Like many good ideas, a cycling odyssey which has become an annual undertaking for a group of pals began with a random pub conversation. Geraint Rowlands met up with A Level college friend Gareth King over a beer when they were in their mid-20s and talked about bikes, among other things.
Mr Rowlands, originally from north Wales, was living in Cardiff and commuting to work on two wheels. The duo decided to cycle from south Wales to Dolgellau, where they had studied, to attend a music festival. A few beers later, a return leg from Holyhead, Anglesey, to Cardiff seemed a good idea. Off they went - unprepared on all fronts, but the long-distance bug nevertheless bit.
Since then they have cycled some 6,700 miles on the European continent, taking in 30 countries. Friends have joined in, and nearly £50,000 has been raised for charity. Each year they travel to the city where last year's trip ended and cycle for a week - averaging around 100 miles a day - in the process stitching an unbroken line around the continent. Wives sometimes join them at the end of each trip to take in the sights and sounds of wherever they have finished. You can get more story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
