Moscow to Moscow - Off on a Wee Ride

We are riding from Moscow, Ayrshire (that’s right, Scotland!) to Moscow, Russia, and back, to raise money for the Poppa Guttmann Trust, based at the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

The Trust’s purpose is to celebrate the life and work of Sir Ludwig “Poppa” Guttmann, who revolutionised treatment for spinal injuries patients with the opening of his Spinal Injuries Centre in 1944, and whose “Stoke Mandeville Games” formed the basis for the modern Paralympics. Money raised from our ride will go towards an arts programme at the Hospital to help recently paralysed patients improve fine motor skills and foster creativity and a sense of achievement.

Approximately 11% of bikers seriously injured each year on Britain’s roads will suffer a life-changing spinal injury!

The ride is a 6,500-mile round trip taking 4 weeks. Currently there are just 3 riders (and two car-drivers) signed up: myself, my husband and a friend. However, we would welcome other riders who could spare even a few days to join us anywhere en route and raise some cash for the cause.

We leave Scotland on Sunday 12th June and are due to arrive back on Wednesday 13th July. We have some fun stuff lined up for our departure:

• Saturday 11th June – VIP send-off by Rt. Hon. Theresa May from Waltham St. Lawrence, Berkshire
• Sunday 12th June – Motorcycle-themed “Family Day” and media send-off from Moscow, Ayrshire
• Monday, 13th June – West Coast ride-out: Erskine Bridge / Dumbarton / Helensburgh / Faslane / Arrochar / Loch Fynne Oyster Bar for lunch (own expense)/ back to Glasgow via Arrochar / Tarbet Loch Lomond / Luss / Balloch
• Thursday 16th June – Celebrity send-off from Ace Cafe London. We are being flagged off by former GP motorcycle road racing legend, Peter Williams, and among other supporters from the world of motoGP will be Phil Armes, himself a former patient at Stoke Mandeville, following his Ulster GP crash in 1995. Ben Portsmouth, Memphis “Images of the King” award-winner, will also be performing for us.

Our outline itinerary is published on-line at http://www.offonaweeride.com. It promises to be an awesome experience.

If you are interested, either contact me via this site or email John direct at john@offonaweeride.com.

You can also keep up with us on Twitter @offonaweeride or on Facebook.

what a cool trip, best of luck...

I'll have a dig around and see if i can spare some money... bit skint till pay day...

be careful in Red Square the one system leading away is abit confusing...

Lo-IQ said:

what a cool trip, best of luck...

I'll have a dig around and see if i can spare some money... bit skint till pay day...

be careful in Red Square the one system leading away is abit confusing...

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Thanks mate. We think it will be a cool trip, though perhaps not strictly a GS trip. Jim, whose idea the whole thing was, rides a BMW F800ST, John ("Roynie") is going on his Triumph Tiger and I appear to have - by some strange quirk of fate - ended up with a choice between a 1200GS and an 1150GS. I was going to sell the 1200 after I bought the 1150, but it now looks like I might be riding it, as it is taking longer than we thought to get the 1150 switched over to French plates. Our French motor insurance covers us for all the Baltic States, Russia and the Ukraine (albeit with supplemental insurance necessary at the border) and, last I heard, Jim was still having problems with UK insurance companies offering cover for Russia and the Ukraine.

What we are really keen for is a good send off. Even if the idea of weeks in Eastern Europe don't appeal, there will be a lot of bucket-shaking at our various events in the UK ... and the Ace Cafe on 16th June should be gas.

If you need free accommodation with secure parking and good coffee in the m1 j 26 area let me know, you'll be more than welcome, wish I could come

CuzGS said:

If you need free accommodation with secure parking and good coffee in the m1 j 26 area let me know, you'll be more than welcome, wish I could come

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Much appreciate the offer. Unfortunately, not sure how many we'll be - at least 3 but likely we will have a couple of our 'ground support' team with us. If you know of any good biker cafes in the vicinity, we might include it on our southbound itinerary.

No sweat can Accn 5 easily enough if it helps

Well, we made it ... there and back. For anyone who is interested, there are photos on our Facebook page (it's public, you don't have to be a member of Facebook) and I've just updated the last of the blog entries at www.offonaweeride.com.

Between donations, sponsorship, T-shirt sales, raffle prizes, etc., we raised very nearly £15,000 for the Poppa Guttmann Trust at the National Spinal Injuries Centre at Stoke Mandeville.

It isn't too late. You can still donate via our website (address above).