Cycling Scouser, Andrew Rogerson, fundraiser and adventure seeker, has completed the first quarter of his epic 10,000-mile bike-ride from Shanghai to Liverpool. Having already cycled 2,500 miles along the Great Wall of China and across the Gobi desert, Andrew is now embarking on the second leg of the trip, crossing the Chinese border in to Kazakhstan, in aid of blood cancer charity, Anthony Nolan.
Novice cyclist, Andrew “Rogo” Rogerson was granted five months’ leave from his job as an auto electrician for Jaguar Land Rover, in order to take on a mammoth cycling expedition for a charity close to his heart. Already part of another Liverpool-based fundraising group for blood charities, Barrow for Marrow, Andrew was inspired to take on an even bigger challenge when his close friend’s four-year-old son was diagnosed with Leukaemia and in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant.
Without any extensive training beforehand, Andrew set off from Chery, near Shanghai on 5th May, with the aim of finishing at Jaguar Land Rover in Halewood, near Liverpool, five months later.
Andrew will be travelling across Kazakhstan, the world’s ninth-biggest country, in the second quarter of his 10,000-mile journey back to Liverpool. The journey is not without risks, as the route Andrew has planned involves cycling a stretch of road currently occupied by ISIS.
Contemplating the daunting prospect of the next phase in his journey, Andrew said: “A huge dose of the unknown awaits; countries where the police are the most corrupt in the world, where the biggest sectors of the economy are based on drug trafficking, and where there is currently internal conflict on one of the roads I'm desperate to cycle on. Mix all that in with one of the highest roads on earth and I think it's safe to say the next 2,500 miles will be harder than the first lot.”
The first month was a grueling one for Andrew as he experienced difficult weather conditions, camping alone in the wilderness for some nights and even being chased by wild dogs across the Chinese landscape.
Andrew has already raised over £5,000 for the Anthony Nolan Trust, far exceeding his own expectations for the trek.
Supporters will be able to keep tabs on Andrew’s progress via a blog he has created to document his entire journey. A number of North West digital agencies including JAMcreative and Highly Developed, based in Manchester, have sponsored Andrew’s efforts by designing and building a bespoke website, complete with a map of his journey, video diary entries and photos so donators can have full access to every part of the adventure.
Meet Andrew here…
CyclingScouser from Andrew Rogerson on Vimeo.
Follow Andrew’s journey by heading to cyclingscouser.com, and find out how to pledge your support to Anthony Nolan.
