Dave

He’s doing well in hospital, though obviously bored and naturally a bit down about missing the ride. He was hoping to be out by this w/e for the farewell send-off at the King’s Arms, Elhams (Sunday 9th June from 1pm – all invited), but the consultant wanted to keep a check on his lungs for a bit longer.

Fingers-crossed he’ll be out soon and on his feet (and on his bike before very long).

Charity Update

Many many thanks to those that have donated.

The team are very pleased that almost 40% of the target has been reached so far. We cannot thank you all enough. This week a special thanks to the contributions from the Fun Day that Snowdown Colliery Welfare Rugby Football Club organised. Fantastic effort.

Training

Last week they had the fancy dress bike ride and then a well deserved rest day on the Sunday. They are ready and raring to go.

Planning

Everything is to hand. They leave on Wednesday the 12th June on the 6.40am ferry. If you wish you can wave them off at the White Horse car-park (next to the old Leisure Centre in Dover) at 5.40am!

A better bet is to join them at a farewell drinks afternoon at the King’s Arms, Elham on Sunday the 9th June from 1pm. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Dale, who is leaving work at the Dover Harbour Board today (7th June) was presented with a cake. What a beauty.

Dave

Last w/e Dave crashed badly and broke his collar bone, a couple of ribs and punctured his lung. Naturally he’s been in hospital but the good news is that he is recovering well.

Obviously this will set him back and sadly he won’t be able to do the ride to Krakow. He’ll be missed.

We all wish him well and a speedy recovery so that he is back in the saddle as soon as possible.

Dave: before & after: get well soon

Fancy Dress Bike Ride

Saturday 1st June was the annual charity fancy dress bike ride attended by players, former players and friends of Snowdown Colliery Welfare Rugby Football Club.

We’re hoping that these photos will cheer Dave up:

Charity Update

Many thanks to those that have donated.

Training

Last week the boys did the usual loop around SE Kent. Here is the live map, with photos.

Use the link if the video doesn’t show in your email.

And here is the map with some additional photos.  Use this link if the map doesn’t show in your email.

And here are the photos.

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Planning

Everyone went and collected their China visas.

If they get into China it will be a miracle, but not as much of a miracle as if they get out again.

All the visa requirements for the tour are now done.

Equipment

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If you remember the frame of Keith’s road bike broke. He’s now rebuilt this Felt to take over road bike duties until Krakow.

Charity Update

Many thanks to those that have donated.

In particular thanks go to those who have contributed in the collection bottles in various pubs around the county: the Ratling Club, the Royal Oak, The Two Sawyers, the Red Lion, the Fitzwalter Arms and the King’s Arms.

Timezones

Probably time to remind our riders to set phones, cameras and bike computers to update timezones automatically if possible.

EU through to Poland is ONE hour ahead of the UK.

Ukraine & Russia are TWO hours ahead of the UK.

Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are FOUR hours ahead of the UK.

Kyrgyzstan is FIVE hours ahead of the UK.

China is SEVEN hours ahead of the UK.

Japan is EIGHT hours ahead of the UK.

The summary table on the home page as had a timezone column added. Links in the table will take you to a website where the local time is shown amongst other time & date information.

Training

This weeks training ride took in a loop to the seaside. The intention was to try and fit photos to the map & video. It almost worked except the clocks on the various devices were not synchronised. Hence The ‘Timezone’ section above. Another attempt to manage this will be made this w/e.

And Dale sent me some photos (with gps data) which I placed on this map of his ride from Dover to West Hougham along the cliffs.

Planning

The Chinese Embassy visit is on the 28th May for visa applications.

Equipment

No news here.

Other News

Uzbekistan featured in the news this week concerning a Museum of Art at the city of Nukus, which is passed on Stage 37 which should be reached towards the end of July.

This part of the world is also where the boys will cross the legendary Oxus ruver.

Here are the notes from the Uzbekistan page about these two days.

Stage 36 Hotel UGCC Kyrkkyz – Stanciya Shumanay

Nothing is known about this place except it is close to the Turkmenistan border and has a railway station, and surprisingly, is close to the Amu Darya river. This is the River Oxus of legend. Alexander the Great crossed it three times. At 2,500km it’s the longest river in Asia.

This is the country of Oxiana: Robert Byron’s “Road to Oxiana” (1933) is sometimes said to be the greatest travel book ever written.

Stage 37 Stanciya Shumanay – Nazarhan

You cross the Oxus river today at Nukus, which is Uzbekistans 6th biggest city with a population of 300,000. It was a former site for chemical weapons manufacture and testing, now known more for it’s Museum of Art.

