RAPID NC500 CHALLENGE
A RIDE TO REMEMBER
A team of 7 riders and 2 RAPID coaches are setting off on our greatest rider challenge yet. They’ll cover over 1000 miles in 4 days and take on some of the toughest and most revered roads in the UK to raise money for Alzheimer’s Research.
WHY WE’RE RIDING
“I lost my dad to Alzheimer’s in September last year. He was a massive part of my life and dedicating our first NC500 Challenge to raising funds for research into Alzheimers disease means a huge amount to me.
Our aim is to raise as much money as we can to help find a cure for this cruel disease. So far, thanks to the generosity of our seven riders, we have raised over £3,500. Please help us raise even more by making a donation to Alzheimer’s Research UK here. No donation is too small to make a difference."
Brian Glover-Smith, Managing Director
THE CHALLENGE
Over 4 days, our riders will take on a gruelling 1000 mile ride. They’ll cover some of the most dramatic and spectacular roads in the UK, including the iconic North Coast 500 circuit.
The event starts on Monday 27th March at Tebay in Cumbria, where the team meet for an evening brief before an early start on 28th for the 300 mile ride up to Inverness via the Cairngorms. On the 29th they ride 310 miles anti-clockwise around the NC500 taking in John o’ Groats, Thurso, Tongue, Durness and arrive at Ullapool for a well earned overnight rest. They complete the NC500 on the 30th, riding 200 miles from Ullapool to Inverness via Gairloch, Applecross and the world famous Bealach na Bà pass, one of the greatest hill climbs in Britain with 20% gradients and many switchback bends. Finally, the team ride 300 miles back to Cumbria on the 31st March passing through the spectacular Cairngorms.
With weather hovering between -4 degrees and single figure highs throughout the daytime, plenty of rain, and even the possibility of snow over the Cairngorms - it’s set to be a tough ride.
THE NIGHT BEFORE
The NC500 team met at Penrith where they spent the night preparing for the first leg of their trip. While a shared passion for biking was to be expected, they discovered that many also shared a personal connection to Alzheimer’s disease which had motivated them to take part in the challenge.
SPIRITS HIGH, TEMPERATURES LOW
The team started their journey North at 08:00, facing formidable weather conditions. With temperatures hovering between 3 and 4 degrees, and rain battering down relentlessly, they stopped to layer up at the Scottish border before pressing on to Dunkeld in Perthshire for lunch.
Despite the long ride and horrible weather, spirits stayed high as the riders made their way through the final stretch of their journey through the spectacular Cairngorms up to Inverness.
With Day 1 under their belts, they took a well-earned break before facing higher mileage and tougher roads on Day 2.
COMING OUT
ON TOP
It was an early start for the team on Day 2, who set off before sunrise and headed to the Northernmost point in the UK.
While conditions weren’t quite as unforgiving as Day 1, they faced enough fog and rain to remind them that they were truly in the Scottish Highlands.
WIND, WET, AND WILD
They beat the crowds to John O’ Groats, arriving at the coastline by mid-morning, and travelled on to Tongue for lunch. The afternoon was spent riding through stunning coastal scenery, rugged mountains, remote villages, and some of the most iconic stretches of road in the UK.
After ten hours of tough but rewarding riding, the team made their final stop at Ullapool before they were set to complete the NC500 circuit the following day.
After getting his licence at 48, David tried various rider training before finding RAPID. Having completed his BIKEMASTER levels 1 to 3, and finding that both his skills, and his enjoyment on the Bike were completely transformed, he felt ready to take on a bigger challenge.
COMPLETING
THE CIRCUIT
After a long day and a lot of miles, the team appreciated the slightly later start on Day 3, on which they were set to complete the rest of the NC500 circuit and make their way back to Inverness. While the mileage and time on the bike were slightly lower at 200 miles, the route included some tough riding through twisting mountain roads that are not for the feint hearted.
GETTING HAIRY
From Ullapool, they travelled along the West Coast of Scotland to Gairloch before departing the main road to join the mountain passes to Applecross. The weather was fair although the narrow, single track roads were wet, slippery and laden with gravel - mostly just where you don’t want it - halfway around a hairpin bend.
After hard ride and a very decent lunch break at Midge Bite Cage, the team made their way back to Inverness to complete the NC500 circuit.
While completing the NC500 route in two days is a massive achievement in itself, they still have a final day ahead of them, on which they’ll make their highest mileage yet to complete the challenge.
Having passed his test just 6 months ago, Ben came to RAPID for some advanced rider training and saw the NC500 challenge as a chance to take on a trip that meant a lot to him and his late father.
THE LAST LEG
The team set off at 0900 on the final day of the challenge in a mix of heavy showers and sunshine.
They made their way through the Cairngorms, which looked spectacular with white snow clad peaks that the team had missed on their way up North due to a perfect storm of horrendous weather conditions and steamed up visors.
To make things a bit more ‘interesting’, after a quick roadside coffee break at Pitlochry, our riders headed across country to Kippen following a mix of unclassified and B class roads. They were more than ready for some kipin’, as they made their final leg of the journey, joining the M74 South of Glasgow and returning back to Tebay for 5.30 pm for their farewell meal.
Having been a passionate rider for 7 years, Chris joined the NC500 challenge as a way to use his love for biking to support a cause that he has experience with at both a personal, and professional level.
THANK YOU
With 4 days of extremely tough riding, 1200 miles completed, and over £5000 raised for Alzheimer’s research - Team NC500 should be immensely proud of what they’ve achieved. We’re also proud of the way our community came together to support this cause, and want to thank everyone who donated, and followed us along for the ride.
