China Bike Ride - October 2004
OK - HERE'S THE DEAL.
I AM GOING ON THIS CHARITY BIKE RIDE THROUGH CHINA AND I NEED TO RAISE SOME
SPONSORSHIP MONEY FOR MENCAP; AND I
AM ASKING YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT BECAUSE I HAVE ENTERED THE RIDE WAY TOO LATE
(6 MONTHS!) TO APPROACH EVERYONE INDIVIDUALLY. IT IS A GREAT CAUSE, SO PLEASE
DIG DEEP - I WILL PUT ALL CONTRIBUTORS ON THIS PAGE (UNLESS YOU'D PREFER ME
NOT TOO). WHATEVER YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE WILL BE GREAT. I WILL SEND YOU A CAVEMAN
SHIRT, OR BEACH TOWEL AS A THANK YOU - JUST SPECIFY WHAT, AND LET ME HAVE YOUR
ADDRESS.
$50, $100, £50, £100 OR PERHAPS MORE .... WHATEVER. WHAT WILL YOU
PLEDGE, MY FRIENDS?
MANY THANKS,
KEVIN
The Ride / The Charity / If you have PayPal or want to use a credit card, send me the info on your donation... and click it, baby!
Contributors to date - my goal is £5,000 or US$9,000!!!!! So, let's make it happen - e-mail me here at KevTheCave@aol.com or here kevthecave@hotmail.com. AOL really sucks sometimes
September 13
Merck Mercuriades (Sanctuary) - $100.00
Denis Caribaux (Studios Guillaume Tell, Paris) - $50.00
Monica Cornia (Sanctuary) - $50.00
Wendy Cavell - $130.00
Nettwerk Producer Management - $150.00
Paul Frediani (personal trainer) - $100.00
Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) - £100.00 "if your arse gets
sore!!"
Kevin Killen (Awesome Producer: U2/Peter Gabriel) - $100.00
Katherine Leahy (Living Angel!) - $100.00
John Petrucci (Dream Theater) - $50.00
Pat and Zoe Thrall -$100.00
Arina Yakobi (Corcoran Group) - $100.00
Anna Shen - $50.00
Tomislav (Naked Natives) - ZAR200.00
Mountain Records - (undisclosed amount)
Don and Jan Richardson (lobster experts!) - $150.00
Ingo Rose - $ 50.00
Tina Grogan (Pfizer) - $100.00 "...and Pfizer will match it"
Beth (Sportiecutie) $
Stuart White - $50.00 "...and a rubber chicken dinner!"
September 14
Emily Lazar (Mastering Engineer, The
Lodge) - $50.00
Rick Melick (Australia) - A$100.00
Marcus Bird (London) - $50.00
Bill Curbishley and Trinifold - $500.00
Stefan Dietrich (getcast.com) - $77.44
"88 x 88cents .. chinese lucky numbers ... so, good luck!"
Anne - $
Vincent Guttman (Marc Systems) - $100.00
Kim and Jane Pink (Australia) - $
Tom Palisi - $50.00
Theresa Michaels and Brian Haskins - $50.00
Tina Arena (Superstar) - $
Neil Peart (Rush) - $100.00 " The China trip sounds great to me
(I toured there by bicycle around '85)"
Jeff Schwartz (biz manager and playboy!) - $100.00
Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) - $100.00 "and tell that Peart guy
he can't dodge me forever!"
Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) - $100.00 "I'm gonna check up on you!"
September 15th
Captain John Pfeiffer - $100.00
Rick and Darla Hudnall - $50.00 "... like a Chinese prostitute, pedaling
your ass all over China"
Susan Drexler - (undisclosed amount)
Axelle Vandenbulcke - $50.00
Jaison John (Sanctuary) - $50.00
Rex King (legendary Led Zep and Who tour manager) - $150.00
Aine Farrell (Onnieboo, we love you!) - $100.00
September 16th
Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) - $200.00
Kathryn Richardson - $50.00
Nackie Wing - $
Leesa Penny (Necker Island) - $50.00
Liz Nelson (Corcoran) - $
Karen Ahmed (Warner Music) - $50.00
David Anthony (Sterling Sound) - $100.00
Claudius Mittendorfer (Recording Engineer) - $50.00
Mila Kramme - $50.00 "go get 'em tiger!"
Francesca Segreti - $100.00
Laurie (Hurricane Party) - $200.00
Cathy Kerr - $50.00
Richard Ivers (Rindell! - Journey road manager for years) - $50.00
September 17th
Peter and Hazel Bird (Flying Colours)
- $100.00
Paul Thackwray (Sony South Africa) - $50.00
Cassandra Delaney Denver (singer)
- $ "... you crazy guy"
Kristin Blyler (Masterdisk) - $50.00
Seppo Vesterinen (manager of Finnish group HIM)
- $100.00
Leslie White (Journeydigest.com)
- $50.00 "Stay out of trouble in China! Chinese prisons suck."
