The 2m tall, 90kg gold piggy bank will be attached to Rosie’s bike on a trailer, and the challenge is part of her wider goal to raise £200,000 to build a non-profit children’s home.
Riding will begin with a trip from Bristol to Brighton and back on Monday 21st August, which will take approximately 10 days, before numerous smaller journeys around the UK, a potential Land's End to John o' Groats ride before eventually taking the pig to America in 2018, riding across the entire country; which will likely take six months or more.
The Bristol to Brighton trip is primarily a test of the water for the bigger challenges ahead, and with issues such as hills, suitable roads (the pig won't be allowed on cycle paths) and punctures to deal with, the determined fundraiser admits the first ride will be a learning curve: “I’m kind of winging it at the moment but have done some initial testing up hills. I've got people to help me build the piggy bank and offer advice, but while I’m out there my support crew will be the general public!"
Logistical issues such as hills, road suitability and equipment are a work in progress, according to the Bristol-based fundraiser
Rosie made headlines in 2015 after pushing a bed modified with wheels from Lands End to John O' Groats while sleeping in it each night, a feat which took over three months. The bed was transported to the start point of the challenge by Pall-Ex, the haulage company owned by Dragon's Den star Hillary Davey, and Rosie is hoping to book her bike and giant pig onto a container to get it to America: "I’m hoping to get in touch with a freight company to see if I can get the pig shipped over, but will also look into the possibility of getting another one built over there.”
The support worker is studying for a Level 5 qualification in children's home management in preparation to fulfil her dream, and plans to take a career break in order to complete her journey across the US next year. You can visit Rosie's Full Reach Children's Projects website, Facebook and Twitter pages to find out more info and donate to the cause.
It's actually even worse because Australian mandatory bicycle helmet laws require the helmet to have an Australian standard sticker....
Part of this was for some Schwalbe tyres - order arrived this morning, so that big slice of humble pie set me up for the task.
"Federation"??
I don't know. I saw there was a proposal to cut e-bike duties, I think.
It's not called the RideLondon-Essex sportive anymore. It's called the Ford RideLondon-Essex sportive. We should all remember that.
Yes but we all know that the cycle lane will be forgotten once the pedestrian path is done
I think traffic and congestion will be worse in ten years time.
I wasn't aware that there's such a thing as an English Highway Code.
Preparing?! Some places?!...
Been using normal squirt this winter frozen water or liquid water seems to make no difference to it, bar a bit more frequent application if the...