As you know, we always have a nice gentle rides on Sundays for everyone to take part...

Except this Sunday. This Sunday, we're riding from Stranraer, via Newton Stewart, New Galloway and Corsock, to Dumfries. It's a sponsored ride, to raise money for victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami; the money will be given to Action Aid.

Andrew Crooks, Greg Knowles, Marcus Andrews-McKay, Steve Warner and I are committed to ride the whole distance (about 75 miles). That's a good pull anyway, but there's a strong northerly wind forecast which will make it tougher.

How you can help:

Firstly, of course, you can join in and support us. You don't have to ride the full distance. Our expected timetable is:

• 9am Stranraer
• 9.20am Castle Kennedy
• 9.45am New Luce
• 11.30 Newton Stewart
• 15 minute break
• 12.30 Clatteringshaws
• 10 Minute break
• 1.10 New Galloway
• 2.15 Corsock
• 15 minute break
• 2.55 Crocketford
• 3.10 Shawhead
• 4.00ish Dumfries

(although don't expect us to be very precise one time). We'd be very glad of any support along the route (and indeed there are already people who have already signed up to ride parts of the route). So if you could ride even just five miles with us, please do. We aren't going to be going that fast, probably averaging about 12mph. There will be a support car with us, and I'll try to post a mobile phone number to the list so you can phone the support car to find out where we are.

Secondly, you can sponsor us. I know Marcus has got a sponsorship form on the counter in the shop, so if you're in Castle Douglas drop in and sponsor him. I'd be more than happy to receive sponsorship pledges by email, and I'm sure Andrew and Greg would too.