This is what the Guardian had to say in May 2019

“This museum in a bleak outpost has one of the world’s greatest collections of avant-garde art, rescued from Stalin’s clutches by an electrician. But now it needs a rescue of its own”

Charity Update

Many thanks to those that have donated.

Training

Linford trains in his own inimical way.

Keith had his first ride out with panniers on his bike.

Here is the fly-thru of this meander around SE Kent. Also you can see he visited his Mother – on Mother’s Day too!

Planning

All three Houses are booked into the Chinese Embassy on the 28th May for Visa applications.

Equipment

Keith continues to look for a new road bike but meanwhile …

Other News

The Uzbekistan page (with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan) has been updated with stage notes.

Charity Update

A bumper week this week – many thanks to those that have donated so far.

Training

Linford was still in Las Vegas.

Keith had a disaster as his frame broke on his road bike whilst out riding.

This will mean a search for a new frame, but no doubt it’s some compensation that it didn’t happen halfway to Poland and did happen quite close to the Two Sawyers.

Dale and Dave did a little ramble around SE Kent.

St. John’s Commandery

Planning

Dale has his Russia Visa.

Why does everyone look shifty on passport style photographs?

At least now they know how to spell their names phonetically in the Cyrillic alphabet:

Дейл Хауз is Dale House, and Кит Хауз is Keith House.

And the team took time out at Chaps Grooming in Canterbury for a full waxing and haircut courtesy of Charlie and friends. I’ve refrained from showing you some painful waxing videos.

Equipment

The Slide Away Bear got a set of badges for border crossing photo opportunities.

Other News

The Food page summarises some of the cuisine they may encounter once they leave the safety of Europe.

The Kazakhstan page has been updated with some notes on each days stage.

Charity Update

Donations continue to arrive – many thanks to those that have donated so far.

Training

Linford naturally is doing his own thing!

Some of the team went out on Saturday and Sunday last w/e.

Here is the map from last Sunday with Dale’s route shown and a couple of photographs.

And this is a fly-thru video of Keith’s route on the same day.

Planning

Dale picks his Russia visa up next Tuesday.

All China visa application forms are complete and the team apply for them in two weeks time. You need to use them within 3 months of application.

Equipment

Other News

This is not the news you’re looking for. May the 4th be with you. Farewell Chewie.

Charity Update

Donations continue to arrive – many thanks to those that have donated so far.

Publicity

The ride featured in the Kent Online Newspaper this week. Many thanks to Gerry Warren and the staff at Kent Online.

A trio of rugby fans will be heading off to see the World Cup in Japan later this year – by bicycle.

They are part of a six-man team who will complete the first leg of the 8,100-mile journey to Krakow before heading on through Russia and six other countries to their destination in the Far East.

Their aim is also to raise £6,000.

The money will be divided between The Alzheimer’s Society, Fight for Sight, which funds research into blindness, and Slide Away, a Kent-based charity which supports bereaved children.

The riders are brothers Dale and Keith House and his son Linford, who will ride the full distance, and Carl Moses, Dave Austen, Cathel Bartello.

They will set off from Aylesham on June 12 and expect to arrive in Poland on June 20.

Dale, Keith and Linford, who plays for Snowdown Rugby Club, will then continue the epic journey, aiming to be in Japan for the start of the rugby tournament in September.

Dale, who has given up his job at the Port of Dover to take on the ride, admitted they had taken on a huge challenge.

But the team, who have call themselves Bike Rugby Japan, are no strangers to the challenges of long distance cycling. This year will be their eighth major challenge since 2012.

Previous tours having been to Scotland, Spain, Croatia, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark and Hungary.

“We’ve done quite a few long charity rides before, but this one will be by far the biggest,” said Dale.

“We will also be riding in quite a few remote areas and so will need to be prepared.

“But we are training hard with fully loaded panniers to ensure we are ready.

“It’s very exciting and going to be quite an adventure.”

The group’s support vehicle will be driven to Krakow by Roger Hadfield.

From that point onwards the House trio will be on their own for the next 7,000 miles.

To find out more, click here and to support their fundraising, visit here.

Training

Apparently Linford was out on his bike last w/e and managed a staggering 10 miles. No photographic evidence exists though.

Last w/e the Touring bikes of Dale and Keith came out for the first time for an amble around SE Kent.

Naturally the ride involves some refreshment stops: this ride featured the Tickled Trout at Wye and the Smithies Arms at Elham.

Planning

Dale applies for his Russian visas, but Linford abandons the trip to London at Faversham as he realises he cannot leave his passport for 5 days as he’ll need it next week to visit Las Vegas!

No news as yet on the China visa applications.