With so many King's pupils having family in the
armed forces, the charity SSAFA (originally the
Soldiers' and Sailors' Families Association) is close
to our hearts. So we had the idea of combining
fundraising with a feat of physical endeavour - and a rewarding
destination. Hence the birth of the London to Monaco cycle tour.
We all arrived in London at the Royal Marine barracks, where
we spent our first night. At the crack of dawn we were up and
heading to Trafalgar Square for our official start point. We were
late. Travelling into London by bike with all the other commuters
was a nightmare. An adventure - but a nightmare. Buses, cars,
motorbikes, foldout bikes and us were all in a huge urban rally,
competing for a spot in any lane possible, swerving like lunatics
through the capital, racing to Trafalgar Square.
Eventually we made it, and after photographs (some by
strangers) we set off. Heading out of London was a more
pleasant experience; using cycle lanes and going against the
traffic, we made excellent progress. Unfortunately we ended up
on the A20, which turned into the M20, with the result that we
all nearly died of fright being passed by cars at 90mph. Only two
hours into the trip, it almost finished before it had begun.
Monte Carlo or Bust
Edward Keeling recounts a sometimes hair-raising
charity ride from London to Monaco
The start in Trafalgar Square - Zach Spiers, Harvey Walsh, Jamie Turvill, Josh
Stickland, Tom Frankham, Dan Mead, Ed Keeling, and Henry Dufosee
Top: The inish line
Trips 83