IRON MAIDEN Manager ROD SMALLWOOD

IRON MAIDEN Manager ROD SMALLWOOD Issues Post-Charity Bike Ride Update








IRON MAIDEN's official website reports:

"(Manager) Rod (Smallwood) has just reurned from a 450 km charity bike ride across the Andes in Peru and sent us this note. If any of you would like to sponsor him in aid of Mencap, a charity for learning disablilities, please see
www.justgiving.com/rodsmallwood .

Rod will be doing a website diary of the trip with pics - we will post if here for anyone interested when we get it."

Rod's message reads:

"Dear friends,

I got back in one piece but have to say it was not only the hardest bike ride I have done but one of my most gruelling weeks ever - harder than on the road with the band!! As on the this photo the highest point was at 4335 m (14,222 ft) and over half the ride was over 13,000 ft on the Peruvian Altiplano leading to Lake Titticacca, so we were almost head in the clouds and at the snow line a lot of the time.

On top of that allow for 450 km in five and a half days on the Andes, sleepless nights camping at sub zero temperatures, long offroads on rocky paths, perpetual headwinds, massive hills and various aillments and you will understand why many of us were wondering what the hell we were doing there!!!

On the good side l did get to see some wonderful scenery and visit Machu Picchu where we saw the Rugby World Cup Final live in a restaurant just below there, although the results of the food and beverage intake there did have rather a negative effect on the ride!! But more of this later when, over the next week or so, I sort out photos, write the diary and post to the website.

Once again thanks for your support. If you feel that you would like to help Mencap with a donation please see payment details below.

Regards, Rod Smallwood.

Please log on to my Justgiving website page at www.justgiving.com/rodsmallwood - this is very straightforward and takes any amount and any currency if you just put in the Sterling equivalent."

Briefly about Mencap: Mencap exists because children with learning disability are disadvantaged in society. It is the leading charity working with children and adults with a learning disability and their families and carers. They provide services, advice and support to meet people's needs and choices throughout their lives.

Nearly 1.5 million people - nearly 3 in 100 - in the UK have a learning disability and this figure is increasing. 200 babies will be born this week with a learning disability. They will face discrimination all their lives. Mencap is fighting to put a stop to this.

You can find out more if you wish on their website www.mencap.org.uk

Thanks for reading this and I do hope you will feel able to make a donation to this worthwhile cause."