Scots trio reunite 40 years after epic cycling challenge to take on missing link

Three friends who completed a 17,000-mile charity cycling challenge in 1985 are reuniting four decades later to finish the “missing” part of their trans-American journey.

The Scots trio had barely ridden bikes before they took on the exhausting challenge of cycling from Chile to Alaska just after they left university – and they have not been on two wheels since then.

They have now decided to return to South America to complete the one stretch of the route they could not do, at the age of 62 rather than 22.

Craig Swan, Sophie Trafford and Rona Hulbert will be reuniting and setting off to Chile in October for an 800-mile stretch of the journey which was not possible in 1985.

This time they will be travelling from north to south, having learned the hard way about the difficulties caused by prevailing winds.

The Aberdeen University postgraduate students raised £70,000 for Breast Cancer Research during what they called the Americas Cycling Expedition.

They dealt with illness, wild dogs, robbers and even witnessed war in Nicaragua and El Salvador during their year-long journey.

When they returned home they were voted “Scots of the year” by BBC Scotland for 1985/86 in recognition of their epic fundraising effort.

Life took each of the three friends in different directions after their expedition.

Mr Swan qualified as a lawyer before joining the BBC as a journalist, recently completing his career in the Scottish Highlands after reporting from around the world.

Ms Trafford and her husband, who live in Balfron, are accomplished sailors – having voyaged from the UK to Antarctica and back.

Ms Hulbert, who lives in Fife, had a career in retail both in South Africa and the UK.

Now 40 years after their journey and all recently retired, the 62-year-olds are reuniting and returning to Chile for what they hope will be a five-week cycling expedition.

Mr Swan said the idea for the new challenge came about after he and Ms Hulbert realised a new road had been built, telling the PA news agency that he aimed to do “a hell of a lot more training this time around”.

There was no road in 1985 through a remote section of Patagonia in southern Chile so the trio had to take a ferry.

They also could not travel through Argentina due to British citizens being barred due to the recent Falklands war.

However a road called the Carretera Austral has been built covering the near-800 miles they originally had to skip, and this is what they intend to take on.

This time they will be raising money for Maggie’s and Epilepsy Research.

Ms Hulbert said: “We are all in our 60s and far from being in peak condition. We haven’t been back on bikes in 40 years.

“Southern Patagonia in October will be cold, wet, and windy. The idea of camping for five weeks while we cycle the 1,200km is daunting to say the least.

“With our own families raised and flown the nest, and having all been pensioned off, we wondered if we could get the old team back together, get back on our bikes and complete the journey – and find some purpose and make a difference with the newly found time on our hands.”

She said Maggie’s had supported her on her own journey with cancer.

Ms Trafford is raising money for Epilepsy Research in memory of her son Hector, who died suddenly and unexpectedly from the condition aged 13.

“Hector was in another room just a few feet from me when he died,” she said.

“SUDEPS (sudden and unexpected death in epilepsy) is the main cause of death in otherwise healthy people with epilepsy, and they still do not know what happens.

“More research is needed to identify the causes and ways to prevent SUDEPS deaths.

“Donations will be split evenly between both charities. Any donation will make a difference and will be hugely appreciated.”

Speaking about the cycling challenge, she added: “It’s quite a prospect, but an exciting and emotional one. We are in training to get ready, but cycling long distances daily and camping each night for weeks is a very different prospect at the age of 62, than it was as 22.”

Mr Swan said: “In the years since our original trip, life has happened to each of us.

“Like so many people, we have all been affected and lost loved ones, both family and friends, to cancer.

“This is an opportunity for all of us to finish what we started 40 years ago, and at the same time help causes very close to our hearts.”

This time the cyclists will be accompanied by Ms Hulbert’s husband Mat and Mr Swan’s wife Bernie, who will be providing the essential back-up to keep the cyclists on the road.

Starting in Puerto Montt on October 11, they will be crossing mountain passes, rivers, peaks, and valleys on their latest expedition – which they hope to complete the following month.