Continuing his recent adventures, Norfolk man Richard Steven is currently riding his motorcycle across Lapland and is planning to cross the North Pole on a snowmobile.
Richard, who is a member of Liberty Church in Frettenham, has previously completed a 54-day charity ride from Land’s End to John o’Groats in aid of the British Red Cross and Riders for Health on a 1930s Police issue Humber bicycle, and also circumnavigated the coastline of Great Britain on a vintage motorcycle running on used chip oil, from fish and chip shop, to fish and chip shop for charity.
For his latest challenge, the member of the Norwich Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship has ridden his motorcycle to Lapland and is planning the snowmobile trip across the pole.
Richard has survived freezing temperatures, snow, ice and crashes along the journey, he is continuing to make slow progress north and his most recent posts were from Lulea in northern Sweden.
Richard was born and raised in Norwich and served in the Royal Marines until he was medically discharged in 1999 due to injury. He emigrated to New Zealand in 2001 with his wife and undertook many different roles, including renovating properties, restoring and racing classic cars and raising Alpacas.
His life was turned upside down in September 2010 while being involved with civil defence as an urban search and rescue responder following an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale, which struck five minutes from his front door.
“I went through approximately 2700 earthquakes over the next six months,” said Richard. “I was then injured after a fall whilst responding to the 6.3 earthquake in February 2011 which destroyed Christchurch. I responded and carried on regardless and ended up barely able to walk and in hospital many times.”
Richard injured his arm, broke his collarbone and damaged some discs in his back and broke a few teeth in a six-foot fall. During this period, he also separated from his wife and their 10-acre farm was sold.
On the advice of friends, Richard returned to Norwich where his parents live, and since January 2013 he has been signed off with post traumatic stress disorder.
“We never know where life will take us,” said Richard. “For me to have been so happy and content with no want or need in life, I am now in a situation nobody in this modern world should find themselves caught up in.
“I am in fact homeless, have no money, little support and am struggling day-by-day to stay alive. For me this is survival, not choice as such as I cannot just lie idle or trapped in one place having done so many different and worthwhile roles in my lifetime.”
“Any support, publicity and sponsorship would be kindly accepted,” said Richard.
The pictures are taken from Richard’s Facebook page and show the bike and conditions in Sweden, and you can read more about Richard and his recent adventures here:
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