Jane and I met through the French group. She comes to meetings on her bike and I used to be surprised.
Since I've learnt that Jane has just completed her 22nd solo cycle ride to raise funds for Christian Aid - 900 km in 11days - I no longer feel astonished at her urban cycling activities.
This time her route was from St Jean de Luz in the Basque Pyrenees to Collioure in Catalonia including a little of Spain.
Jane says:
"I have to admit finding the big mountain cols harder this time...and I am slower...but the wonderful scenery is more than compensation. It is super to find so many places still quiet and unspoiled. I met with much kindness and my confidence in the goodness of human nature is reinforced. I was very much reminded of my own good fortune when visiting Lourdes where there were many hundreds of handicapped pilgrims.
"I have been to lots of European countries including the Camino to Compostella in Spain (from Winchester) in 2013.
"In most foreign countries I learn to say 'please' and 'thank you' and rely on hand signals and a rather poorly smattering of German to communicate when French or English are not understood!!
I usually do 2 weeks and in the past have always done well over 1,000km ....the Camino was 2,000km but took 3 weeks."
Jane does not mention how much she has raised but I've seen the web pages and it's extremely impressive.
Jane's notes on her photos:
1) the Big Bikes are at the top of the Col de l'Aubisque one of the major Tour de France climbs. The person in blue is me....very cold at the top and freezing going down the other side!!
2) the Spanish policeman was guarding the mountaintop frontier with France...but seemed to have little to do as there was hardly anyone around!
Well done Jane, I am always surprised at the good things people do for charity. We listened to Simon Mayo last night on the way home. People rang onto say where ther were going & for what reason, some of the things that were going on for charity were amazing
Fav for me, I have a friend who does similar amazing cycling feats, last year she did Lands end to John O'groats for charity. Well done your friend Jane.