FARNHAM duo Christian Jason and George Hellyer completed their 3,000 mile journey from Jacksonville to San Diego on August 12, raising more than £6,600 for Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity dedicated to providing expert treatment for young people aged between 13 and 24.

The 26 year-olds cycled for 35 days in total, including three rest days, and were on the bikes from around 6.30am until 5pm everyday. In Arizona, the duo even faced temperatures as high as 40 degrees.

During the trip, which was sponsored by Farnham-based digital security firm Idency, the pair had nearly one puncture everyday, amounting to 25 punctures between them.

Christian said: “It was tough, really tough. The distance, cycling day after day, the heat and everything.

“It was absolutely brilliant, but we were shattered.

“George is in really good form, he’s an ex-South of England body building champion. He’s in better shape than I am.

“It was mentally challenging too - it was a real surprise how draining it was. We’d mentally switch off in the evenings.

“You can’t train for that, and no one ever mentions that side of it.”

As well as highlights which included finding a toilet and sink on the side of a road in New Mexico and confusion over a hotel booking in Panama City, Christian said the people they met were “really supportive”.

They decided to take on the challenge as they “didn’t know anyone who had cycled across America”, however “neither of us are cyclists”.

Christian added: “George is self-proclaimed as the worst cyclist to cycle across America. He’s the only person who can go slower down hill than up because he’s scared to go down hills!”

The duo saw some unusual road kill along the way, from crocodiles to armadillos, skunks and snakes. Christian also had a close encounter with one creepy-crawly when he “nearly got bitten by a scorpion in my bed”.

When asked whether the pair had any other upcoming challenges in the pipeline, Christian said they had “nothing planned”, but that “George will probably come up with something in the new year, something more stupid”.

Christian’s journey ended on a positive note when he got engaged to his girlfriend in Los Angeles.

To make an online donation visit tinyurl.com/y7c7tcrd, or to read daily blogs from the journey, go to idency.com/cycle-USA.