Every now and then you meet someone that has the same passion for doing something as you do. You can recognise that flame, the spark, that keeps you going way past when everyone else has given up and gone home.
Sometimes that focus is the same as yours and sometimes its for something completely different. However what does remain the same is the enthusiasm, the desire, the passion to just...be absorbed in it all for as long as possible. And that is what I recognised when I met a guy called Alistair Cope.
I didn't see it the very first time we met, as I was standing in the queue to book in for the devon dirt, and Mr C was bouncing along the queue handing out flyers for his company Velo Ventures and the organised trips he does in Morroco. And truthfully that was the last thing I wanted right then.
I'm not the best at the start of a race/event. I'm always a bit nervous, and it makes me a bit grumpy. I can trace it right back to my MX and BMX racing days and I used to use those nerves to get me through the fight to the first corner...and the holeshot out of it. So it's learned behaviour really. Anyway I just took a flyer smiled, and shuffled one step closer to booking in.
After the short wander back to the van to get ready. Pete took the flyer of me, looked and suggested that it would be wicked to do something like that, and an adventure to ride somewhere like Morrocco. I grunted a “yes it would” before progressing into...going...well...er...umm, a bit “daily mail” about all inclusive 5* tourist compounds in poverty stricken places, blah blah blah. I told you I'm grumpy before a start.
Now there is a reason I ended up finishing the Devon Dirt before anyone else. Noooo I didn't do the whole course, but hey I was first back and that counts for something I my book. What happened was myself and a group of other riders got lost about 10 miles in, and we all ended up in the middle of Bovey Tracey. Its not quite duelling banjos turf but as we all headed off in different directions to try and pick the route up again, I swear curtains were drawn, doors locked, and mothers ran out to scoop up children as a solitary rider trundled through town. When I eventually picked up the route, it was the return to Ashburton, and rather than follow it backwards and get lost on Dartmoor, I decided calling it a day was the best bet and I plodded back to the finish line. Which meant I got in two and half hrs before anyone else and a whole 4 hours before my team mate Pete completed the course.That gave me plenty of time to mooch about, chill, maybe have a snooze in the back of the van. I could have stripped the bike down given it a bit of a proper clean and lubed it all back up again. But I didn't, I decided to chew the breeze, drink coffee, and loiter around with the main man from Qoroz bikes, and Alistair from Velo Ventures instead.
It all started with me trying to blag the titanium 29er they had down there, so I could do a bit of a review on it. Qoroz partner with Alistair and provide him with bikes, which can only be a nice place to be in. So the conversation sort of naturally progressed onto a “come on them talk to me about these trips then” and that is the moment ladies and gentlemna that it all went “click”.
Alistair and Velo Ventures is about experiencing the TRUE MOROCCO and riding some truly awesome places, properly, from the comfort of your saddle. In fact this is the point where I need to show you, rather then tell you.
This is why I love video content, there is some AWE inspiring scenery and I'll be honest I'm gutted that it wasn't me doing the filming but I've promised myself that I WILL be soon.
From watching the videos and from chatting with Alistair like me, you'll know why he does it, and why he is so enthusiastic about what he does. Trust me when I say its not about the money. Yes it will come into it, money always does, people have to eat and we all have bills to pay and unless Mr C is a millionaire I'm sure he's in the same boat, but thats not why he does it. Now if your not competitive as a cyclist, but you are passionate about it, and want to spend as much time on and around bikes as you can what are you going to do? My solution is mtbTV, and no I don’t make any money at it, maybe one day I will, but I do it for the love of it. Alistair's solution is Velo Ventures and hand on my heart, it exists through his passion for riding, and the simple fact that he wants to share that with as many people as possible, offering an experience and memories that will last you a lifetime. And who can blame him, after you've seen the sun crest at the top of the Atlas mountains, or watched the sand blowing of the tips of dunes in the Sahara, riding the Dales, Dartmoor or wherever, no matter how good it is...one is just a ride and the other an experience. How can you NOT want to share something that good, with absolutely everyone. In fact from talking with Mr C, not only did I want to do the trip myself. I was gutted I wasn't doing it for a living myself, helping people create lasting memories.
There is another point that shows Alistair's dedication and enthusiasm to help people share in the dream. As well as give you another reason, if you ever needed one to do the trip. Velo Ventures can help you do it, by raising money for charity. Mr C does it himself, completing a circumnavigation of the UK on the 64 day Great Tour, for The Prostate Cancer Charity, and there are others that Velo Ventures support. This gives you the ability to do something you love as well as raise money for a worthy cause. Which could also make it even easier to get the thumbs up from the other half. Given the options of, multiple loops of my local trail, a Lands End to John O Groats run, or a traverse of the the Atlas Mountains to raise money for charity I know which one I would choose. And that brings me to the point of this piece, as its not just a pat on the back, or a bit of promotion for Alistair and Velo Ventures although that is part of it.
Because of his enthusiasm, passion and dedication we at mtbTV want to do our bit, support one of his causes and raise money for The Prostate Cancer Charity, and we have a cunning plan. Firstly we are going to put a trip together, that way we can do some filming and put something together that we could use to raise money for the cause. It is likely to be limited in numbers, and 2 of us will be from mtbtv riding to raise cash for the Prostate Cancer Charity.
If you want to be on this trip we just want you to let us know that your interested at first. You can either pay for it all as a regular rider or you can also do it to raise money for the Prostate Cancer Charity. In order to do that you would have to raise at least £1750 in sponsorship. Now I suspect that we are possibly going to get inundated with people wanting to ride it for charity, so we are going to say if we get oversubscribed we will look at filling the positions with the riders that are raising the most cash first. As its probably the fairest way to do it
WHICH brings us to the next point. We want sponsorship and it doesn't matter wether its a £1 or £1000, to coin a now well known advertising phrase every little bit helps. But we are looking to do it collectively as a group, that way we can top anyone up that needs it and even everything out.
So a couple of extra points before you send us that email. Firstly you will need to pay to get you and your bike to Marrakech, it is possible to hire bike out there as far as I know. And you will probably need some spondoolies, to cover your last nights meal in Marrakech. Although all the rest of the meals, all the accommodation, support and guidance throughout the trip are included in the price.
So what to do next. Simply send us an EMAIL marked Sponsored Ride, and we'll take it from there. contact@mtbtv.co.uk
We'll make a list do what we can to bring everything together, and as soon as everything is finalised, we will let everyone know and give you the opportunity to opt out or in. What we would suggest is that if you do want to raise money for Charity, that once you send that email in you get started on trying to raise the cash, like I said if we get oversubscribed we will look at filling the positions with the riders that are raising the most cash and work our way back from there.
So that's our reason to get ourselves over to Morrocco for a bit of a ride, what is your excuse going to be ? Father day, birthday/xmas pressie, something you need to do before your x years old, maybe just because you'ce never been. And if you still can't think of one why not get in touch with Alistair as I think he has a list of them all on written down.
