A Wensleydale couple are planning a 2,000-mile trip across the Pyrenees on monkey bikes to raise money for charity.
Adam and Laura Alderson, from Preston-under-Scar, will take on the challenge later this year to raise funding and awareness for the Pelican Cancer Foundation.
The ride is the latest adventure planned by the couple who in 2017 took part in the Mongol Rally, a challenge to drive 10,000 miles from the UK to Mongolia in a cheap car.
Adam, Laura and two friends took on the rally in two old Suzuki Jimny 4x4s.
For this challenge, the couple will fly out to Barcelona and pick up the bikes, which will be flown out separately.
They will the ride along the Pyrenees to Santander before catching the ferry back to the UK and riding the bikes back to Wensleydale.
Adam, 40, said he continued to be inspired by the adventures of actor Ewan McGregor and friend Charley Boorman, who rode from London to New York City on motorcycles for the Long Way Round TV series.
“I like to go on adventures rather than holidays,” he added.
“We’ve had to scale it back a bit after Mongol Rally (Adam has to be flown home after suffering from severe dehydration).
“I want to show that there[‘s life after cancer and after transplant operations.
“My organs wont last for ever and I will die younger than I might have otherwise, but I want to keep to ticking things off the bucket list as long as I can.”
Cancer survivor Adam hopes the challenge will also encourage people to sign up to the organ donor list to allow their organs and tissue to be sued to save others after their death.
“We’re also hoping to have a bloody good time,” he added.
Before collecting the bikes, Laura, 39, had never ridden before, however she is confident she will complete the challenge.
She said: “I’m quite nervous but really excited. I’ve had a few speed wobbles so far but I’m sure I will be fine.
“We will only be tootling around at 30mph.”
Adam refused to give in after being diagnosed with pseudomyxoma peritonei – PMP for short – a very rare form of cancer that grows inside the abdominal cavity and will crush and destroy the organs unless treated or removed.
Instead, he fought the disease and, with the help of a team of medics who performed a ground-breaking multi-organ transplant operation, he survived.
The Pelican Cancer Foundation was launched to improve precision surgery for bowel cancer, liver cancer, bladder cancer and prostate cancer. Its board members include Professor Brendan Moran, the surgeon and PMP expert who Adam credits with saving his life.
To register your organs and tissue for use after your death click here.
To find out more about the challenge and sponsor the pair click here.
