Magnificent motorsport memorabilia........

When one journey comes to an end another begins. This amazing journey from one cold February morning earlier this year thinking 'I'm going to learn how to ride an off-road bike and ride it somewhere interesting ', to now has been quite incredible.

To date we've raised almost £8,000 and the final furlong, as it were, is auctioning the quite fabulous and unique piece of motorsport memorabilia and history. The shirt bit.ly/nKiLRu been signed by; Valentino Rossi, nine Grand Prix World Championships and multiple MotoGP World Championship title holder, Jorge Lorenzo, 2006 & 2007 250cc World Champion, 2010 Moto GP World Champion, James Toseland, 2004 & 2007 World Superbike Champion - he retired last month due to a wrist injury,

Cal Crutchlow, British Supersport champion and British Superbike race winner, and the 2009 Supersport World Champion, Danny Webb, 125cc World Championship multiple title holder, Leon Haslam, British Superbikes, World superbikes, Ian Hutchinson, TT racer, Jonathan Rea, World Superbike racer, Keith Amor, TT legend, David Johnson, British Superbikes , James Whitham,TT Superbike champion, British Superbike Champion Supercup and the ACU TT British Superbike Champion, John McGuinness, TT legend, Neil Hodgson, British Superbike and World Superbike Champion & Ian Lougher, 9 victories in the North West 200, 10 wins at the Isle of Man TT Races and 42 wins at the Southern 100 Races and all the signatures were gathered by Steve Parrish. What an awesome collection.

Some say a journey is best measured by the new friends and people one meets.

Many have been asking what the next challenge will be, there were a number of answers to that a fortnight ago!

A seasoned off-roader who competes regularly and is awesome on a bike, called me last week. He's done the trip. He said 'Congratulations and well done! What were you thinking (I don't think I was), that was a truly epic challenge for such a beginner. Good on you for coming back in one piece'. I'm still surprising myself now thinking back to some of the terrain I covered on a dirtbike! Wouldn't have missed it for the world and the guys were all fantastic and very supportive and encouraging but crikey I didn't know what I didn't know ......... But I do now......!

Thank you, Merci and Grazie to so many people;

Donna Gray for getting me on the bike, in the right kit and starting off my very tentative learning experience, Martin Wittering, mechanic extraordinaire along with buckets of constant moral support and encouragement, Gary Faillettaz for his consistent unfailing encouragement, tuition and so, so very much patience and picking my bike up more times than should be allowed, team-mate fantastico, Steve Parrish for the fabulous signed shirt, books and WSB passes, Michelle Hunter for hosting the auction at the wonderful Queen Adelaide, John Kettley - without whom for sure this journey would never have really begun! Jim Gale for the brilliant graphics and plastics, Tamsin Jones for training, moral support and hugely boosting my confidence, Liz Rhodes at BBC Radio Cambridgeshire for constant encouragement, Nigel Wheatley and Michele Maddocks of Enduroland, Ed Blum, film director, Charley Boorman for tweeting, FB 'ing ( in fact getting me on FB), signing a book for the auction, Ross Noble for an auction prize and for making me laugh and keeping me human in Wales, Billy Ward for making these aforementioned things happen and for suggesting more training, not to mention making me smile on numerous occasions when I really needed to, Tim McEwan, auctioneer of the mostest, Ian Glover of Bloodhound SSC, Nigel Harrison, Jayne Perks, Jeremy Goring of the Goring Hotel, Sue & Andy Banham of Taylard House, Chris Evans (thanks as well as singlehandedly almost completely putting me off bikes forever!) and Cyril Despres, Graham Banks of GB Racing for so much, Sally Saunders of Esse (support and keeping me vaguely feminine), Jacquie and Matt of The Wendy House, Janine Wood of SLP, Tessa Roberts of Ocean One, Christian Malissard of Eagle Perf, Angela Dawson of Dawson VA Services, Dave Newman of SupremeBeing, Irene Routh-Jones for moral support, lovely friend Rachael for getting me packed and lovely texts when I was in the Pyrenees, dear friends Paul and Ailsa for airport runs, Caroline Faillettaz for huge support, my parents for looking after the girls, my fabulous friend Wendy for so much moral support and my gorgeous sister Elly who was particularly brilliant when I was finding it harder than hard, Mr T for so much and so much more and my beautiful girls. And of course to so many generous family and friends who gave donations, kind words and huge support, thank you, thank you, thank you, merci, merci, merci, grazie, grazie, grazie.

