Record-breaking bikers return home

Two daring British bikers – Harry Glover and Peter Bray – have returned home to Birkenhead following their epic motorcycle trek that saw them motorcycle 15,000 miles (24,000 kilometres) on mainland Europe.

They travelled through 28 different countries and set a new world record for visiting 25 EU Capital cities in just one trek. The 21-day expedition took them as far north as Helsinki, as far south as Athens, to Bucharest in the East and to Lisbon in the west. Harry Glover, 49, of 4/73 Special OP Battery and Pete Bray, 58, of 22 SAS, took on the gruelling trek called ‘Triumph over Tragedy’ to promote three charities close to their hearts. The charities involved are the Armed Forces supporters BLESMA and Soldiers off the Street, along with the Alder Hey Children’s Charity.

Harry Glover and Pete Bray arrived at their final city of Dublin on Saturday (August 23) and returned back to Birkenhead, the Wirral, in the evening. The duo were planning on biking back down to London but could not do so because of a mechanical failure on Harry Glover’s motorbike. During their arduous trek they battled all kinds of terrain, rainfall, storms and heatwaves, and potentially life-threatening mechanical failures.

Harry Glover said, “It’s been an incredible three weeks on the road and I loved visiting places such as Bratislava in Slovakia but it’s been no holiday. We as good as slept rough for all but one night as the entire trek is self-funded and we’ve had to keep an eye on our bikes. We must thank everybody who helped us along the way, which includes strangers we met who helped service our bikes as well as family and friends.”

As former servicemen, Harry and Pete know all too well the dangers that soldiers face both on the battlefield and when they return home. However, Pete Bray – who is already a world record holder being the only person to Kayak the Atlantic unsupported – has taken on a whole new set of dangers, having only passed his motorcycle test in late 2013.

Pete, a proud Cornishman who now lives in Birkenhead said, “This road trip has taken its toll, in more ways than one. We were shocked by the number of toll roads throughout Europe and by the number of places that don’t use Euros as a currency. As we were travelling so long – up to 18 hours on some days – we barely had time to eat, so we have both lost quite a lot of weight too. We are feeling happy but a bit more tired than usual.”

Their chosen charity BLESMA provides ex-soldiers with valuable help and support, giving them the tools needed to regain their independence following the loss of limbs. Another, Soldiers off the Street provides food, shelter and other support for vulnerable soldiers of all ages who have returned from active duty and are in need of assistance in getting back on their feet. The initiative has a personal note for Harry Glover, whose young daughter Elizabeth will undergo life-changing surgery in the autumn with the support of Alder Hey.