Suzette Levesque - $50.00 xxx
Craig Mitchell - $5.00
Dave Murray (Iron Maiden) - £250.00 "happy trails!"
Richard Mithun (The Site) - $50
September 18th
Emily Cash - $100.00
Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden) - $200.00 "Long Live Maiden, The Caveman
Rules! Teehee"
September 19th
Nathalie and Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden) - $250.00
Rebecca Leigh (Bex, you're a doll!) - $50.00
September 20th
Louisa Scotland (ahh, if only I were ten years younger...) - $50.00
Kelley Jones (Stereophonics) - £200.00
Michael Brauer (awesome mix engineer: Rolling Stones/Coldplay) - $100.00
Kevin Paish (Summerisle!) - $30.00
Timothy Gelinas (2358) - $30.00
Holly Hutchison (Levin/Nelson Ent) - (undisclosed amount)
Darcy Garner Bhatia (Highmount Capital LLC) - $50.00
Chrissy Amphlett (Divynls) & Charley Drayton (X-pensive Winos)
- LOVE & (undisclosed amount)
Elliot Scheiner (awesome mix engineer/producer: Eagles/Steely Dan) - $100.00
September 21st
Eric van den Hurk (Iron Maiden The Dutch Convention) -$50.00 "Up The Irons,
and the Maiden-family"
Paul Armstrong - $20.00
JOURNEY! (Steve Augeri, Jon Cain, Neal Schon, Ross Vallory, Deen Castronova)
- $1.000.00
Amy Goff & Chuck Burgi - $100.00
September 22nd
Tim Young (Metropolis Mastering, London) - £100.00 "... I never knew
you were so fit! (must be all that shagging of young girls?)"
Andrew Clay (chef extraordinaire!) - $100.00 "Its a great thing you are
doing fella."
Hanna Rees - $30.00 "Keep on Rockin and Ridin'"
September 23rd
Rory Romano (Recording Engineer) - $50.00
Emma Kamen (Perfect Songs) - $A350.00 "I can't believe you didn't get in
touch with me when you were in London ..... only when you want money!!"
:)
Tara Podolsky (Island Def Jam Music Group) - $20.00 "This looks amazing
- have a wonderful time."
Kim Forepaugh (Sony Music) - $100.00
Andy Karp (Lava Records) - $250.00 "...don't protest anything over there!"
Murat Aktar & Sterling Sound -$500.00
Emily Minowitz (zoopie!) - $50.00
Andi Storm (JohnKalodner.com) - $50.00
Willy Jacobvitz - $100.00
September 24th
Neal Peart (RUSH) - $400.00"...learning more about the worthy "cause"
you're championing, I'd like to up my pledge to $500."
Bill Tesar - $80.00
Emily Richardson (you guys are awesome!) - $30.00
Christopher Payne - $50.00 "..the artist that did the cover artwork for
Journey's Red 13 EP (the one with the scarab), but follow you through my all-time
favorite band...Iron Maiden."
Julie Skene (Journey Fan) - $50.00
September 25th
Jason Bonham - $100.00 - on the 24th anniversary of the huge loss of his father,
John Bonham.
September 26th
Graziella Zerilli - $50.00
September 27th
John Kalodner:John Kalodner - $250.00 "Hold Me!"
Tina Jensen (Denmark) - $75.00 "up the Irons"
September 28th
Drew Griffiths (Recording engineer, Whitfield St Studios) - $35.00
Liz Nelson & the Corcoran guys - $50.00
September 29th
The Steve Weisberg Orchestra and Sherril - $35.00
September 30th
Beth Ann Bickerstaff - $50.00
Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater) - $50.00
October 1st
Danielle Davis - A$100.00
John Schneider - $10.00
October 2nd
Tina Jensen - $75.00
Leslie Langlo Millis - $40.00 (good luck and congrats on the new bump. xx KS)
October
Giovanni Iannaccio (Italy) - $30.00
Jill Covitz (Australia) - $30.00
Miles Roston - $50.00
Ken Ciancimino (Vegas baby!) - $250.00
Anton Fig (Letterman Show drummer)- $75.00 (..hope you are having a good bike
ride and losing your gut in the process!)
John Gerbracht - $25.00
Don Wershba (SSL) - $100.00
Leon Zervos (Mastering Engineer = Sterling Sound), Melissa and Sophia - $100.00
Tina Chang (Sanctuary) - $100.00
Thanks also for all the warm wishes from everyone who have stretched their pockets and contribute to many other needy causes. Amy Boyd, Richard Black, Colin Shirley, Colleen Culhane, Sarah Mills
Friday Oct 22, 2004
Flight: from New York, NY (JFK-Kennedy)
to Beijing, China (PEK-Capital)
Depart: New York (JFK), 22-Oct-04
Day 1: Saturday Oct 23, 2004
Arrive: Beijing (PEK), 23-Oct-04 at 6:00 PM
Flight: United Airlines 9436, operated by AIR CHINA -- CA982 (approx.
