A worrying moment

"Oh yes," said Richard, "I think it's only right. Otherwise you're just going to be sitting around, aren't you?"

Jon covered himself in glory last year by abandoning his driving duties temporarily to ride a bike over the Scottish border. Us other drivers thought this was a poor show.

"Yes, I really think we drivers should volunteer to climb at least one of the mountains."

Steve and I are going to have to have a word.

Team C

Jeremy C.

Ian H.

Andy D.

Phil S (team C driver).

Clearly a team of talents. However, we're not certain if the talents in question will be of any use when it comes to the actual 'riding and climbing' bit of the challenge. Three out of the four team members are confirmed iPhone addicts so will probably spend the entire time cooing over their latest cool applications. The fourth team member might be merely an embarrassing Brummie, but he does at least have blogging privileges.

Team B

Tom W.

James W (some say).

Greg R.

Steve W (team B driver).

Another heady mix. We're not too certain what it's a mix of, but it's a mix, nevertheless. Encouragingly, Greg hasn't touched a bike since last September. But he tells us he has been training for the mountaineering by climbing stairs a bit.

Team A

Rob L.

Richard F.

James P.

Jon S (team A driver).

Introducing a new Queasy Rider for this year, James P. JP is a keen mountain cyclist, to the extent that the only helmet he possesses is a full-face job. We think he might be trying to out-Stig the Stig. As for the rest of the team, a healthy mix of iron-willed monosyllabic determination and howling insanity. A good mix, then.

Team selection

This time we're going to have a degree of science in team selection, we said.

We need to have a balance of skills and experience in each team, we said.

We should carefully consider the different characters involved - everyone's strengths and weaknesses - and make sure everything fits together. We said.

"OK, someone write down the names on slips of paper. Who's got a hat?"

Creature comforts

"This time it will be different," intoned Richard.

I put down my cup of tea. Greg swung round from whatever fiendish thing it was he'd been doing to a spreadsheet. There was expectation in the air. Richard continued.

"We faffed around on the LEJOG last year. All that nonsense with Travel Lodges and the like. Quite apart from the cost, they took us off the route a little bit. So I think we should keep it simple this year. Who's for camping?"

There was a pause.

Ever since a week in North Wales in the early 80s, sitting in a rain-lashed ex-army tent in what was apparently an open-air wind-tunnel, I have proudly avoided the alleged delights of camping. Greg, veteran of several music festivals, was perhaps marginally more enthusiastic but was still hardly bubbling over with delight.

There was another pause.

Richard sensed the tension. Employing the diplomatic skills for which he is universally famed, he went on.

"Well, I think it's a good idea...."

The reason why we're doing this

As if "mucking about on bikes and up hills" wasn't enough of a reason.

This year we aim to raise funds for yet another good cause - Age Concern & Help the Aged.

OK, I know that sounds quite a bit like two good causes, but they are merging to form one organisation. Between them, they do a lot of good work for older people. Campaigning, direct support, financial assistance, there's a lot they can offer.

At first, you might think, not the most of exciting of causes. But we all get old, we all know someone who might need their help. Spend a little time, like I have, understanding the issues that they're working to overcome, and hopefully you'll agree.

And if you'd like to help, there's now a place you can go.