Support team #2 “Team Hannon” arrived in Biarritz the evening before A2A’s first rest day. We opted to spend our first night in the relative luxury of a small beach front hotel in readiness for the week ahead, leaving the boys to enjoy their rest day and continue to bond. We understand that this day/night turned out to be a fairly “liquid” one! This was the first chance the lads had to relax and let their “hair down” since they started their challenge a week before. A well earned break and congratulations on their first week on the road and proof that all the meticulous planning was paying off and everything was working according to plan.
After a delightful 24 hours enjoying the delights of Biarritz we headed to the boys’ campsite. We had a crash course on daily routine, tents, camping stoves, Battle Bus and how they all worked along with their likes and dislikes on the culinary front. This was followed by our first campsite dinner together......a BBQ....delicious. As was the case each evening, we discussed the route for the following day, meeting points etc. All that was really left to do now was try and maintain the standards of the wonderful support team #1 “Team John” and get to know Laurie, Freddie and Rob...................not that hard really!!!
Arrival of our first 6am came as shock No 1 and trying to cook a three course breakfast in the dark on a very small camping stove on the ground came as shock No 2! I now realise having read the blog from “Team John” that we fell short only managing scrambled eggs and porridge. At no time during this memorable week did they get beans or fried bread! (I promise lads when you come to Belfast we will cook you a fantastic “Ulster Fry”)
As the week unfolded our daily routine was very similar to that described by “Team John” so I will not repeat it. There were a few notable events that happened through the week that I believe warrant a mention.
Day 11: Laurie sick – Was it dehydration? Sunstroke or food poisoning? (Although less likely as we all ate the same). Who knows, but he was miserable! Rob, Marcus and Freddie discussed contingency plans should Laurie not be well enough to cycle the next day. It was even mooted that Greg would cycle and Laurie go in the Battle Bus. Demonstrating a concern for their team mate, whilst trying to ensure the show must go on, detailed discussions took place showing an ability to go off the pre ordained plan to ensure success.
Day 12: San Esteban de Gomez – While having lunch in the town square to the usual amusement of the locals, a young English lad from Watford whose mother is from the town spoke to us. He filled us in on some local history on the area. He cycled out of town with the A2A team, had a brief chat with the caretaker of the local bull ring and arranged for them to cycle a “lap of honour” of the ring!
Day 13: Horrendous conditions -Terrible headwind coupled with awful road surface and both of these things combined with climbing up to the highest peak of the tour. After an hour it was decided that a new approach was required. The A2A team tucked in behind the Battle Bus for about 5 miles travelling about 12 miles an hour, to offer some shelter against the gruesome head wind. The boys were grateful for the “lift” and we were grateful that no harm had come to them in this “close encounter”
Day 13: The lunch venue that did not exist! – The planned town for lunch on the hardest day of the tour consisted of about 50 houses and nothing else! The boys had to cycle another 10k to get to the next town to have lunch as we still had to buy it, having spent the morning chaperoning the lads through the dreadful conditions. Their patience was fantastic.
What these events, as well as other parts of the week ,showed in each of the lads were qualities of kindness, adaptability, flexibility, curiosity, logic, determination, respect , attention to detail and excellent communication skills.
As we got deeper into rural Spain it became necessary to stay in hostels of dubious standards as there were no campsites. Seeing a bed was a welcome sight for Helen even if some “Frontline” might have been necessary to see off the unwelcome guests that were lurking between the sheets!
We finished our stint in the beautiful city of Madrid on Freddie’s 22nd birthday, a fitting location for such a momentous occasion! Reaching Madrid was another milestone for the team. Our last evening was spent having dinner with the boys on a pavement cafe with lots of laughs and this is where we said our “Good Byes”.
When we arrived we both wondered, if by week 2, would tiredness set in and the novelty of this dream start to wear off and potential weaknesses begin to surface and if any “cracks” would start to appear within the team. Absolutely not! It was great to see this team grow and mature under our eyes. As a team they were enthusiastic, hard working, great fun and understanding when things did not go quite according to plan. It is apparent that they are all gratefully aware of how they were able to achieve this dream through the belief shown to them by the Mark Evison Foundation and the generosity of Peugeot who lent and insured the Battle Bus and not forgetting Hearthstone and Casio who also supported this venture.
What did strike us both was the exceptional teamwork that the boys delivered during our time with them. Four very different people pulling together to make a cohesive unit ensuring the successful completion of this challenge.
Freddie: The gentle giant of the team, meticulous in setting the route each day with a sometimes “grumpy” Mr Garmin
Laurie: The quiet thinker, charming and took a lot of “stick” with very good grace
Marcus: The optimistic joker. Happy to accept direction but will always speak up with a solution if he disagrees.
Rob: An organiser and meticulous individual who has much to offer.
This is how each of them described what they bought to the team at the outset of this challenge
“Experience and Realism” “Work Hard Play Hard” “Encouragement and Entertainment” “Organisation and Leadership”
As they draw to the end of this venture it would be good for each of them to reflect on what they have learned about themselves during this challenge.
Greg and I had a memorable week and were delighted that we were able to do our bit and support them. It was lovely seeing bits of Spain that we would normally never go to, getting to know the lads and having lots of fun. I hope Freddie, Rob and Laurie will accept our invitation to become part of the Hannon family? Good luck to the next stage and STAY SAFE!
In the words of.........Neale Donald Walsch “Life Begins at the end of Your Comfort Zone”
- @Access2a
- www.access2africa.co.uk
Location:Calle de Cervantes,Montoro,Spain
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