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Welcome to the Fat Bloke On A Moped home page, the web site designed to give you the information you need about my journey of something completely alien to me. It's not the cutting edge of design, it's just functional.

So What's It All About?

In February 2010 my wife, Claire, was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) which, in non medical terms, means she had cancer cells forming on the inside of her milk ducts of her breasts. Statistically there would be a 20% chance of the condition developing into intrusive cancer, i.e.: breast cancer. In my wife's case, the DCIS was quite prevalent and as Claire had lost her mother to liver cancer, she felt the option for her was a double mastectomy. She was 38 when diagnosed, twelve years before her first regular screening.

I want to do my best to ensure there is the support and guidance in place to help others in a similar situation.

...and Mopeds and a Fat Bloke?

To answer that I need to discuss inspiration and and how the concept was arrived at.

Luckily for both Claire and Myself, in 2009 we had the pleasure and fortitude to enjoy two holidays abroad, a fortnight in Crete and a fortnight in Cyprus. Holiday reading for me over the course of these four weeks consisted of "All at Sea" (currently in print under the name of "In A Bath") by Tim Fitzhigham, where Tim rowed to France from England and back again - in a bath (honest), "Three Men & A Float" by Dan Kieran & Ian Vince where three guys drove a milk float from the furthest point East of Britain to the furthest point West, "Round Ireland With A Fridge" saw Tony Hawkes hitch hike around Ireland with a fridge and by no means least "We Could Be Hero's" by Ben Dirs & Tom Fordyce where the intrepid duo set out around Britain (and parts of Europe) in a camper van with the express intention of being world champions at something. All blinding reading and I can recommend every one of them.

The spark however, was Bank Holiday Monday 3rd May 2010 when Claire and I were wallowing in self pity, knowing the operation was just over two weeks away, watching a BBC3 re-run of a Top Gear Special of James May, Richard Hammond and Jeremy Clarkson attempting to ride cheap motor bikes from South to North Vietnam. If a self confessed bike hater such as Jeremy Clarkson can get on a moped and ride it the length of Vietnam with no former bike riding skills, surely I could do something similar.

My mind was awash with enthusiasm. The books I'd read on holiday the year before came flooding back and I couldn't help but think I could circumnavigate Scotland, Wales and England on [say] a moped.


There were however a few caveats that make this a challenge, namely;
1. I'd never riden a motor bike, let alone a moped, in my life
2. I therefore had no form of motor bike licence
3. Naturally, with points 1 and 2 considered, I don't own a moped either
4. I know nothing about mopeds or motor bikes
5. I weigh 20 stones

OK. Where and what now?

Now the plan is to start raising funds for my chosen breast cancer related charities by doing some trips. They have to be a challenge but I'll be starting off small and working up from there.

First off, I'll be doing a circumnavigation of the Norfolk border at the end of September 2010 then next year the plan is to circumnavigate the mainland of Britain some time in the summer. From there on, who knows, Staples to Naples....

So click on the 1st Project above, Project Norfolk, and off we go.

I'm off hunting for a trusty steed to start the journey.

Keep up to date with all my latest progress via the Blogs page.