'Forty years is a long time to complete a bike journey'

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  1. Pictured recently, Rona, Craig and Sophie standing next to their bikes, which are loaded with bags. There are mountains behind them.
    Craig Swan

    Rona, Craig and Sophie reunited to finish off an epic cycle ride they did 40 years ago.

Steven McKenzie
BBC Scotland

Three friends have finished the missing link in a 17,000-mile mountain bike challenge they did in the 1980s.

Sophie Trafford, Rona Hulbert and Craig Swan met at Aberdeen University and were in their 20s when they cycled from Punta Arenas in Chile to Anchorage in Alaska.

There was no road through a remote section of Patagonia in southern Chile and the trio had to take a ferry, but since then about 800 miles of road has been built.

Following their 26-day ride Craig, 62, said: "Forty years is a long time to complete a journey."

Craig, Sophie and Rona are in the outdoors wearing and smiling for a picture Craig is taking on his phone. Craig and Sophie are wearing fleece hillwalking hats while Rona has colourful scarf around her head.Craig Swan

Craig Swan, Sophie Trafford and Rona Hulbert returned to Chile to complete a trip they did after leaving university in their 20s

The bike ride has raised money for a Maggie's cancer centre in Forth Valley and the Epilepsy Research Institute.

Sophie, who worked in corporate finance and lives in Balfron, near Stirling, said: "For me, the physical challenge in this journey has been enormous.

"There were many times when I thought it was beyond me, so the sense of achievement is enormous."

Sophie's son Hector died from sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), and memories of him inspired her during the ride.

"There can be no more spiritual place to do this journey than Patagonia," said the 62-year-old.

"The mountains, the glacial rivers, the vast expanse of unspoiled remote landscape are places that Hector would have loved and coming here has made him feel very close as we have travelled through this amazing, inspiring place."

Craig, Sophie and Rona are on their bikes cycling a long a road which zig-zags up a mountainside in the distance. A mountain range rises in the distance.Craig Swan

The three friends took 26 days to complete the final section of their bike ride

Rona, also 62 and from Newmills in Fife, said her experience of having breast cancer changed her life.

"I lost all my confidence after my diagnosis and treatment, so to bring the three of us together again to complete the missing link in our journey has been such a healing process," she said.

Rona said the cycling pushed her to her limits and reaching the end of the road was "very emotional".

She added: "We started our journey 40 years ago, young and full of hope and confidence.

"Now we are all older, not the same people we were all those years ago.

"But in these past weeks we have found the same spirit that we had in our young selves and together I hope we have raised awareness, and money, for these causes that are so close to our hearts."

Former BBC journalist Craig, who lives in Grantown on Spey in the Highlands, said his friends' personal stories of loss had been a powerful driving force during the trip.

He said: "For me, to join my oldest friends to complete this chapter in our lives has been a deeply moving privilege.

"We are all feeling tired, exhilarated and proud."

The friends cycled south along the whole length of a road called Carretera Austral.

They finished in Villa O'Higgins, a small town in southern Chile.

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