14 hours).
Day 2: Sunday Oct 24, 2004
Transfer to Beijing Greenlake Hotel. After lunch we have our bike fittings.
The rest of the day is spent relaxing before our challenge begins.
Day 3: Monday Oct 25, 2004
Mutianyu — Ming Tombs: 66km
We start our challenge by cycling 20km to the Great Wall at Mutianyu. The original
Wall was built over 2,000 years ago and at one point stretched over 6,000km.
Today, it still is one of the wonders of the world.
After lunch, we take a quiet road through some typical Chinese countryside.
We enter a valley between two mountain ranges, providing a wonderful panoramic
view. We continue past villages and fields filled with crops. Finally, we cycle
alongside a narrow river towards our overnight hotel on the edge of the Ming
Tombs.
‘Another great Mencap experience — challenging rides, great organisation,
excellent social evenings! Really looking forward to my fourth Mencap cycle
ride.’
John Thomas (China Bike Ride 2002)
Day 4: Tuesday Oct 26, 2004
Ming Tombs — Longquin Gorge — Hot Springs: 83km
First a short visit to one of the Ming Tombs. There are some 13 tombs in this
area built by the emperors of China between the 14th and 16th centuries. We
cycle through orchards and then on to some of the larger villages. We climb
two tough hills and marvel at the glorious scenery before descending into a
valley, passing small ponds, several villages and vast areas of cultivated land.
We glimpse the Great Wall from a distance.
Cycling downhill, the scenery is breathtaking. We continue on flat terrain and
cross a dam, surrounded by willow trees and a water theme park. We continue
towards Longquin Gorge before reaching our overnight stop at The Badaling Hot
Spring Hotel.
Day 5: Wednesday Oct 27, 2004
Badaling Great Wall — Mentougou: 83km
Today, we cycle on minor roads with little traffic and bike lanes on both sides
of the route. We pass the entrance of Kangxi Grass-Land and stop for a short
visit at a quieter area of the Wall just beyond Badaling. We continue on a minor
road until we reach the town of Nankou. From there we head towards Minghui,
cycling in the open countryside where the terrain is quite flat and the roads
are quiet. We stay overnight at the Dragon Spring Hotel in Mentougou.
Day 6: Thursday Oct 28, 2004
Mentougu — Shidu: 110km
This is our longest day’s cycling. We start riding on flat terrain through
a number of typical Chinese towns. Once in the countryside, the views change
dramatically. We ascend a fairly steep hill surrounded by cultivated land and
thickly wooded areas — the scenery is beautiful.
We ride through a mountain tunnel with sheer cliffs on either side, pass a number
of limestone workshops and continue towards Fungshanami. The terrain becomes
more undulating as we near the Shidu region. We cycle along a narrow road in
a most wonderful gorge with cliffs on either side. This takes us across the
Juma River several times before we arrive at our overnight accommodation.
Day 7: Friday Oct 29, 2004
Shidu — Marco Polo Bridge — Tiananmen Square: 53km approx.
Today starts with a 65km transfer. We go back through the gorge, which will
look particularly special in the morning light. Then we drive through mountains,
rural villages and dense woods, enjoying glorious panoramas along the way.
We rejoin our bikes for the last day of cycling at a clearing in the forest
at Fenshan. After around 22km we reach Marco Polo Bridge where we assemble as
a group for the last leg to Beijing. The bridge was built in 1192, is 260m long
and made of grey marble.
We set off into the metropolis of Beijing along a bike-only lane beside the
express road. We then slowly make our way past wide boulevards, skyscrapers,
and some beautiful old buildings. We continue onto Changan Boulevard past a
number of large office buildings, hotels, China’s government house and
the edge of the Forbidden City. Finally, we turn into Tiananmen Square, the
largest square in the world where we will stop to soak up the atmosphere. From
there it is 4km to a learning disability school where we stop for a visit and
lunch. Afterwards it is just another 3km to our hotel and the finishing line.
Day 8: Saturday Oct 30, 2004
Beijing
A free day to visit wonderful sights such as the Forbidden City, the Summer
Palace and Tiantan Park — there’s also a chance to bargain with traders
for tea, silk and clothes in the narrow streets around Dazhalan.
Day 9: Sunday Oct 31, 2004
We have a free morning and afternoon in Beijing with an optional tour available
to the Tibetan Temple and the Temple of Heaven. There is an evening transfer
to the airport.
Day 10: Monday Nov 1, 2004
Depart: Beijing (PEK), 1-Nov-04 at 1:00 PM
Arrive: New York (JFK), 1-Nov-04 at 1:30 PM