having just had a new set of mag pedals and some lovely winter gloves I think I need to get this show on the road (or the trail to be more accurate).

There is (s)no(w) excuse anymore….,. well no more snow anyway.

Time to lose the Xmas excess and get riding in the cold, wet mud!

Cheers and Thanks for Reading
Barny Jnr

After all the training and the tension and stress and nerves, the waiting is over and we have finally done it. Iain and I have spent the last 8 days in Cuba and we have completed our trip without incident or accident.

First, I just have to say that I am so please Iain came all the way from Australia to join me on this trip. It has made it very very special. Thank you.

Next I would like to point out what a wonderful, beautiful and lovely country Cuba really is. The sights, sounds and people all make it truly wonderful. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend you get over there as soon as possible. Especially if the USA get more involved and start to commercialise the country, you need to see it before that happens. Personally, I think too much USA involvement would ruin the innocence and beauty of the country.

So, on to the trip:

Day -1. Iain arrives from Australia early and I meet him at Heathrow at silly-o’clock in the morning. A good day spent catching up.

Day 0 – Flights. Started well on the Sunday.  Arrived at Gatwick on time and met the rest of the team….less one. Dan (our leader) had to drop out due to his wife being ill (good luck to you both). So we were down to 5 strong.  We met up with the Yorkshire lot (strange bunch… all dressed in matching green T-shirts) and headed for the lounge! A little bit of luxury before the simplicity of Cuba (and Airline food). Sitting on the tarmac for an hour didn’t help get things going but eventually we are off and 9 hours of movies on a 2" TV screen with poor contrast and colour to follow. I’d highly recommend MOON as a good film to watch btw.

Day 1 – La Habana and transfer to the bike place. 3 hours on a coach was not a good start to my morning but there we are. The bikes are fitted out and there are some surprises….like a 17" bike for a 6’3" fellow…. huummmm…. nice! We then had lunch before setting off on our first short day riding. 50Km later of mostly flat but pot-holled roads. Not overly pretty or interesting but good to be on the bikes.

Day 2 – A different bike this time. Rockhopper 19" frame. Much closer to my 21" at home so at least I was able to ride without hitting my knees into my chin! More interesting ride out from 8:30am for 96Km over hills and rivers, trees, villages and towns. A really good day. I think this was my 2nd most favourite as it was a challenge but it was also the first day we saw Cuba and its sights. We met some children and families and saw how hard life can be for Cubans.

Day 3 – Trinidad and up some more mountain roads. A bit frustrating this day. Only managed around 40Km today but it felt more like 10 ! We were stopped from riding by a national bike race for a few hours midday which really hurt our distance.

Day 4 – Cien Fuegos and Santa Clara are both beautiful towns. Very different but equally wonderful. My favourite day by far. 89km ride across the Escambray mountains (800m above sea level) and down into Santa Clara. Very hilly with lots of up and down riding. We finished at the memorial of Che Guevara and the national museum. A very emotional end of the day for me personally. Suddenly, the reason we were there was very apparent. This was all about Henry and making a difference for other children and families and I let it out. I can only thank Julie (Mi-Jooly as she was known) for her support on that day.  We stayed in a hotel above the Dam near Santa Clara with the most beautiful morning views possible. Sun rising above the lakes in the mountains. It doesn’t get much better than that…. even if I was sharing with my brother!

Day 5 – A short day to finish with around 70km riding to be done to take us the end of the day. We finished in Cien Feugos at a hotel by the seaside with flags and banners and a band and cocktails and a very happy and emotional bunch of people.  Riding a lot through towns and small villages we got to stop and meet children in schools, families in their homes and everyone we met was a real pleasure and joy.

Day 6 / 7 invovled walking alot (no more bikes) around Havana and this was a little of a disappointment. I don’t mean that against La Habana as it is a wonderful city. However, after the rural areas of Cuba, to come back to a city, without our bikes, was a little weird. Laurie said something that hit home. It makes you feel guilty for enjoying the city considering the reason we were out there. She is right. I was feeling guilty. Again, that day and evening were spoilt slightly by my guilty feelings. However, it is a wonderful city and has some fantatsic sights. We saw government buildings, Che’s offices, military bands welcoming a foreign dignitry (Mexico we think). 

The funniest thing was to watch the regimented band and demonstration for the officials on the steps with guns and cameras and music playing…. all the pomp. Then, when the command to stand easy was shouted, it was if junior school playtime had been announced. Everyone just dropped weapons or trumpets or drums, and milled off for a leak in the bushes! Very funny.

Finally, after just a short 6 hour wait at Havana airport (with only a couple of tourist stalls, and a very limited cafe for company) we managed to get a plane to take us home. We nearly didn’t though…. watching the line during boarding we sat back thinking, "We’ll just wait till it clears then walk on". Good plan…. if we had been watching the correct line!

