Simon Takes The Alpine Cycle Challenge

[caption id="attachment_3720" align="alignright" width="598"] Alpe d’Huez – Altitude 6120 – 8 Miles of Climbing[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_3716" align="alignleft" width="237"] Simon on Alpe d'Huez in 2007[/caption]

Next week Simon Cousins of Wakefield House embarks on a special journey which is set to give him some spectacular sights. Here's the details in his own words and pictures...

Between 28^th July and 3^rd August I will be taking on my biggest cycle challenge yet by riding up four well-known mountain climbs that appear in the Tour de France. These climbs are the Col du Galibier, Col de la Croix de Fer, Col du Glandon and Alpe d’Huez.  The Col du Galibier, at 8678 feet and 22 miles of climbing, will be the big one and at the top the air is quite thin! Alpe d’Huez is the best known climb on the Tour de France with its 21 hairpin bends and very steep gradient (around 11% in some places). My aim is to ride this non-stop – 8 miles of pure torture!

[caption id="attachment_3717" align="alignleft" width="300"] Col du Galibier – Altitude 8678 Feet – 22 Miles of Climbing[/caption]

I hope to keep everyone updated by submitting a blog with photos and videos for each day that I am climbing.

I am embarking on this challenge to raise money for a small, Swindon-based charity called DASH (Discovering Autistic Spectrum Happiness) which provides help and support to young adults with autistic spectrum disorders. DASH have really helped my daughter, Laura, increase her levels of confidence in social situations.  In 2011 DASH were nearly out of funds but the Smiths News cycle ride that did last year, from Aberystwyth to Norwich, managed to raise £2,300. This amount, I was told by the charity’s secretary, would be enough to fund DASH’s evening social group for at least a year. This year it would be really great if I could raise some more funds on behalf of DASH to ensure that they continue their good work.

[caption id="attachment_3718" align="alignleft" width="300"] Col du Glandon – Altitude 6312 Feet – 13 Miles of Climbing[/caption]

If you would like to sponsor me you can do this online on my Just Giving web page.

Good luck Simon - we look forward to hearing all about it, as and when it happens!

If we get more pictures like these, we're in for a treat :)

[caption id="attachment_3719" align="aligncenter" width="573"] Col de la Croix de Fer – Altitude 6781 – 19 Miles of Climbing[/caption]