From today's Northern Echo:
"""
Monk spreads green message by solar power
A HARE Krishna monk has arrived in the North-East on a solar-powered
bicycle.
Karlis Derics, 28, originally from Latvia, is using the bike to cycle from
Lands End to John O'Groats as part of a project to raise awareness of
clean energy and vegetarianism.
He secured a £5,000 grant from the National Lottery's Awards for All fund
to pay for the bike, as well as a laptop and video camera to record his
journey. He plans to make a film to promote green transport.
He is stopping at towns on the route talking to people about green issues
and yesterday arrived in Darlington.
Mr Derics works at the Hare Krishna centre in Camden, London, where he
helps with the Food for All charity, which provides free vegetarian meals
for the homeless and low-paid.
He has been riding for four weeks and expects the rest of the journey to
take up to three weeks.
"Very rarely do I run out of power," he said.
"When the sun's out, it's no problem, and I also have a battery pack, but
I only use that if I'm going uphill."
"""