Ken Robertshaw has dog sledged around the Arctic Circle and kayaked 2,350 miles down the Mississippi. But the Rotarian’s latest fundraising venture has come to a grinding halt after being let down by a logistics company.
Ken, who is a member of Halifax Rotary, had intended to spend eight weeks cycling down the notorious road which runs through 13 states down the east coast from Maine to Florida to raise money for the Theodora Children’s Charity.
It’s the latest in a string of physical challenges which the Yorkshireman has fronted to support the charity, which was established at the Leeds General Infirmary.
However, the adventure never even got started with Ken finding himself marooned in the States with his equipment parked thousands of miles away.
“I am bitterly disappointed and embarrassed at the support I have received from everyone, but UPS,” said Ken. “After almost two weeks, they finally managed to return my equipment to the start point.”
I spent a year planning, training and broadcasting about this trip. If anyone wants advice on long distance expedition planning, I can give them one useful tip – if you can, keep all your kit with you!”
Ken left the UK on June 27th and flew to Fort Kent in Maine which serves at the start point for his mammoth bike trip. However, by the time he got there, his bike and all the other equipment had not arrived.
It was due to be delivered by the shipping company UPS, and what followed was a frustrating wait for Ken, whose eight-week trip had been meticulously planned, linking up with Rotary clubs along the route.
“Over the next few days, my package was being delivered, and then it wasn’t,” he explained. “To cut a long story short, I had so many conflicting answers from UPS that I realised I would be almost two weeks behind schedule with no realistic hope of making it up.
“I looked at a range of options, but in the end I had no choice but to cancel the trip as delays would have an effect on all the clubs, individual Rotarians and friends along the route. I was also getting close to having to pay for hotels which had been reserved online.”
Fortunately, while Ken has been waiting in Fort Kent, he has linked up with a Rotary exchange student who lived with him in Halifax who is now based in Louisiana, and has been spending time with her.
He added: “I spent a year planning, training and broadcasting about this trip. If anyone wants advice on long-distance expedition planning, I can give them one useful tip – if you can, keep all your kit with you!”
