 Two
intrepid motorcyclists will be taking to the roads
of Europe this May to visit 10 capital cities in just 10 days;
a journey of over 4,000 miles to raise money for the premature
baby charity BLISS. Tom Johnson and Rob Dransfield are taking
on this extreme challenge with the help of two Buell Ulysses
XB12X Adventure Sport motorcycles.
The challenge will see the riders leaving London on 27 May
2006 and riding to Amsterdam then on to Berlin, Warsaw, Budapest,
Sofia (Bulgaria), Skopje (Macedonia), Rome and Bern before
finally ending in Paris 10 days later. With over 4,000 miles
to cover in such a short time, Tom and Rob aim to be travelling
for up to 12 hours per day – a gruelling test of both
man and machine. Their goal is to raise up to £30,000
for the charity.
To help the riders in their endeavour, Buell UK is loaning
them two fully-equipped Ulysses motorcycles, complete with
panniers, top-box and satellite navigation systems. They will
also be provided with Buell clothing and apparel to help them
on their journey.
The Ulysses provides a plush, comfortable seat and upright
riding position for maximum comfort during long distance touring.
The 100bhp air-cooled V-twin has instant useable power through
the rev range and the bike also features fully-adjustable
suspension. Buell’s innovative fuel-in-the-frame, oil-in-the-swingarm
technology is designed to aid the motorcycle’s agility
and in this package makes it perfect for a cross-continent
journey.
Tom (30) is the proud father of twins Harvey and Niles, who
were born 10 weeks premature. The landscape architect from
Sheffield wanted to give something back to the charity that
helped his children through the critical stages of their young
lives – and so the “10in10” challenge was
founded.
Rob (35), Tom’s neighbour and friend, also wanted to
help raise money for BLISS and has played a key role in gaining
national sponsors, sorting out visas and planning the journey
meticulously.
 Tom
said: “With all the support my family received from
BLISS, I wanted to be able to show my thanks properly. Both
Rob and I share a passion for motorcycles and we felt we could
use this to raise money and get some helpful headlines for
the charity. The 10in10 idea came from the number of weeks
early my boys were born: 10 weeks became 10 days for the journey
and 10 scheduled stops in capital cities across Europe.
“We’re both really excited to be doing this journey
and we’re looking forward to doing it on the Ulysses
motorcycles. Before this plan we had never even ridden a Buell,
but now we’re training for the journey on them all the
time I’m extremely confident it’s the best machine
for our needs.”
The 10in10 challenge is also supported by Corus Engineering
Steels (CES). The company is not only making a donation direct
to the BLISS charity from the Stockholding division but also
providing funding for the 10in10 trip. The CES contribution
will be used to purchase crucial items for the trip, including
camping equipment, fuel, ferry crossings and first aid kits.
 BLISS
relies entirely on voluntary income as Jackie Glazebrook,
BLISS fundraising manager, explains: “Every day hundreds
of babies are born prematurely or sick -some weigh less than
a bag of sugar and are small enough to fit in the palm of
a hand. With the help of valued supporters, like Tom and Rob,
we can make sure more of these vulnerable babies survive and
have the best quality of life. We thank them profusely and
wish them the greatest of luck in their endeavour.”
Already gaining widespread interest in their exploits, the
two men are planning a series of events leading up to the
May 27 departure date. For further information, or to pledge
your support for Tom and Rob’s journey, please visit
www.10in10.co.uk
or visit www.bliss.org.uk
to find out more about BLISS, the premature baby charity.
|
