Interview with Beyond the Bike’s Stuart Block

Who are you?

I’m a 33-year-old economics teacher at Cranleigh School in Surrey. I previously spent eight years working as an economist in the city.

What’s the plan?

I am currently riding Thandie, my tandem bicycle, from South Africa back to London in the UK for the 2012 Olympics, via the Copperbelt region of Zambia.

Why?

Why not! More seriously, there are two main reasons for this: Firstly, to help raise money and awareness for education in Africa and specifically for Kawama School that Cranleigh is partnering in Zambia with the help of Beyond Ourselves as well as for other charities that we will be supporting including Right to Sight,and Alive & Kicking. Secondly, there is of course in the wanderlust that needs to be satisfied. Africa by bike has been a plan of mine since leaving university and if I don’t do it soon…. see Objectives for more detail.

Why the tandem?

Beyond the Bike is about Partnership, helping build links between two specific communities in two different continents. Doing the cycle on a tandem can be seen as a travelling microcosm of this broader goal. On top of this, having not found any mates who wanted to do the whole thing but plenty that were keen to do bits, attempting the whole thing on a tandem seemed the ideal compromise. This should allow friends to easily join on the way as well as locals/travellers that I meet en route. Last, but not least, ‘stoking’ a tandem is one key bit of cardiovascular exercise that blind people can participate in – a key partner for the trip being ‘Right to Sight’.

Fancy a ride (or helping with the project)….?

Just drop me a line…