A WYE Valley mum and a Forest friend are well on their way to completing their charity cycling challenge across Turkey with their two toddlers, already raising £1,360 for Leukaemia UK.
Penallt-based motorbike adventurer Vanessa Ruck – The Girl On A Bike – and Tori Williams from Drybrook are attempting more than 1,000km on SCOTT Axis eRide mountain bikes, with children Skyla and Leo travelling in Kids Ride Shotgun seats and Hamax Outback trailers.
The duo covered 347km and climbed 5,630m in their first six days in the saddle, tackling four days of storms, demanding climbs and parenting on the move.
They say their adventure is about opening their children’s horizons while keeping their own dreams alive – showing that becoming a mum does not mean leaving adventure behind.
“I’m on a mission to show Skyla the power of women, the size of the world and that dreams can become reality if you fight for them,” Vanessa says.
Getting to the start was an expedition in itself. Navigating airports with a combined load of 285kg meant managing boxed bikes, trailers, bags and small passengers with needs of their own.
Once in Turkey, preparation included batch cooking 4kg of meals: spaghetti bolognese, chilli con carne and chicken stew for the support motorhome freezer.
The opening days brought a puncture, dropped bikes and relentless storm rain that left their kit repeatedly saturated, turning drying clothes and preparing for the next morning into major challenges, alongside preparing packed lunches, nappy changes and toddler demands.
Yet one of the wettest moments became one of their happiest.
“We were riding through a storm, the kids were fast asleep in their Hamax trailers, and Tori and I were just screaming and laughing and giggling,” Vanessa said. “We felt unbelievably alive.”
Between the hard miles have come roadside snacks, trailer naps, playground discoveries and watching their children explore somewhere new.
A successful day can mean reaching the top of a demanding climb, finding somewhere for the toddlers to ride their Strider balance bikes, meeting welcoming strangers and sharing a meal.
Returning to a bike carries particular significance for Vanessa, who underwent seven surgeries and still suffers chronic pain after a 2014 cycling accident.
During her recovery, she discovered motorcycling, eventually riding in 40 countries and becoming the first British woman to finish the Africa Eco Race motorcycle category from Dakar to Senegal.
Becoming a mother brought another opportunity to rethink what adventure could look like.
“Motherhood doesn’t mean adventure has to stop. It just means adventure looks different,” she said.
Their friend Gary provides motorhome backup, carrying tools and spares, offering a kitchen and somewhere to regroup.
Halloween also brought a race against a threatened storm and dinosaur costumes all round, complete with heads, teeth and tails, and the youngsters’ delight at swishing their own tails made the sweaty madness worth it.
The team is raising money for Leukaemia UK in memory of Tori’s mother, Wendy, who died when she was ten.
Now an ICU and haematology nurse, she’s carrying her mum’s adventurous spirit into making memories with Leo.
See Vanessa’s Instagram and Facebook pages for more information and donate at www.justgiving.com/page/bikepackingturkey
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