PodgeThePuffer's World

Challenge 2002

It was another damp autumnal Sunday lunchtime. Yours truly plus friends (calling themselves the reccecrew) had been out for one of their many ‘practice’ rides taking in any number of hostelries. The conversations were always wide and varied but on this day, the subject of age came up; let’s face it, young the Recce Crew aren’t. Look said Hobbit, it’s my 50th birthday next year, 28th June to be precise, and I think we should do something special. Ok then said Animal and Podge, let’s go to Bilbao and cycle home and make a party of it to boot. That’s fine by me, how about you? Asked Hobbit. Yeah, whatever, replied Reg the Hedge, by now feeling a bit woozy with drink.

That was the birth of the Pair ‘O’ Knees Bike Ride. To some extent, that conversation consisted of about two thirds of the planning for the entire bike ride.

And so, on Saturday 29th June, Maggie ‘La Hermana Errante’ Duganski, Reg ‘The Hedge’ Beacher, Mark ‘Marko’ Ringwood, Dave ‘Hobbit’ Hobbs and Kevin ‘Podge’ Stirzaker supported by Diane ‘Mummi D’ Bloy and Gillian ‘Aunti G’ West Driving Marko’s Espace, set sail from Portsmouth to start their epic journey from Bilbao, over the Pyrenees @ 5500 feet, up to Paris and then home to Le Havre over a period of 12 days.

The map below shows the route finally taken for the ride.