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CHARITY CYCLE COMES FULL CIRCLE
Accompanied by his son, Paul and brother David, they have just cycled the length of the country from Land's End to John O'Groats over 16 days.
They have raised about £1,500 so far for the two charities, which well exceeds their initial target of £300 for each one.
Mr Howe said of the demanding bike ride: "The first couple of days were the hardest, adapting to the long days and steep hills in Cornwall with very little respite. The rest of the charity cycle was more manageable. Other than a few wet days and strong winds in Land's End, we had some good weather."
Apart from a couple of punctures and broken spokes in Paul's back wheel, the bike ride went without a hitch. Taking country roads for the majority of the trip, to ensure a safe and comfortable route, they covered 1,086 miles over the 16 days, averaging nearly 70 miles per day. One day they cycled almost 93 miles before they reached their pre-booked evening accommodation.
The support vehicle, a Nissan Navara provided by Desira Nissan on Vulcan Road North, Norwich, was invaluable throughout the trip.
Mr Howe's wife, Jackie, drove the Navara and found it very enjoyable to drive. The height provided maximum security and a good view of the cyclists and the countryside. It was ideal for motorway driving to get the family to Land's End and home from John O'Groats, with their bikes and luggage. The 4x4 was equally suited for the country lanes by day and country tracks by night, where some of the youth hostels were situated.
"The signage on the Navara was also a blessing as people noted the charity cycle ride and donated money," said Mr Howe who found the experience incredibly enjoyable.
"It was great to take in the scenery along the way, see a bit of the countryside and to have the opportunity to look round places that we stopped at. I initially thought that the bike ride would be a one off but after its success, I would consider doing one in the future."
After training for a year prior to the bike ride, Mr Howe is going to keep up his cycling to keep fit.
Donations are still welcome for the MS Society at www.justgiving.com/996_miles_north_ms and EACH at www.justgiving.com/996_miles_north_each, both of which rely on charity donations to continue their work.
