Champions League Ride to 32 Teams in Group Stages for the Marina Dalglish Appeal

Continued Ride for UNICEF

2011-05-18T15:25:00.000-07:00

I am in the process of riding the coast of Europe on the original appealmobile the Derbi FDX 50 cc
You can follow on www.derbifdx.blogspot.com

That Was The Week That Was

2009-10-12T02:18:00.000-07:00

What a week.
Stripping the bike down in the open with bits lying everywhere hoping that the problem would be on the top of the engine. Unfortunately as each piece was removed the problem showed itself to be the con rod and the pin it rotates on. In laymans terms it meant an engine removal and strip and rebuild.
Removed the engine but was not prepared to have the engine parts lying around the paved area at the back of the flats where I was holed up.
I searched for a solution looking for alternative locations for working but alas found none.
I was prepared to bide my time and visit friends while waiting for parts to come and a solution to the problem of no covered work space, when the idea came to buy a vehicle and take the engine home to fix and reassemble and then return to refit.
I found a van and bid on ebay for it and won the bids with 250€. I was preparing to leave for Wurtzburg to collect when I found out about the legalities of buying and registration of used vehicles in Germany. I needed my insurance certificate to hand to get the plates and also proof of residence too. I had neither, so that would have caused further delays waiting for all documents to be sent out to me.
At this point one of my support group who lives in Lubeck contacted me to tell me that he was flying out to Liverpool for 35€ on Wednesday and if I could get to his place there was a bed and a meal waiting.
I hesitated no more and booked my flight and a ride in a car for the monday afternoon on the lift share scheme they have in Germany
http://www.mitfahrgelegenheit.de/lif...843/1255298400

The plan now is to get a van and return for the bike and the engine as soon as possible, but I might have to wait to accrue some geld for the operation.
So long for now

A Day of Reflection in Berlin part 2

2009-10-06T02:29:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Berlin with details of a couple of hostels, provided by mission control at home.
The one that I was sent to was fully booked , but referred me to one just around the corner.
This looked more like a hotel than a hostel. Set in an old brewery complex that changed to a chocolate factory and is now in separate units.
It has only been in operation 18 months and includes a bar and breakfast facilities.
Variety of accomodation too, from shared dorms to twin bedded en suite facilities.
Shared accomodation was a very affordable 15€.
After a comfortable sleep in an almost totally soundproofed room, I came down to coffee at 1€.
Spent the day on the internet and thought I would try an alternative bike I found on e-bay. While hanging around waiting for the auction to finish, I got talking to Wolfbert the MD of the place.
The result was that the magnificent Wolfbert offered me accommodation in his 'hut' in North Berlin. He told me he had a garden with trees and a wooden dwelling which he called a hut.
He drove me out there and we pulled into a street with a corner garden of tall pine trees, which was his home.
What a fantastic place to live. He had a pond and a very large chiminea which we lit and discussed all things east and west over a couple of beers. The hut was a wooden dwelling fully fitted with electricity and plumbing with an enormous fireplace. Bedroom was completely windowed and being totally secluded had no need for blinds or curtains.
What a view to wake to in the mornings.
We returned to the hostel and Wolfbert again demonstrated his generosity by finding and address of a bike repairers in the vicinity who's owner Wolfbert vaguely knows.
I am off there to get advice before doing any work.
While waiting I did some tests on the bike and found one cylinder is less efficient than the other and when removing alternate plugs the good cylinder was quieter.
Replacing the plugs the engine was considerably quieter than the before which leads me to believe it is no more than a sticking valve and if so is more easily repaired than a camshaft repair.
I have another invitation to stop over at Wolfberts tonight and if the engine is sorted then Russia just may be back on.

