On The Rode

Two Bristol cyclists to ride across the US to raise money for charity.


Two cyclists from Bristol will be travelling to America later this year to perform astonishing feats of endurance for charity.

In a freakish coincidence, Bristol student Marcus Farnfield and UWE graduate Chris Bloomfield have both been preparing for long-distance charity cycles across the US completely independent of each other.

Marcus Farnfield: “We want an adventure”

Marcus, along with friend Nicholas McCarthy, plans to cycle from Vancouver to Washington DC, a distance of 5200 kilometres, whilst Chris is aiming to follow Route 66 for 66 straight days, cycling 66 miles each day.

Marcus’ journey, which will take two months, will see him ride over three mountain ranges and through eleven states, covering up to 115 miles daily, a remarkable feat given most students struggle to make it up St Michael’s Hill without a break.

Marcus has cycling previous having rode the length of Britain

Marcus has experience of long-distance cycling having previously made the 15 day Land’s End to John O’Groat’s cycle in 2008. This, however, will be a different beast entirely.

Expected to burn up to 7500 calories each day, the pair are looking forward to sampling America’s finest junk food.

‘We won’t be able to carry much food with us and will be dependent on restaurants and supermarkets. We also won’t be taking a tent or much casual clothing – just one set of trousers and two t-shirts’.

This dedication to travelling light even means they’ve sawn off the end of their toothbrushes to save space!

All their pedalling is in aid of Haileybury Youth Trust with a sponsorship target of a pound per kilometre: £5200. Their sponsorship page can be found here. For more info, visit their blog.

Whilst Marcus is cycling west-east across the United States, Chris will be travelling along the ‘Main Street of America’ in memory of his grandfather who died suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease.

Chris says he intends to create a parallel between his journey and the final stages of Alzheimer’s, by experiencing vulnerabilities and having to rely on others.

He is cycling for Alzheimer’s Society and Great Ormond Street Hospital, with a target of £20,000 through donations and sponsorships. He has planned a black tie event to raise money through the auctioning of items like a signed Team GB Cycling Jersey, while also staging a race down in Cabot Circus against two Atlantic Rowers.

Doing the trip alone, Chris says he will miss home comforts and the support of his friends and family. ‘If I have troubles, I will be on my own’.

Chris prepares to hit the Mother Road

While he is out there he is planning to make the most of it ‘meeting people and seeing new things’, and will be filming the entire journey on a head-cam with plans to edit the footage into a short film.

To follow Chris’ journey, check out his website.