• Harry Says “Just get on my wheel and you will be alright!”
  • Harry Says “Put in an extra loop down the coast road”
  • Harry Says “Ride your bike!”
  • Harry Says “Just a steady 2 to 3 hours”

NOTICE: User accounts and passwords

Due to a recent website update, you may experience issues logging into your user account. If you do, please try resetting your password. 

Website improvements are on the way. Please stay calm and patient. smiley

Ride of Respect

Motorolley's picture
Submitted by Motorolley
on Wed, 02/07/2014 - 11:29
Forums: 
Club Runs
I did tweet some details the other day re this, but for those not on Twitter, here it is again. I plan to ride to Lytham St Anne's on Friday (4th July) for the funeral of Sidney Marshall, a 90 year old ex-Lancaster bomber gunner who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal during WW2. Sidney has no immediate family and so his undertakers have made a plea for people to come and make sure his passing doesn't go unnoticed. I did the same ride last Remembrance Day for the funeral of Harold Percival, who had died in similar circumstances with no immediate family left - the turnout was excellent and it was worth riding through the pouring rain, all alone after just finishing a 10 hour night shift to be apart of it. (So, no excuses!) I will be going, come rain or shine, so if anyone wants to join me then please get in touch on here and we'll arrange an RV. The funeral is at 1330 hrs and the direct route I propose to take up the A59 is 30 miles (60 miles total), so I plan on leaving around 1130 hrs to give time for any problems. (I will go at whatever pace is comfortable for anyone who is prepared to come, so don't think this will be any sort of categorised club ride.) I will have a quick coffee in Lytham after the service before heading back, so expect to be back in Ormskirk for around 1600-1630 hrs. Thanks for reading and hopefully we'll have a few HMCC jerseys paying some well earned respects. ;o)
stevedepport's picture

Wed, 02/07/2014 - 16:42 — stevedepport

Gareth, saw your tweet while I was catching up with the documentary 'What the dambusters did next' which was really appropriate. I can't make it due to work but would really love to have gone. I will certainly give him a thought at 13.30, huge respect for these guys.

Inder's picture

Thu, 03/07/2014 - 17:54 — Inder

Hi Gareth, I'm off work tomorrow and was planning to get out for a few miles with Gemma anyway so would be good to come along and pay our respects too. Happy to meet you anywhere around Ormskirk at 11.30?

modevrs130's picture

Thu, 03/07/2014 - 20:12 — modevrs130

I finish my nights tomorrow at 6am.Get the alarm set for 10 and quite happy as inder said,meet in ormskirk...John Lynch

Motorolley's picture

Thu, 03/07/2014 - 22:23 — Motorolley
I've done a route, which will total around 80 miles from Ormskirk and back. The weather is looking awful and it's going to be windy, so if you're planning on joining us then please come prepared for some tough conditions! I will be at the shop for 1045 with a view to leaving at 11am on the dot - the wind will be behind us on the way there so if we're early, we'll do the cafe before the service then get straight off instead. I'll see you in the morning. ;o)

Gareth.

Motorolley's picture

Fri, 04/07/2014 - 19:43 — Motorolley
Well, where do I start!? Despite the awful weather forecast, which consisted of heavy rain and 28mph gusts, true to my word I turned up at the shop and I was joined by John Lynch, Gemma Webster and Inder Bhamra. With Rule #5 (harden the f@%k up) well and truly ripped up, chewed and spat out, we set off with an 80+ mile route ahead of us! The pace was good with wind pushing us along nicely but the rain making for very wet and difficult conditions. Before long, we hit Preston and fired out the other side well on target for an early arrival, including picking up Inder off the floor for the first time after his fall out with some tram lines! However, we were soon hit by two punctures to Gemma and yours truly in quick succession! It's a shame Chinook wasn't with us, because the changes were quick, helped along by Gemma's CO2 canisters which I would recommend to everyone! (Matt, I'll be coming for mine soon!) So, with us now pushed for time, the last few miles were drilled out in single file at well over 20+mph into Lytham arriving just in time for Sidney's life story and military citation for his DFM being read out! Having stood outside amongst the crowd in the pouring rain, (and having captured quite a lot of attention in our club kit by 3 photographers), we said the Lord's Prayer and set off for a warm up. Visiting the cafe I used last year after the funeral of Harold Percival, we arrived looking like we'd been dunked in a muddy puddle á la Peppa Pig! (Just like the ones on Inder's plasters at home, apparently!?) oh, and this was the scene of Inder's next 'off' after he slipped on his cleats and went on the now ripped open arse of his shorts! (The waitresses found it highly amusing!) So, a quick coffee and chocolate brownie whilst sitting outside in the cold and rain, (what was that about Rule #5?), we remounted and set about our journey home via Kirkham, Cottam (or Coatham if you're posh like John!), and back into Preston. The route home was, for some sick and weird reason, a very enjoyable ride down some lovely lanes with the rain and wind now making the day what it was. With 3 punctures on the way home for myself and Inder (x2) meant we were a little later back than expected, but it was an epic day on the bike in awful conditions for a very worthwhile cause! Rule #9 was well and truly earned by all of us - we are BADASS! Stats sponsored by Peppa Pig plasters! Mileage - 84 miles Av Speed - 17.1 mph Punctures - 5!! Weather - awesome! (In that it was shit!) ;o) Here's to more of the same in future!

Gareth.

Inder's picture

Fri, 04/07/2014 - 21:11 — Inder

Nicely summed up Gareth, have never enjoyed the wind and rain and faling off my bike so much! Thanks for puttting such a good route together and thanks to all for making it such an enjoyable ride......now, time to find those Peppa Pig plasters and to see if I can sow up the arse of my favourite pair of bibs.

modevrs130's picture

Wed, 09/07/2014 - 20:05 — modevrs130


This ride is up there with one of my best.Can't believe how much i enjoyed the rain so much and the company was amazing.Will not forget inder giving us advice on how to cross the tram lines without falling (needless to say what happened next)...What can i say about the 5 punctures but i didn't get one :-)..So thanks again Gareth for organising the ride and thanks to inder and Gemma too......John Lynch.

Post new comment