As for the next challenge..........Andalucia and Africa in my sights and perhaps a rally. Watch this space.......

£5500 for GOSH and KidsCo.....

What a fabulous evening raising a further £1300 for GOSH and KidsCo.

Thank you so much to everyone who came and those who bid in the auction.

Thanks to Tim McEwan, our fantastic auctioneer - a natural!

Michelle Hunter for hosting the auction at The Queen Adelaide.

Steve Parrish, Charley Boorman, Bloodhound SSC, The Goring Hotel, Taylard House, Chris Evans, Cyril Despres, SupremeBeing,

Ed Blum, Billy Ward and Graham Banks for generously donating such fabulous auction lots.

Caroline Failletaz for collecting the cash! Elly Hanna for capturing the event on film!

Martin Wittering, Donna Gray and Gary Failletaz for endless support and encouragement and picking up my bike and sometimes me on numerous occasions!

And of course the girls and Mr T.

24 hours counting.......and I've found it!

Just got a copy of Scenes of a Sexual Nature - with Ewan MacGregor (Charley's mate), Hugh Bonneville et al signed by Ed Blum the Film Director for the auction. His next movie is just on the horizon and if it gets the green light and the cast I've heard about, there may be an Oscar on the horizon! Thanks Ed.

So, 24 hours to go, Cyril's shirt is still somewhere between Andorra and Cambridgeshire - nothing is insurmountable ?! The BloodHound SSC print looks fabulous, got it framed yesterday.

Very excited, if a tad nervous ....situational normal for me then!

I have found the powerband on the GasGas and I'm very excited about that! I had a great chat yesterday with Chris Evans (who looks after Cyril Despres, the Dakar and writes a very funny column in TBM) and I was just relaying my concerns about the GasGas and maybe getting something a little less - err lively - err with electric start....! Seems getting a 4 stroke 250 of some sort - could be considered an easier option? ' Are you likely to carry on riding off-road after this trip, said Chris, 'is the Pope Catholic?' I replied. I'm completely smitten!

In that case, he said, keep with it and you'll learn a lot from it.

So, last night I went out for a few hours in search of the elusive powerband, I found it, I understand, I really understand - breakthrough - and you do have to get on it to keep it down - hurrah! There's hope for the girl yet! So, off to mess about in some sand next week with Donna. Oo - shall I re-word that, off for some dirk-bike training in some sandy terrain with Donna Gray former British Champ next week and if I mess up completely, I'll ponder the soft/ easier option!

And in case I hadn't mentioned it?! :)

See you tomorrow night at The Queen Adelaide in Croydon, Cambs, SG8 0DN - looking forward to it.....

Thrust(SSC) and delight!

Charley Boorman twittered and FB's about the challenge at the weekend which was so fantastic. Especially considering that Charley is currently on the Extreme Frontiers trip through Canada and had a big convoy today; http://www.bigearth.com/extreme-frontiers/ Thanks Charley!

Pulled out of my drive this morning and car sounded like the proverbial bottom had fallen out of it, rather like I was dragging a metal bucket along underneath - oh cripes. Reversed it back in and thought I'll deal with that later.

A few moments later listened to a rather poignant pause for thought on Chris Evans, Radio 2 show - the analogy was life and golf (now I don't know anything about golf, I was once chastised for cantering on a horse across a course - in the rough - I didn't realise at the time - story for another day!). The "thought" was about taking the rough with the smooth and that change i.e developing one's golf technique was difficult however in order to develop and grow in life, change is absolutely essential.

I wholeheartedly believe that to be true, change is hard, humans don't generally like it however change can make the most incredible differences to one's life. Learning to ride a dirt bike, has been a mammoth change for me and continues to be - what a journey though and I've met and continue to meet some of the most passionate and inspiring people ever.

