Day 3 for Team Farrell in its two-wheeled quest to raise £10,000 (94,888 kroner) for English charity organisation Epilepsy Action.
Despite a clement looking mileage – “only” 40 miles (64 km) stood between Lübeck, the family’s starting point, from Hamburg, their goal – this third leg in their trip was no leisurely stroll.
Cyclists Nathaniel (“Tan”) Farrell, his father, Kevin, and his girlfriend, Regitze, struggled through hot German temperatures, with temperatures sometimes reaching 35ºC. Tan’s brother, Sebastian, also took part in the biking, though he was quickly handicapped by these tough conditions and decided to return to “Matilda” – the family’s van – in order no to slow the three other cyclists. “I miss my bed,” Sebastian later lamented in the group’s blog.
But the heat was not the only element taunting these exhausted travellers. Despite having good cycling routes “for 90 percent of the way” according to Nathaniel’s blog entry, these roads were packed with hills on the way out of Lübeck.
As a side effect of the scorching and “draining” heat, Team Farrell came across another difficulty likely to somewhat tease the family’s morale: as the three perseverant and dehydrated cyclists gave their best on the German roads, they could see people lying in the grass and watering parks near the roads, relaxing and sunbathing. A tempting perspective, yet not enough to discourage the Farrells.
Upon arrival in Hamburg, Tan pledged he would spend the evening being “human” and take some time off to do his duty as a Briton: watching the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics.
A well-deserved break after a long leg of the group’s voyage and a necessary rest before the following one: Team Farrell will embark in a 78-mile (126 kilometre) ride heading southwest. Hopefully the refreshing display of Olympic spirit the world just witnessed in London will inspire the group.
“Bringing Home The Bacon” is the Farrell family's plan to cycle its way to northern England in order to raise £10,000 (94,888 kroner) for a charity raising awareness of epilepsy. The project, set up by Nathaniel “Tan” Farrell, was inspired by the tragic death of his younger sister, Felicity, who succumbed to epileptic seizures in 2008. Donations can be made on this link.
