Biker saddles up to raise €1m in 80-day world trip

SADDLE soreness will take on a new meaning for Stuart Mullion when he sets off on his 80-day round-the-world challenge on his trusty Harley Davidson in September.

"A sore bum is my main worry," said the 54-year-old Wicklow businessman, who will travel 15,000 miles on land and has set an ambitious fundraising target of e1 million to be shared between three charities.

The bike enthusiast, who has already clocked up 20,000 miles on his 1993 Harley Heritage Softail, plans to trace the land and sea journey of Jules Verne's mythical character Philias Fogg. And, just like, Phileas, Mr Mullion hopes to gain nothing from his world tour except happiness.

Yesterday, Mr Mullion parked his Harley outside the Mansion House in Dublin the start of his adventure in five months' time.

There to greet him was Lord Mayor of Dublin Royston Brady, who borrowed his well-worn leather jacket and sat astride his bike to pose for photographers. "It is wonderful to see that the volunteering spirit is alive and well in Ireland," said Cllr Brady. "Charities throughout Ireland are dependent on people like Stuart Mullion."

Spinal Injuries Ireland, Focus Ireland and the Jack and Jill Foundation hope to benefit from the challenge, which has been a year in the planning.

Mr Mullion, the widowed father of six grown-up children, will travel through Britain, France, Germany, Poland, Belarus, and Russia.

"I suppose the most challenging part of the journey will be in travelling 300 miles every day from Moscow to Vladivostok - a landmass covering seven time zones," he said.

In Russia, he will travel the world's longest road (6,200 miles) and some of the harshest terrain and climatic conditions on the planet.

At Vladivostok, he will take a two-day boat journey to Japan. As the ferry only leaves once a week, he will have to be on time to catch it otherwise the entire challenge will be in jeopardy.

Mr Mullion will then travel across Japan before making the sea voyage to the west coast of the US. He will travel across the US to New York, where he plans to board a ship that will sail to Britain. From there he will complete the final part of his journey to Dublin. Mr Mullion, who is involved in the bloodstock industry, said he realised that attempting to raise e1 million was an ambitious target but, he said, there was no point aiming low when taking on a project like this. People wishing to become involved can contact Mary O'Kennedy by phone [phone] or 01-2301286 or by email [e-mail].