Final total, £6300 plus gift aid.
I am here: maps.google.com/maps?ll=55.023141,-1.497704
Thanks to all of your generosity last year with my banger rally for charity I thought I would be really cheeky and try again!!
Last time we raised over £2500 for Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF) of which over 20% was donated from this forum and for which I am eternally grateful.
This time I thought it would be appropriate to try a physical challenge and I am organising a bicycle ride around all the MRF offices. The route starts in Edinburgh, then crosses to Troon via Glasgow then ferry to Larne. From there we call in at the Northern Ireland office in Belfast before heading off to Dublin. After seeing the Dublin staff we cross to Holyhead, then pedal down to Thorrnbury, Bristol, which is MRF’s head office. We will then have a couple of beers (!) before flying home.
I am being joined this year by two other TNUK members, Tonka236 aka Ben Lawrence and Buck Rogers, aka Buck Rogers.
We have been promised a sponsor van from Benfield Van Centre in Newcastle for the duration to provide support for the trip and a colleague of mine at Murray Hogg has taken a holiday to drive the van.
For those of you who don’t know my reasons for this charity, you can read this, http://www.meningitis.org/book-of-experience/sophie-wilson-37601
Along the way we are happy for people to join us. In Northern Ireland, we have two mums joining us for the Belfast to Dublin section who have both lost children to meningitis last year. Their stories, here, http://www.meningitis.org/book-of-experience/eve-mary-bustany-37835
http://www.meningitis.org/book-of-experience/leo-david-wells-37955
In Wales we are going to be joined by Dan and Jen Rowbotham on a tandem and here is Dans story, http://www.meningitis.org/book-of-experience/beren-rowbotham-33996
Hope you are still interested to look at our website which I will be updating all the way up to the ride and you will be able to track our progress on there too.http://meningitis500.co.uk/
If you can spare a few quid, you can donate through our website, which takes you to the justgiving page and hopefully take one step closer to a cure.
Thanks.
Firstly…BUMP!!!
Secondly, It was a chance meeting with Bowserman and a few natters later that I was asked if I was up for a bike ride…he never did mention the fact it was 500 miles long 
I think its safe to say we all comment about not having enough time for our loved ones. However, at the end of the day/week we can go home and see them again. Imagine if that wasnt the case. For that reason alone this is a great cause to get behind…with the added bonus of watching some truckers suffer 
Done,oh and got the link ya sent cheers.
Great idea guys!
Had a look at your route in Edinburgh…if you’re just heading due South from the City Centre towards the Bypass, you’ve got a couple of long hills to begin with 
if you head West following the A8 it’s fairly flat (think the cycle route follows the old railway line in places).
We are leaving from MRF’s office in EH2 which is the west side of the city. Then we are joining cycle route 754 which follows the Forth and Clyde canal. Looks nice and flat until we leave Glasgow, then we plan on staying in or near Kilwinning, so its an easy hit for the ferry the next day. 80 odd miles on day one so may be a late finish.
Chris what date do you start 
as my son will be living in Edinburgh by then may be able to come & see you off
once again good luck mate 
oh dear…i thought you meant “motorbike” ride chris…oh well,best quickly ditch the bag macs and get my finger out…i reckon i should just be sponsered for going on the ferry (i have a huge fear of ships akin to mr t"s fear of planes"…you aint gettin me on no ship fool!!!
There is a winch operator in the coast guard helicopter unit with the name of Buck Rogers,is that you mate?
Thanks to Switchlogic for his help, for which we will be using, thanks to no help from the ferry operators out of Dublin.
if you could sponcer me a push bike then im in
Dogtanian:
if you could sponcer me a push bike then im in
I’d love to do it, but I to don’t have a pedal cycle anymore… I’ve got a BMX but don’t think that would be best suited for a 500 mile round trip lol… I love charity and fund raising for good causes though! Good luck to anyone who is going to take part.
Dogtanian:
if you could sponcer me a push bike then im in
Williams9881:
Dogtanian:
if you could sponcer me a push bike then im in
You could both make a donation to the charity 
2 days to go!
Off to Edinburgh tomorrow and meeting on Monday morning at 0730 at MRF’s office in Edinburgh. Hope to get some press interest as it is the first day of meningitis awareness week.
Edinburgh to Kilwinning on Monday then the 1005 ferry to Larne on Tuesday. Keep an eye out for our sponsor van supplied by Benfield Motor Group for the duration. 
Donations are over £3000 now and hoping for £4000 at Chris Wilson is fundraising for Meningitis Research Foundation
You can track us on our website if you are interested at http://www.meningitis500.co.uk
thanks.
Job Done!
515 miles ending in glorious weather in Bristol. Personally had 5 punctures, issues with my gears and a broken spoke for the last 400 miles.
We had hailstones in Ireland and rain in Scotland and Wales. One rider came off 3 times in Scotland and had to retire in Ireland with a knackered knee. Some of the hills in Wales really pushed me personally to the limit and although I was always last up, I did them all.
Before starting the ride I weighed in at 16s 51/2lbs and after weighed 16s 43/4lbs. 3/4lb ffs! Thought I would have least got a stone off. The heaviest rider at 19 and a half stone didn’t lose an ounce!!
To date we have raised £3900 online and will be publishing cash donations when they are all in, but expect to total around £5000.
Thanks for keeping this a sticky Rikki.
Good work Dude.