Yesterday we hit a major fund raising milestone, crossing the half way line towards our £108,000 target.  That means we have already funded more than 1,800 sight restorations. By restoring sight we are also restoring independence, mobility and the capacity to work. A massive thank you to everyone whose donations have made this possible.

And today we set off to Astoria, Oregon to begin the  ride. Our trusty tandem, Genevieve,  has been somehow squeezed into two large bags.

So she’s about to board the flight from Heathrow, along with 2  spare wheels, a bucket load of potions and more lycra than any self-respecting man should ever wear.

Tomorrow we catch the bus from Portland to Astoria, and my co-rider Alastair faces the challenge of re-creating a functioning tandem from a confusing pile of parts. Fingers crossed that nothing got broken or lost en route.