Barclays/Barclaycard GPA JOGLE/

It seems to be all about saddles of late but the intrepid Barclaycard Global Payment Acceptance team are getting onto saddles of a different kind!

The team set off from John O'Groats in the wee hours of Tuesday morning and Mick Ruston and his team were clearly in good spirits, perfectly kitted out and raring to go! The team have covered over 400 miles to reach Newcastle at the end of today to hand over 'Jensen Baton' to Chris Firth who is in charge of the next leg.

The team took a bit of a detour to Edinburgh Castle this morning to visit our very own Roy Robertson, Director ABF The Soldiers' Charity, Scotland who gave them a warm welcome before they pedaled off again.

The Barclaycard team as a whole is raising funds to support Individual Recovery Plans under the Army Recovery Capability and are just a few pounds short of their £50,000 fundraising target which is tremendous.

Good luck to the team as they wind their way down the country and thank you for your fantastic support.

BACK HOME & GOODBYE

It has taken me some time to get back after the ride.  Spot and I went on a short holiday in Warwickshire until last night. We were in clover with lots of grass and sunny days. Now back in our normal paddock with the normal flies, but it’s great to be back with no prospect of long days with various weights on me!  Looking back it was a great week with lots of media coverage and “the G” thinks we have raised something between £65k and £70k. A great result but none of this would have been possible without the help of many lovely people in the Borders.  We remembered Richard Holmes and it was lovely that Jessica and Corrina  Holmes joined us for the last 2 days.  I am now stepping down from the Blog and the “the G” is taking the role over again, so bad luck we are off on another hols and he is off to Portugal .  therefore you won’t hear much from any of us until early September.

THE END, WELL,......NEARLY

I  am very sorry I haven't been on the wires of late but in the move back home my laptop got taken by "the G" and so I got separated. Anyway back to the story:

The day ended on Saturday with a tour of the 1650 Battle of Dunbar where Cromwell defeated a Royalist Army.  Most of us horses were just so glad to have made the trip.  The humans all went off drinking and dancing at a Ceilidh: best sight the "the G" said, was the girls having a go at the Scottish dancing.

Sunday morning we had a lie in and we got boxed up for the long trip to Ribston in Yorkshire.  So we are now half way home and enjoying a few days rest here before getting back to Gloucestershire.  We are enormously grateful to the "A" Team (Karen,Gwynneth, Tina and Jane)who looked after us really well.  they moved like a military machine which is more than you could say for the riders!!

Well troops, we did it. We should all be very proud of ourselves, we all got here in one piece with one exception.  I think the "the G" is thinking of doing something in 2014 but completely different, so Troops watch out.  A few closing comments from the team, which I suppose I must allow:

Spot:  2014, he'd better include me as he needs a Lady to run things.  This rabble nearly mutinied if I hadnt stepped in!

Ole Bill:  Thank God it is Sunday, mind you I have enjoyed the last two days, ambling around in the sun without a rider!!

Jack:  Quite nice carrying "the G" and thank goodness he didn't have those strange flapping clothes.  I only really like Hunting Pink.

Seamus: I don't do French food so thinking of going on a diet.

Mozzie:  My boss had better bring a friend next time I had to do the whole thing from beginning to end.  I am a shadow!

Frenchie:  My name might be Frenchie but I don't do French lingo or food. Going home Yippee!

The Turtle:  Made it - Dunbar. I can see the sea, right Wogan, ready for the hike home? , lets show them we don't need wheels to get us there.

Wogan:  I am up for it, sign me up for 2014 and the Retreat to Mons too, not sure about Walter.

Walter: I want to go home, I have had enough and I am not up for any of these human junkets.

THE FINISH AT SPOTT HOUSE

We finished at Spott House and on Doone Hill where we were briefed by Professor Bunyan on the two Battles of Dunbar. Its been a great ride and we are so glad to have raised the profile of ABF The Soldiers' Charity and raised lots of money. So that we can help, like this:
Craig a serving TA soldier suffered a traumatic amputation on his left leg above the knee and de-gloving of his right leg in an IED explosion last year.  Living with his partner and daughters he was a builder by trade before being mobilised.  He finds it increasingly difficult to access the upstairs facilities especially when he is unable to wear his prosthesis therefore the provision of a downstairs lavatory would make large difference.  We have been able to help with a grant towards this installation to improve his quality of life.

COMBINING AT LAST

Down again and here they are combinng as we canter past on our last stretch. We all feel rather sad except Walter, the miserable hack. .

AN EXTRAORDINARY SIGHT

We all muttered about these very big white trees. I counted over a 100 but Spot wasn't interested. Usually she hates anything mechanical.

TOP OF THE MORNING

We reach the top of ridge line. You can see me and Spot with Jesse and Corrina Holmes. We like them as they are so light.