So, Last Call for Mr Barnfield….. and we made the plane!

What can I say about the trip?

I made some good friendships, met some wonderful people (even those from Yorkshire were quite nice….sometimes!) and have some memories to last a lifetime. I also raised over £5,500 for our charity and together we have all raised over £60,000 for cancer research.

Go to Cuba if you can. You will not regret it and let me know…. I’ll come with you!

You can view some photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/cyclecuba2009

Cheers and thanks for reading….

I have done virtually (or is that literally) zero planning or preparation for the trip. I feel a list coming on…..either that or I’ll start packing on Saturday evening at which time it is too late. If I don’t already have it to hand, it isn’t going to Cuba with me!

So the bike is put away until I get back now. Just static workouts (and quite short and easy ones at that) until the big off. I have to make sure I keep doing something but nothing to over exert myself… I think I will need to save my energy!

Enough ramblings. Hopefully more before we go. Iain arrives Saturday morning (5:50am. Ouch!)

We will post comments from Cuba as and when we can. Follow snippets updated via Twitter which will appear on the LoveFromHenry home page. Keep looking next week.

Cheers and thanks for reading.

I have been doing well on the bootcamp…. not so well on the bike. On the static this evening to make up for the very poor weather here (any excuse, eh?). I have to say that I really miss going out on the bike. Have a big weekend planned this weekend coming and then an easy but constant week next week. More cycling, no bootcamp.

Now all I need to do is stay off the chocolate……

So, taking orders for cigars…..anyone?

Cheers and thanks for reading

SO I made myself a little extra challange, not only raise money – but lose at least 13 KG and 10cm off the waist. I have been seeing the fantastic Mia the dietitcian and she has worked wonders coaching me– today I broke through the 100Kg mark t to come in (at a still portley) 98.9KG and 97cm waist.

time to go shopping nothing fits anymore.

anyone in Sydney wants help with diet see Mia http://www.bodyfusion.com.au/ 

oh yeah and the bike riding is coming along fine – even managed a game of netball today which is a first for me.

more ramblings soon

Well, the bike has been a bit quiet this week. Going in for a tune up tomorrow and back out again later.

I have to thank Ben at Sussex Bootcamps for the gruelling torture he has put me through these past two weeks. I am feeling better (slightly) and less aching now. My core muscles are much improved and half way through so expecting some more improvements by the time we leave.

Speaking of which…. 19 days to go!!!! Very nervous. Have I done enough, or too much (doubtful)? I am scared that I will struggle and miss the fantastic world around me. I plan to step up my training over the next 2 weeks and really make it worthwhile.

This weekend is another chance to get out and enjoy the riding. Not sure which way to go though…. North or South Downs? Any thoughts? Anyone out riding this weekend that wants to join me?

Cheers and thanks for reading.

The riding is going well with a number of long-ish off road rides planned for October. Really this is the last push. 30 days to go and I need to ease up in the last week to rest in readiness of the challenge ahead. So really only 3 weeks of training left. Going for it full out now.

I still need load more sponsorship though. Please can you spread the word far and wide. Every little counts.

Cheers and thanks for reading.

Yes, Love From Henry is now a Twitter-er (is that the right name?).

You can see me on Twitter @LoveFromHenry and follow some words of inspired wisdom and comment on the state of Pediatric brain tumours and the research in the UK and the world.

There are a number of other charities doing similar things in  this area and I have tried to follow as many of these as possible. The more people that look at this terrible lack of funding and research (<1% of all charity funding by the government is in brain tumours, yet 24% of all cancer is in the brain)

So, follow me, invite your friends to follow me and spread the word.

Cheers and thanks for reading

A very kind offer by Ben at Sussex BootCamp has led me to leaving home at 5:30am to be tortured by a sadist at Horsham Park 3 times a week. Why would I do this to myself? Well, at least the pain (and there is pain!) will pay off in about 4 weeks time when I will be fitter, healthier and better able to cope with the challenge ahead.

It has started to dawn on me how hard this could be. 80km per day, each day….. OK, so not as hard as an Olympic sport maybe…. not as hard as childbirth (yeah, how hard can that be? half the population can do that without even trying !!!)

Before I get attacked by every female on the planet, all I can say in my defence is, I am only a man after all…. everything is difficult!

Distance Sydney to Havana the direct route

• 7,930 Nautical Miles

• 9,125 Statute Miles

• 14 686 Kilometres

Or the Barnfield Route nearly twice the distance required!

Sydney to London

• 9181 Nautical Miles

• 10566 Statute Miles

• 17004 Kilometres

London to Havana

• 4051 Nautical Miles

• 4662 Statute Miles

• 7502 Kilometres

Total of:

• 13,232 Nautical Miles
• 15,228 Statute Miles
• 24,506 Kilometres

before I even set foot on a saddle, all I can say is those cigars better be good.