A Day of Reflection in Berlin

2009-10-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

The trip so far has thrown a lot of problems up especially with the bike.
It all started when a seagull dropped on a very embarassing part of my anatomy while waiting for the ferry.
I was always told it was good luck but it seems to be quite the opposite.
I arrived in Dunkerque 2.30 am and set off immediately for Alkmaar to try and get on schedule. Near Brugges I decided to ride into the town centre for a breather and a cigarette. The streets of the old town are the granite sets and steering the bike on them is always difficult but seemed more so this time
It was only as I got back onto the tarmac that I realised it was more to do with my steering. My front wheel bearing was suddenly worn or collapsed.
I rode around looking for garage so I could use their trolley jack to lift the bike off the ground to take the wheel off. My bike only has a side stand and no centre stand and I had no desire to lay the bike on it's side to sort it out.
I was in luck when I found a plant hire company owned by Jan who was a biker himself. He had the wheel off and then the bearings out. He located a company only 1km away for new bearings and fitted them for me.
He was great but he charged me. I could have done the job myself but one bearing was so ticht in the hub it required oxy acetalyne o free it.
Off to Alkmaar and it was one of the windiest days I have known. There's no escape from it in the lowlands when it's coming off the North sea with such force.
Had to stop at a services and get some sleep on the grass verge.
I eventually arrived in Alkmaar and straight to the stadium.
I was told that all the staff were on their day off so I laid up there for the night.
Alkmaar is a lovely place, a mini Amsterdam, complete with it's own red light area.
It was very busy in the evening for a Thursday.
I eventually found a covered area in front of some vacant offices to sleep the night.
I returned to the stadium and had all the usual excuses why I could not have a shirt from them but eventually the receptionist contacted the press officer who then referred me to another member of staff, who was there the previous day but not today. I was given his e-mail address and told to contact him later.Tried to take a picture of the stadium and found the camera wouldn't work. Then realsed I had lost my waterproof trousers while riding around the town.

Set off for Wolfsburg around the top route over the big barrier to the bay.
It is incredible driving mile after mile seeing only the land the road is on.
It was a long haul to Wolfsburg, dodging the showers, but eventually arrived at 9.30 pm.
The place was buzzing as it was a Friday evening and there were people roaming all over the centre. It was also bloody cold, but was amazed to find the shopping mal still open with food stalls galore and all the shops open for business.

There was a festival in the town which meant to drink in any of the local bars, you needed a ticket at 14€ which entitled you entrance to any of them. I declined and found a bar near the Auto Stadt.
The AutoStadt is the Volkswagen factory and estate. and is next to the VolsWagen Arena home of Wolfsburg football club.
Again a sheltered office entrance for a hotel room and was up next morning to go the club.
Outside the station I noticed a group of supporters gathering and realised they had an away game so would have no joy getting a shirt. I was right. The stadium was totally deserted.
Off I went heading for Poland. Everything was fine as I tucked myself in behind a car towing a high trailer.
Then disaster struck. Power loss and I wa soon the hard shoulder with the engine making a terrible racket. Big ends? Cam shaft? Broken valve?
I had no idea, but managed to limp it off the motorway.
to be continued

2009-09-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

Wednesday morning I eventually get the ride on it's way.
Theres a few things I'm waiting on before I go. One item is my heated gloves which should have arrived today, Tuesday. If they haven't arrived in the mornings post then I'll have to make do. The weather looks as though it's turning colder in Russia so could do with them. A lucky escape was when I realised I needed an International drivers permit. Selective Post office and an instant process sorted that out.

Done a few minor things to the bike and will tidy them up tomorrow morning while waiting for the postie

I was reminded that the road signs are in the Russian alphabet so I have a list of towns and villages to transcribe to Russian as there are some roads I can't find a number for.

Tomorrow I hope to be in Belgium at least, a little behind schedule but with plenty of days to catch up.
A new updated tracker will be loaded daily. Hopefully so keep tuned

Russian Visa Application

2009-09-14T04:16:00.000-07:00

This was an issue I was dreading. I had no idea how to go about it and through research on the net, I was led to believe it was a relatively easy process. However from my experience of dealing with officialdom I thought it would be anything but, so decided to use an agency.
I picked one at random and so far everything seems to be going fine.
The one I picked was Real Russia at
www.realrussia.co.uk
They process everything for you, deal with the invitation aspect of the visa and you can track the progress of the application on line as well as get auto e-mails sent to keep you informed.
I had a few answers omitted and they actually rang me to get the information.
You can't get better than that can you.

The visa came through exactly when they said it would.
Many thanks to Real Russia for expressing the application for me

The Liverpool Echo Story

2009-09-14T03:05:00.000-07:00

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2009/09/14/liverpool-fc-fan-to-ride-around-every-champions-league-club-on-clapped-out-motorbike-100252-24679710/

Liverpool FC fan to ride around every Champions League club on clapped-out motorbike
Sep 14 2009 by Gary Stewart, Liverpool Echo

