Mountain bikers tackle world-famous routes for charity (From Darlington and Stockton Times)
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Mountain bikers from Darlington, Romanby and Bishop Auckland, to tackle 7 Stanes for charity
5:59pm Friday 1st February 2013 in News
By Hannah Bryan, Reporter (Darlington)
Cyclists Pete Wilson (left), Bob Bell, Paul Simpson and Steve Shepperson (right) plan to tackle Scotland's 7 Stanes mountain bike trail for charity.
FOUR intrepid cyclists are preparing to tackle some of the world’s best mountain bike tracks in a mammoth fundraising mission.
The team, made up of Peter Wilson, 41, and Steven Shepperson, 46, from Darlington, Paul Simpson, 32, from Romanby, Northallerton, and Robert Bell, 42, from Bishop Auckland, will ride Scotland’s world-famous 7 (CORRECT) Stanes mountain bike network in seven days in July to raise money for a number of charities.
The group – dubbed Team Knightrider – will be cycling for Mr Shepperson’s chosen charity, Darlington Mind, Cash for Kids chosen by Mr Simpson, and the Polycystic Kidney Disease Charity, as Mr Wilson and his two daughters, Ella, 11, and Lauren, 14, all suffer from the inherited life-threatening disease.
He was diagnosed with the the disease in 1995, which causes fluid filled cysts to grow on both kidneys. After his kidneys failed, Mr Wilson underwent months of dialysis, before receiving a kidney transplant in January 2011.
“Since having the transplant I have got more energy,” he said. “I would really struggle with just walking up the stairs before, whereas now I am almost back to normal.
“It will be quite a challenge for all of us and we’re excited, but nervous at the same time. We wanted to raise some money for charity and thought the Seven Stanes in seven days is a bit more unusual.”
The Seven Stanes feature some of the most gruelling mountain bike tracks in the country and take in hundreds of miles of the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.
The team are hoping to raise £2,000 for each of their chosen charities. To donate to their fundraising efforts, visit justgiving.com/teams/teamknightrider or email teamknightrider@techie.com
To find out more about their challenge, visit facebook.com/teamknightrider
