Palletmove Managing Director Alex Tyrrell is hoping to return to long-distance charity riding in 2027 with a new challenge: Southsea to the Sahara.
The journey follows his previous Pompey to Pompeii ride, which saw him travel solo across Europe on a Vespa in support of Solent Mind.
Plans for the new challenge have been delayed after Alex was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident. He sustained multiple fractures and other serious injuries, leaving him temporarily unable to walk and facing a lengthy recovery.
He was initially advised that recovery could take around nine months.
His Vespa was also badly damaged in the accident and is unlikely to return to the road, meaning the next journey may require a different motorcycle. One option under consideration is the Royal Enfield Himalayan, particularly if the route extends beyond southern Europe and into the Sahara itself.
Despite the setback, Alex remains determined to complete the challenge if his recovery allows.
“I’m just glad I’m alive. But Southsea to the Sahara was something I was really looking forward to, and I still want to do it.”
From Southsea to North Africa
The broad plan is to leave Southsea, cross into continental Europe and travel south through France and Spain without using motorways.
Alex expects the journey to continue towards Gibraltar, although the exact finishing point has not yet been decided.
Whether the route ultimately extends deep into Morocco and the Sahara will depend on security, political conditions and practical considerations nearer the time.
As with Pompey to Pompeii, the intention is for the challenge to be predominantly solo. However, Alex says his business partner and close friend Kyle Wetsellar may join him for part of the African leg if additional support is considered sensible.
A challenge, not a road trip
Pompey to Pompeii proved significantly harder than Alex had anticipated.
There was no support vehicle and, on some days, he spent around 14 hours riding.
Weather became one of the defining features of the trip. What Alex expected to be a relatively mild journey south instead involved prolonged rain, hail, sleet, snow and temperatures falling below freezing in the mountains.
At one point, having set off in summer riding gear and Nike Cortez trainers, he had to stop at Decathlon to buy mountain boots simply to deal with the cold.
The Vespa’s limited fuel range created another challenge, with frequent stops required while the bike was being ridden hard for long periods. On the return journey, Alex rode from Rome back to the UK in two days.
“It wasn’t a holiday. It was head down, keep moving, get to the hotel, sleep and do it again.”
That level of difficulty is something he wants to preserve in the next challenge.
Why Solent Mind matters
The reason behind the fundraising is deeply personal.
Alex lost his friend Mathew in 2024 following mental-health struggles.
To Alex, Mathew had always appeared happy-go-lucky and without a care in the world, making his death particularly difficult to comprehend. The challenges have since become a way of keeping Mathew’s memory alive and continuing to support a cause that means a great deal to Alex.
“I just want to do something for him, because he would have done it for me.”
His current recovery has also given him another perspective on the effects of isolation. Unable to live normally and spending much of his time at home while recovering, Alex says the loss of everyday contact with other people has been one of the more difficult parts of the aftermath of the accident.
He experienced something similar during another period of recovery in 2023, when medication and isolation left him feeling increasingly disconnected from normal life. That experience has reinforced his belief that mental health is about far more than simply having a difficult day.
For someone who is isolated, even small interactions can become disproportionately important—a friend visiting, somebody coming home or even a delivery arriving at the door. Alex says his own circumstances are temporary, but many people live with that isolation indefinitely.
That is one of the reasons he intends to continue supporting Solent Mind.
The next challenge
The previous Pompey to Pompeii ride received support from individuals and businesses across the pallet, transport and logistics industries. Palletmove covered Alex’s hotels during the journey and the Channel crossing.
Alex hopes Southsea to the Sahara can build on that support and raise even more for mental-health services.
For now, however, the immediate priority is rehabilitation.
The exact motorcycle, route, dates and finishing point will be decided as his recovery progresses. The target remains 2027.
“Pompey to Pompeii was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but the support made every mile worthwhile.”
“I want to do Southsea to the Sahara. I’ve just got a bigger challenge to complete first.”