Hi Folks - Gordon here!
As the day approaches, it is all getting very real.
I arrived in Jamaica on Wednesday, David Pines has arrived up in Montego Bay and will be traveling down to Kingston tomorrow.
This morning Al, Vaughn and myself (along with our families) went to Bustamante Children's Hospital to see what "Chain of Hope - Jamaica" are doing and they had gathered several children that have already had heart operations and we were able to meet them and their parents and talk about what they have been through. It was genuinely moving hearing their experiences and it will be this that keeps us going when all we want to do is get off the bike and through it into the ditch. There was a film crew there filming the children and they interviewed the three of us that are riding the full distance.
Earlier on this morning Al and I went for a ride along the 1st part of the route so that I could get a feel for road and traffic conditions. There are certainly a lot of dogs running around and the trucks don't seem too bothered about slowing down, they blast the air-horns and just come past. There are plenty of nasty pot-holes to contend with and I am quite glad we are starting on Sunday morning rather than a weekday. The sights and sounds are certainly something to behold, most passing vehicles are omitting the standard "Jamaican beat".
In my first meeting with Vaughn it was reassuring that we all share the same fears about the enormity of the ride and what we are taking on, I'm sure David is thinking the same, none of us want to be the weak link in the chain. We need to treat this as a 400 mile ride and not set off like loonies despite the people seeing us off and the film crew etc.
More when I get a chance.
Cheers
Gordon
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