Project Grandmas

Project Grandmas

By Alpkit

Pursuing the dream of Project Grandmas, honoring a legacy with passion and dedication.

Continuing journeys of the original Sonder Cahoot. After Tom Seipp had outgrown it and with many, many miles under its wheels, the responsibility to keep it going fell to Daisy and her dad David. Last year aged 6, she completed a 8 mile bike packing trip, but following a school talk about bikepacking she planted the seed from which she couldn't back down, could they ride to Grandma's?

‘Can we ride to Grandmas?’ Daisy said one day earlier this year. Instinctively I assumed she meant Grandma Yvonne (10 miles away) not Grandma June (75 miles away). As ever, my assumption was wrong and so began project Grandmas.

As our longest previous ride on the tandem was around 20 miles we had some work to do. There is only one way to prepare for hours in the saddle, and that is spend hours in the saddle. My concerns for Daisy were saddle sore, tiredness and concentration.Daisy had applied her own self pressure by announcing her intention to do the ride during her school talk about bike packing. As she doesn’t like to quit, the concentration to complete the ride was taken care of.

During the spring months we stepped up the rides on the tandem to increase her stamina. The ride lengths didn’t increase but I felt her fitness was improving so an attempt in the summer was definitely a possibility.

The day finally arrived and after a quick dash around the kitchen grabbing breakfast we were ready to set off at 7.15am. The forecast was a bit mixed with rain forecast for 2pm onwards so the chances were we would get wet at some point. I figured if this was late on in the ride we’d be okay. If we got a soaking too early this may be a bit demoralising.

To avoid the main roads on the first leg to join the Trans Pennine Trail we plotted a longer quiet route on minor roads with a few ups and downs, so the initial miles were fairly slow.

Sonder Bikes

  • SALE

Camino Al Apex1 AXS XPLR Camino Al Apex1 AXS XPLR

Camino Al Apex1 AXS XPLR

  • Sram Apex AXS XPLR 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,499.00 £1,799.00 or from £26/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Ti Apex1 AXS XPLR Camino Ti Apex1 AXS XPLR

Camino Ti Apex1 AXS XPLR

  • Sram Apex AXS XPLR 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Alpha 700c UK Made wheelset

£2,449.00 £2,899.00 or from £42/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 May.

  • SALE

Camino Al Rival1 AXS XPLR Camino Al Rival1 AXS XPLR

Camino Al Rival1 AXS XPLR

  • SRAM Rival AXS XPLR 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Alpha 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,799.00 £2,149.00 or from £31/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino TI Force1 AXS XPLR Camino TI Force1 AXS XPLR

Camino TI Force1 AXS XPLR

  • SRAM Force AXS XPLR 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Alpha 700c UK Made wheelset

£2,949.00 £3,499.00 or from £51/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 May.

  • SALE

Camino TI Rival1 AXS XPLR Camino TI Rival1 AXS XPLR

Camino TI Rival1 AXS XPLR

  • SRAM Rival AXS XPLR 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Alpha 700c UK Made wheelset

£2,699.00 £3,199.00 or from £47/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 May.

  • SALE

Camino Al Apex1 Flat Bar Camino Al Apex1 Flat Bar

Camino Al Apex1 Flat Bar

  • SRAM Apex 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£899.00 £1,149.00 or from £16/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Al Tiagra Camino Al Tiagra

Camino Al Tiagra

  • Shimano Tiagra R4700 10-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£949.00 £1,149.00 or from £17/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Al Tiagra Hydraulic Camino Al Tiagra Hydraulic

Camino Al Tiagra Hydraulic

  • Shimano Tiagra R4700 Hydraulic 10-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,149.00 £1,349.00 or from £20/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Al 105 Camino Al 105

Camino Al 105

  • Shimano 105 R7120 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,299.00 £1,549.00 or from £23/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Al GRX1 Camino Al GRX1

Camino Al GRX1

  • Shimano GRX 610 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,299.00 £1,549.00 or from £23/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Al GRX2 Camino Al GRX2

Camino Al GRX2

  • Shimano GRX 610 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Nova 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,349.00 £1,599.00 or from £24/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 21 April.

  • SALE

Camino Al 105 Di2 Camino Al 105 Di2

Camino Al 105 Di2

  • Shimano 105 R7170 Di2 12-speed groupset
  • Sonder Alpha 700c UK Made wheelset

£1,899.00 £2,249.00 or from £33/month
Buy Now. Deliveries from 12 May.

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