Wardie, OB, Sledge, Boiley and Adam successfully completed their recent charity Manchester to Blackpool bike ride and in doing so, raised in the region of £3000 for various good causes. Well done to them!
OB has penned a brief review of the trip for you enjoyment:
7.30am and we gathered at the starting line on Sunday 4th July opposite the Sir Matt Busby statue at Old Trafford and it began to dawn on me… It’s a long bloody way to Blackpool on a bike, it takes the best part of an hour in the car?
Team Ward, comprising of Me, Sledge, Boily, Adam & Wardy were ready to peddle our hearts out for our various charities and collect on all the brilliant pledges that so many of our friends, family & colleagues have made.
With over 10,000 competitors it made for a match day atmosphere and as we inched ever closer to the start line to fulfil our destiny I spied the Boil at the corner of my eye, assuming he was paying respect to the Best, Law and Charlton statue by copying the ‘King’s’ famous one finger goal celebration. A little closer inspection however confirmed that the Yorkshire veteran was in fact providing his very own two fingered tribute!
We’re off and away, turning immediately left on to Trafford Park Road, travel about 100 yards, where I run over a dirty great pot hole and get a rear wheel puncture.
Luckily the team captain was on hand for a quick repair job and off we go again with some good natured banter from the mass cycling hoards ringing in our ears.
Fortunately things are fairly uneventful until the run into Preston where there were one or two collisions involving cyclists, pedestrians, cars and motorbikes and oh yes an unfortunate pedigree moggy that appears to have got in harms way and judging by the multiple tyre marks decorating its once pristine coat it used up all of its 9 goes on that day….
Nobody previously mentioned that Preston to Lytham is largely uphill and with a headwind all the way a fairly horrible experience. The situation did however change as we reached Lytham and the last 7 or 8 miles to the south promenade. The headwinds were replaced by crosswinds of about 50 – 60 miles per hour, supported by relentless sideways rain, perhaps the most enjoyable bit of the whole ride?
Anyway we completed the task in around 6 hours and when all the sponsorship money has been collected should raise about 3 grand for good causes, so again a great big thanks for all your support.
We’re already in training for the next one so watch this space as they say…………