Shortly after the metal buckety noise, I received an email from Ian Glover of Bloodhound SSC - the team behind the challenge to break the land speed record at 1000mph. Wow! Really wow! http://www.bloodhoundssc.com/ - overcoming the impossible using science, technology, engineering and mathematics. I'm all for that - how awesome!

Richard Noble OBE , previous land speed record holder at 663 mph and programme manager for the 1000mph attempt AND Andy Green, the driver have signed a limited edition print for the auction in aid of GOSH and KidsCo this Saturday. Thanks Ian Glover, Richard Noble, Andy Green and the guys at Bloodhound SSC.

Do email me if you'd like to bid and can't be there.

5 days to go to the auction and counting ..... have a photographer for the evening too, lovely Elly Hanna who will capture all the excitement for us.

Practice was on the KTM this evening as the GasGas is with-out a clutch! Didn't break any land speed records however may have topped my own speed record - and all within the law and limits! I'm getting there......

The bit of rough (so to speak) for the day turned out to be a stone in between the splash guard and the disc brake - so a smooth, very exciting and humbling day altogether!

Midlife excitement!!!

I think I'm turning into a bit of a biker - okay not of the fast variety, I'm working on that - but it's got under my skin for sure!

Had a slightly shortened outing today as it transpired that a local sponsored ride was out and whilst most horses and their owners have no problem with offroad bikes, some have fizzy fits extraordinaire (the horses that is -well mostly anyway)! I've been out several times since the awesome training in Wales. It's all beginning to come together (at last!!) as Linley, Si Pavey's wife, predicted it would.

Getting faster, have a lovely visual image of Billy (Ward - currently working on the Africa project with Charley Boorman) , riding next to me, side saddle as he was in Wales, urging me on. An inspiration if ever there was!

Si would be impressed, I hope, with my vastly improved use of the clutch - yippee - and my figures of eight and circles on full lock (yes full lock!) are really quite pleasing.

Apparently however I'm having a mid life crisis! Was at a really lovely wedding reception on Saturday night and neighbours gorgeous daughter (well I used to think she was gorgeous!!) in her twenties, on hearing about my learning to ride a motorbike antics, said ' Kate, are you having a midlife crisis' ! At just off my twenties myself (?!???*) how could I possibly? That said, if this is a crisis, it's a very exciting one!

Nearly, ran out of fuel today. Bike started sounding funny (technical term) then I realised that it might have been the air it was struggling to run on without the fuel mixture! Oop! Next time I shall reach down, mid trajectory, flick the fuel switch to reserve and roar off. Haha ......

This week Tamsin Jones called me who is a bit of a legend, one of only two British women to complete the Dakar...... how stonkingly exciting, I shall be riding with her in Wales in a few weeks time - more on that to follow.

Won an eBay bid for some leathers today - they'll be no stopping me soon....... which as it is for such an important causes, Great Ormond Street Hospital and KidsCo is superb!

Thanks, thanks, thanks Charley!

Currently on a sofa with an Alsatian puppy, stonking view of the mountains, glass of something local, laptop and an email from Billy. Whoopee! At a friend's gorgeous hill top house near Bagni di Lucca in Tuscany and chuffed to bits .... and some!!!!

Long been a fan of Charley Boorman (Long Way Round ....amongst masses of other cool stuff) and today Charley's tweeted and FB'd about the challenge and fundraising efforts!

How cool is that! Fabulously fantastic!

Haven't got my bike in Italy - the terrain here however would be tiptop for my newly acquired novice skills (some bits rather more than others obviously?!). Do however have TBM, enduro DVDs and so some visualisation for the next few days. I've spotted lots of new bruises, likely sustained at the weekend - who's counting - when you're having fun!

Thanks Charley, thanks Billy.............stellar guys.......

Power.........

Well that was funny – just went out for weekend practice and popped a small wheelie between first and second gear just after leaving the drive - forgot that the power goes down a bit differently on a two-stroke (my GasGas) from the four-stroke (Yamaha) I was off-roading on (and off a few times!) in the Peak District! Whoops!

Watched a few episodes of the Long Way Round last night for inspiration – am inspired! I have the same Arai helmet as Charley Boorman , that must be a good sign!