By Kirsty Driver, proud Mummy to Isobel xx
When we lost Isobel our minds were all over the place with little motivation to do anything. But, when Jon’s brother Marcus told us he was doing a bike ride from John O Groats to Lands End it was as though a light bulb went on. They decided that they would do it in Isobel’s name for Sands. This was the focus that we needed.
In April this year Jon, and seven others left Bristol airport to fly to Inverness, to head to John O Groats. After a small mishap where one bike didn’t make it on the plane, they took the four hour train ride to Wick ready for the epic journey to begin. The first day was a baptism of fire, riding over 10 miles further than expected. Scotland was unbelievably windy and it seemed to take forever to get to Carlisle! The ride seemed to make much quicker progress the further South they went.
I met the riders in sunny Kendal for the second week of the journey where the team were so upbeat and positive. They were such an inspiration and even though they were shattered and achy knowing they were raising money for Sands spurred them on. They all seemed to love being able to eat two dinners every evening, as burning over 4000 calories a day equalled serious hunger!
After a very hilly Devon the riders hit Cornwall; the last stretch of the ride. How they got this far is beyond me, but I know Jon thought of Isobel every bit of the way. He would ask her to help him get up the steep hills, and I’m sure she was there for her Daddy all the way.
The moment those cyclists met us at the finishing line at Lands End was a mixed bag of emotions. I held back the tears as everyone was so happy to complete such a long, hard journey. But I know Jon and I found it hard as this was bringing back every memory of that awful weekend in September.
However, knowing we had raised over £9000 and how many families we would help made us immensely proud. I couldn’t be prouder of my beautiful daughter and her wonderful Daddy. They are my inspiration.
