Valentia to Valencia Challenge:
Just like all good idea’s this one was spawned over a cold beer with some good friends, why else would you even contemplate riding so many miles in the depths of winter??
For the past 6 years, Pole Position Travel.com have been sponsoring Down Syndrome Ireland’s annual around Ireland motorcycle challenge “Rev-up4DSI”, which to date has raised over €1.2million in much needed funds for the organisation. Pole Position Travel sponsor two Rev-up4DSI participants to attend the Valencia round of the Moto GP series as full VIP guests but they also host a VIP auction at the same round which is where this ‘brainwave’ occurred!
The initial idea was to have two of us ride from Dublin to Valencia but the lure of pairing Valentia Island and Valencia proved too much, so now we will depart from Dublin before visiting Valentia Island en route to Rosslare Harbour. The initial two riders have subsequently become three and with interests levels rising that too may expand (there is also a very real possibility of a camera crew joining us).
BMW Motorrad Ireland were quick to offer their support so the “Three Amigo’s” (or stooges) will be riding BMW bikes on the challenge which is obviously a great help with the daily mileage totals we will have to cover. Irish Ferries have also come on board (excuse the pun) to lend their support and negotiations are underway with some other companies to assist us in hitting our fundraising target not to mention actually completing the challenge!
The Challenge:
Day 1: Wednesday 7th November. Depart Dublin to Valencia Island and onwards to Rosslare.
Day 2: Thursday 8th November: Disembark in Cherbourg at 5pm before heading south towards Niort.
Day 3: Friday 9th November: Depart Niort for Valencia. Goal: to be in Valencia in time for Pole Position Travel.com opening party. (high mileage day)
Day 4: Saturday 10th November: Moto GP Qualifying day.
Day 5: Sunday 11th November: Moto GP Race day. (we are allowed some fun)
Day 6: Depart Valencia for Northern France (high mileage day)
Day 7: Depart previous night’s base en route to Cherbourg (possibly via Normnady beaches)
Day 8: Rosslare to Dublin.
The Reason:
To raise a minimum of €1 per kilometre of the distance we will travel. i.e. 8,000+ kilometres = €8,000+.
The Riders:
Alan McCaffrey: Nerd by day, superhero by night.
Alan supports many of Down Syndrome Ireland’s events and is currently the secretary of the Dead Ducks MCC, a club founded specifically to support the organisation. A veteran of the infamous Cannonball Bike Run, Alan was part of the 2008 winning team when the event took place in Morocco, Africa.
Strengths: The event IT guy. Weakness: Doesn’t do mornings.
Stuart Carrick: Surgeon’s sidekick by day, disco diva by night.
For his sins he married my sister (or maybe that was for her sins??) and as such is Robyn’s uncle and she couldn’t ask for a better one. The fastest snapper around, Stuart is at home snapping bikes on track as he is tearing round that same track!
Strengths: Photography and fitness. Weakness: concentration span of a goldfish.
Aidan Lynam: The human crash test dummy and of course general all round top bloke:
Parent to Robyn, born with Down syndrome in 2005, (and two boys Jake & Harry). Sometimes motorcycle journalist, full time petrol head.
Strengths: Getting Alan out of bed and keeping Stuie on the right route.
Weakness: Yeah right!! (edit by Alan: Anything IT related he touches, he breaks)
So that’s basically what “Valentia 2 Valencia” is all about. We will have the bikes fully liveried up and on display at a variety of fundraising events throughout the summer and autumn so if you see us feel free to say hello and/or drop a €1 in our buckets, we are covering all costs ourselves so every donation goes directly to Down Syndrome Ireland.
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