Liverpool FC fan to ride around every Champions League club on clapped-out motorbike
A LIVERPOOL FC fan is set to ride 11,000 miles around Europe on a clapped-out motorbike to raise money for the Marina Dalglish Appeal.
Grandad Harry Trow, 61, is known to Reds supporters as the daredevil who rode around the entire coast of Britain on a 50cc moped and travelled from Madrid to Anfield without using a motorway.
He frequently requires help to fix his bike or give him a roof to sleep under.
Harry, who grew up in Litherland and has six grandchildren, now intends to drive to every club which has got through to the group stage of the Champions League – except teams in Israel and Cyprus – and collect a signed shirt to raffle off for charity.
The former bus driver, who drove the Liverpool team to their Melwood training camp during the 1970s, said: “I always try to raise money for a cause connected to Liverpool FC.
“I remember what Kenny Dalglish did after Hillsborough and I am sure he did not do it alone.
“Marina Dalglish must have taken her share of the burden.
“My mother was treated for cancer at Clatterbridge and it makes no sense that a city the size of Liverpool does not have its own radiotherapy centre.”
Harry estimates it will take 52 days to get around his route, covering October, November and early December, on a Yamaha 125, bought with the help of Liverpool fans on the internet.
He said: “Liverpool supporters, because of the family nature of the club, want to help out.
“It is infectious. Hungarian supporters have offered a night in Budapest, the French have offered nights in Lyon and Paris.”
Donate to Harry’s ride at www.justgiving.com/Harry-Trow-Eurodash/

The Full Schedule

2009-08-31T13:11:00.000-07:00

The complete route and mileage

Date--------------Dep/Arr--------------------------------------Km
30th Sept---------Liverpool-Dover-(ferry)-Amsterdam-------169
1st Oct-----------Amsterdam-Alkmaar-Hanover---------------452
2nd Oct----------Hanover-Wolfsburg-Stonsk-------------------429
3rd Oct----------Stonsk-Elblag---------------------------------400
4th Oct----------Elblag-Vilnius---------------------------------443
5th Oct----------Vilnius-Pustoska------------------------------429
6th Oct----------Pustoska-Volokolamsk------------------------426
7th Oct----------Volokolamsk-Moscow-Vladimir----------------317
8th Oct----------Vladimir-Yadrin-------------------------------409
9th Oct----------Yadrin-Kazan----------------------------------243
10th Oct--------Kazan-Saramsk--------------------------------443
11th Oct--------Saramsk-Tambov------------------------------449
12th Oct--------Tambov-Kursk---------------------------------449
13th Oct--------Kursk-L'Gov-Kiev------------------------------506
14th Oct--------Kiev-Cernivci-----------------------------------492
15th Oct--------Cenivci-Urziceni-Debrecen----------------------456
16th Oct--------Debrecen-Belgrade------------------------------405
17th Oct--------Belgrade-Sofia-----------------------------------387
18th Oct--------Sofia-Corlu--------------------------------------468
19th Oct--------Corlu-Istanbul-Alexandroupoli------------------468
20th Oct--------Alexandroupoli-Katerini-------------------------381
21st Oct--------Katerini-Latvio----------------------------------452
22nd Oct-------///////////////////////////////////////////
23rd Oct-------///////////////////////////////////////////
24th Oct-------//////////////// Nicosia/Haifa /////////////
25th Oct-------///////////////////////////////////////////
26th Oct-------///////////////////////////////////////////
27th Oct-------Lavrio-Athens-Gribovo---------------------------436
28th Oct-------Gribovo-Tirane-(ferry)-Bari----------------------359
29th Oct-------Bari-Rome ---------------------------------------431
30th Oct-------Rome-Florence-Carrara--------------------------409
31st Oct-------Carrara-Turin-Milan------------------------------425
1st Nov--------Milan-Munich-------------------------------------495
2nd Nov-------Munich-Stuttgart-Zurich--------------------------442
3rd Nov--------Zurich-Lyon--------------------------------------428
4th Nov--------------------day at the game--------------------------
5th Nov--------Lyon-Marseille-----------------------------------314
6th Nov--------Marseille-St Felieu de Guixols--------------------449
7th Nov--------St Felieu de Guixols-Barcelona-Zaragoza----------421
8th Nov--------Zaragoza-Madrid---------------------------------317
9th Nov--------Madrid-Peñaflor (Cordoba)-----------------------520
10th Nov-------Peñaflor (Cordoba)-Seville-Fratel----------------496
11th Nov-------Fratel-Porto-Murca------------------------------433
12t h Nov------Murca-Valladolid---------------------------------294
13th Nov-------Valladolid-Léon (F)-------------------------------445
14th Nov-------Léon(F)-Bordeaux--------------------------------199
15th Nov-------Bordeaux-Fréteval-------------------------------409
16th Nov-------Fréteval-Paris------------------------------------160
17th Nov-------Paris-Liege---------------------------------------370
18th Nov-------Liege-(ferry)-Dover------------------------------251
19th Nov-------Dover-London------------------------------------123
20th Nov-------London-Manchester-Leeds-------------------------377
21st Nov-------Leeds-Glasgow-Liverpool-----------------------

