Posts Tagged ‘Pegasus Bridge’

So, this is to be my first post of 2014. What I’d really like to be writing about is our special cruise coming up in February this year, in fact less than 6-weeks away but I’m afraid I’ll have to wait a couple more weeks before I can do that. Save to say, that the event fills me with excitement, even more so than my 60th Birthday cruise.  No; this post is about a ‘call to arms’. An unashamed attempt to attract fellow supporters / cyclists and even wannabe cyclists. What am I on about? I hear you think. Well:

I want to raise £35,000 for two causes that I genuinely believe are worthy of significant support: Bruce Trust Barges and War Child UK.

How? By taking a maximum of 70 riders to cycle for 7-days in France visiting  Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno & Sword D-Day Beaches while also dropping south to the Loire Valley then heading back north to Argentan, a town which itself which was severely impacted by the D-Day events; and finally, onto Pegasus Bridge and Café Gondrée to regroup, exchange stories and bask in our own satisfaction that we risen to the challenge given and succeeded.

But, be assured, this is not in any way a race. This is not an event where only cycling whippets can take part, though they are welcome. This ride is for anybody and everybody, male, female, old, young, or even ancient like His Podgeness here. You don’t have to be an athlete by any means, those that know me can attest to that. For last years event we took one gentleman who was the wrong side of 60 and only used to the occasional ride between 5 & 10 miles. Yet, our structured / social training rides prepared him such he completed the event with comparative ease. Even for myself, with less than 50% lung effectiveness, and now the wrong side of 59 🙂 such an event is possible, though I do acknowledge I may be a bit slower and recognise the true meaning of a ‘Push Bike’. So, if there is anybody out there who wants to join me on this amazing adventure and help me raise that money for two really worthy causes, then either contact me direct though this medium, or register your interest via the website: http://www.wheels-for-rotary.info.

In the meantime, I shall start to compose my writing on our next, very, very special cruise.

 

Ok, here it is. The event I’ve been wanting to kick off is to become a reality.

I moved into Hungerford some 9-years ago and have recently developed an almost uncontrollable urge to [do something for the community]. For those that know me, you’ll have already guessed that cycling was going to be central to such an urge. So, following on from the theme of another well know event annual event, I looked for a possible cycle challenge for anybody who wished to [prove that they can] complete the event.

What is the event?

Well, Hungerford is twinned with Liguiel in France, just south of the Loire Valley; so why not cycle there, and back. Better still, why not time the ride so as to coincide with the Hungerford Carnival? So that’s the event / challenge (the carnival bit is still to be confirmed). Hungerford to Liguiel and back. The ride will hopefully comprise of 30 – 40 riders (more if we can manage it) plus 2 – 3 support vehicles (to carry luggage and look after the riders)

The purpose of the ride is [in conjunction with the Hungerford Rotary] to raise as much money as we possibly can for two very worthy causes:

End Polio Now

&

Bruce Trust Barges

Two very worthy cause which will hopefully encourage lots of interest and support.

When is the event?

The ride will  depart Hungerford on the 7th July 2013 (Sunday) and return on Saturday 13th July, having cycled 550 miles: The proposed itinerary is thus:

Sunday 7th July

Depart Hungerford and cycle (60 miles) to Portsmouth ferry terminal for overnight crossing to Saint-Malo.

Monday 8th July

Depart Saint-Malo and cycle (55 miles) to Rennes.

Tuesday 9th July

Depart Rennes and cycle (86 miles) to Angers.

Wednesday 10th July

Depart angers and cycle (80 miles) to Ligueil.

Thursday 11th July

Depart Ligueil and cycle (80 miles) to Le Mans.

Friday 12th July

Depart Le Mans and cycle (110 miles) to Caen – regrouping at Pegasus Bridge before heading for overnight ferry to Portsmouth.

Saturday 13th July

Depart Portsmouth and cycle (60) miles back to Hungerford for end of ride celebration. If possible, we will try to coincide the home coming with the Hungerford Carnival.

If you feel that you might like to take part in this event, then please do let me know of your interest (this does not commit you) and I shall add you to the mailing list.

Ride Route 2013

It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car, only a high will impress you, and you’ll have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.

Ernest Hemingway.