DERMOT HIGGINS, A retired school teacher from Dublin, is set to make history this year by becoming the oldest person to circumnavigate the globe on a bicycle.
Last June, Dermot set off on the epic journey in aid of Trócaire, and is set to return to Ireland on Easter Sunday this year.
The trip has seen the man from Rush cover astronomical distances, with a recent Facebook post confirming he passed through three states in the US this week.
https://www.facebook.com/dermot.higgins.311/posts/383600008778404?pnref=story
The 55-year-old father-of-four, who set off from Madrid last summer, has pedalled his way through Europe, Central and South-East Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and recorded the expedition on his fundraising page.
I aim to satisfy the Guinness Book of Records requirements – a continuous journey East-West or West-East (the latter in my case) of at least 18,000 miles (29,000 km), total distance at least an Equator’s length, i.e. 24,900 miles (40,100 km) and to pass through two approximate antipodal points.
Dermot will arrive in Washington DC in mid-March where he will meet with an Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, before heading to New York to participate in the St Patrick’s Day parade.
I’m doing this trip both to fulfill a personal ambition and, through Trócaire, to support the Global Goals, which Ireland and 192 countries signed-up to in an effort to end poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change by 2030.
The former teacher will complete the final leg of his journey in the company of 12 friends, who will cycle from Madrid back to the Irish capital.
Dermot, who seeks to raise €12,500 and is more than halfway towards his fundraising goal, has further documented his journey on Facebook, with his most recent post focusing on the finish line.
Looking at my map, I’ve now got just more than 1000 km to cycle and a week to get to Washington. The end of the Gogodemo Project is looming!
Dermot, you’re some man for one man.