Total---------52 days------------------11,184 Miles-----------18,516 Km

Helpers are Working their Socks Off

2009-08-23T07:01:00.000-07:00

It's always wonderful when you start something , to see so many people jump to help and assist.
Translations are flooding in for my appeal letter to the clubs.
The only ones I am stuck for so far is Ukranian, Romanian and Turkish..
One person has been doing all kinds of searching for me to find sponsor candidates and coming up with some useful ones at that. So hopefully as soon as business is back on Monday pthere will be progress on that front.
Then there are the open invitations from people on route of hospitality as I ride through.
All I can ask is if anyone is living out on the route, find me a link to motorbike/football web groups so that I can contact them and crank it up further

The Tingle of Fear + Donation Methods

2009-08-17T01:47:00.000-07:00

While I'm not new to suddenly upping and away for good causes and at a moments notice, this one is taking me into areas I have never been before.
Visas, permits, contacting clubs, and above all the length of the ride.
Nothing is impossible but some things have bigger obstacles and I'm sure I am going to come up against more than I have in the past.
Why do it?
Challenge and at 61 it is probably easier to avoid them, but I have always wanted to travel to Russia and beyond. Beyond is not possible this year but I can at least with this ride, experience some of the old Eastern bloc countries and then continue staying within touching distance of base UK, by circum-navigating the more familiar side of Europe.
To do just the ride is a bit self indulgent and the only way I can justify it is to attach a meaningful cause and as I only tend to Liverpool FC based charity rides, I can think of no better beneficiary than The Marina Dalglish Appeal.
My own mother had cancer and had to travel over the water to Clatterbridge for her treatment.
Having this facility in Liverpool is making life so much more comfortable for patients in the Liverpool area.
Got loads to do and haven't set a departure date yet but would like to get through Russia and the Ukraine before the snows set in, or I will have to reverse the ride and do that side in the spring.
Everything is flexible except the aim and that is to collect a shirt from each club before the final at the very least.
Posting daily with progress reports so stay tuned

If anyone is wanting to make a direct payment to the appeal you can do so in the following ways
or buy a brick for the unit on the website for a fiver.

http://www.justgiving.com/Harry-Trow-Eurodash/

If you can't manage the online these are the alternatives
Pleae reference Eurodash for accounting purposes

The bank is the RBS Sort code 16 24 06
Account 11032308
Name Marina Dalglish Appeal

Or they could ring me on
0151 709 7079
and pay over the phone
withcredit / debit card number.

Or pay by cheque to
The Marina Dalglish Appeal
78 Seel Street
LiverpoolL1 4BH
Reference Eurodash if you would (that bit from me)

Mission Outline

2009-08-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

This ride is in aid of the Marina Dalglish Appeal.

The mission is to visit by motorbike, all 32 clubs who have qualified for the group stages of the Champions League and collect a signed shirt to auction as a complete collection for the Marina Dalglish Appeal.

The ride will be in either one complete ride or sections depending on sponsorship and will be on a Yamaha 125 Drag Star or a Derbi 50cc. This will depend on whether backing from Derbi of Barcelona is forthcoming.

Clubs already in the championship - Glasgow Rangers, AZ Alkmar, CSKA Moscow, Rubin Kazan, Dynamo Kiev, Urinea Urziceni, Besiktas, AC Milan, International Milan, Bayern Munich, Marseille, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Seville, Porto, Bordeaux, Standar Liege, Wolfsburg, Chelsea, Manchester Utd, Liverpool.

It is hoped to ride to all clubs but should Macabi Haifa qualify then it is intended to ask the club to send a shirt due to the location of the club in distance.

The ride is hoped to run in the order of the clubs above with newly qualified clubs introduced into the route.At this stage I am not sure if the ride will run the full length in one ride, or whether the bike will be parked at stages and returned to.

Help is required with sponsorship from businesses, especially in the motorbike world. Supporters groups and individuals on the route for accomodation and assistance if needed.
Contact leads for the qualified clubs.

The full route will be posted when all the qualifiers are known by August 31.

The total mileage of the route encompassing the teams already qualified is 10,000 miles.

Traveling from Liverpool to Glasgow then Newcastle, ferry to Holland, through Germany to Denmark, Stockholm Helsinki, St Petersburgh Moscow, Kazan Kiev, Urziceni, Istanbul, Munich and then through the med teams to Porto and Bordeux finishing with Standard Liege Wolfsburg before returning to England.Likely teams to gain entry apart from Arsenal/Celtic include Stuttgart, Macabi Haifa, Sofia, Sparta Prague, Fiorentina.

All except Macabi Haifa can be introduced into the route.