck, one even did their best John McEnroe impression...'you cannot be serious!!!'

Well I am serious, so ladies and gentlemen I give you....drum roll please..... the Children's Heartbeat Trust Cycle Challenge route.
I'll post a breakdown of each day nearer the time but as a snapshot the first day will see me set off from Banbridge for a 90 miles leg loosening jaunt to Co.  Fermanagh via Portadown and Armagh taking in Ballygawley, Fivemiletown, Tempo and Enniskillen.

The second day is the longest of the lot,  and here we'll venture into Donegal again passing through or close to Kesh, Belleek, Ballybofey, Strabane, and on to Limavady, a hike of some 102 miles.

The third day, from Limavady to Ballyclare will see me pass through Portstewart, Portrush, Ballycastle and Ballymena.

The fourth day on the road takes us from Ballyclare to Newcastle mainly via Carrickfergus, Belfast, Bangor, Ballywalter, Newtownards, Killyleagh and Downpatrick.

When I've finally managed to 'sprockle' back on to my trusty steed, the final day is a 'short run down the Co. Down coast from Newcastle to Warrenpoint and Newry, on to the tow-path to Scarva and back to the starting point at the Tesco Bridgewater Extra store in Banbridge...all-in-all 500 miles, well it's really 501.3 miles but what's an extra 1.3 miles between friends.

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.....when you type or say it quickly enough.

The rest of the week will either be spent lying in an undignified heap, or most likely walking sideways, if you catch my drift!

The route is subject to slight changes and if you spot me on the road, please feel free to give me a shout or a wave, your support will mean a lot... thank-you.

Spring has Sprung

Just-a-toodlin'-along while Spring has Sprung in Co. Down.

Charity Cycle Update

http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=OneManAndHisBike

Hello everyone, 

As readers of my scribblings are aware, in July I will be ahem, cough, wheeze..... 'attempting' to cycle round Northern Ireland with one of the days going through Donegal, (see previous post).

And with a bit of luck things won't be as bad along the way as this poor chap is getting it, although having said that...... ;-) 

It'll be approximately 805km, or for the old school among us 500 miles, and hopefully we'll raise a few pounds in the process for this very worthy charity, the Children's Heartbeat Trust. 

Accompanying me in a support car will be my wife Pamela, nine year old daughter Amy, and my cousin David Bruce who has kindly taken time off work to act as driver. 

Anyway, I would like to ask if anyone would be willing to offer us accommodation, a garden to pitch two tents and perhaps the use of a bathroom/kitchen would even be much appreciated (I promise there will be no wild partying or loud rock music blasting out at night, ok perhaps a spot of classical music) ;-) 

The plan at the minute is to stay at campsites along the way but with my young daughter with us, some home comforts would be more ideal. 

The overnight stops are: 
Wednesday 1st July: Carrickfergus *accommodation kindly offered*
Thursday 2nd July: Limavady *accommodation kindly offered* 
Friday 3rd July: Enniskillen
Saturday 4th July: Ballyclare *accommodation kindly offered*
Sunday 5th July: Newcastle.
 

We can be flexible give or take a few miles, and can tweak the route to suit if anyone can kindly accommodate us near these towns.
I can be contacted at sjmckeown@mail.com 

I will also post the provisional route tomorrow. 

Thank-you for listening. 
Stephen

Easter on The Bann

Today, we're three quarters way through a 45 miles mountain bike ride as the River Bann flows through Ballydown towards Banbridge.

The River Bann is the longest river in Ulster at 99 miles long and consists of the Upper and Lower Bann. 

This section at Banbridge forms part of the Upper Bann, starting high in the Mourne Mountains at Slieve Muck (Pig Mountain) and flowing into Lough Neagh and, although this area is mostly inhabited with the wily brown trout, the Upper Bann is today one of the most popular coarse fishing waterways in Europe with pike, perch, bream and roach in abundance.

Now then, enough of this rabbiting on (Easter theme thrown in there) and back to the bike...........