WOOHOO! What a charity ride

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First of all, a heartfelt thanks for all the previous good luck and best wishes, in particular because of my health recently and of course many thanks to those who kindly sponsored me on my London Bikeathon 2009 ride in aid of Leukaemia Research.

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Hmmm, looking pensive about the ride, getting my friend around the 26 miles, would it ever happen?

Now was I ever worried about getting there early to be at the front of the queue and getting everybody organised.........the ride did not start until 10.00 am but I took this photo as we drove past 'Big Ben' that's the clock tower of the Palace of Westminster (the Houses of Parliament) in London, 2 hours early!

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The 'Big Ben' photo was also relevant as that is a part of the logo for the London Bikeathon, check our medals out, are they good or are they good? :D

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We eventually had 16 in our Team, you have never seen such a bunch of misfits, unhealthy looking people in all your life. My partner and I took a back seat with the ride, as we both had a couple of people to ride with for the whole 26 miles. My friend who is nearly 50, only learnt to ride a bike a couple of months ago and because she is very short and had to borrow a bike on the day, had great difficulty getting her leg over the bike! So, we had to try and plan every set of lights to slow down so she did not have to stop. :eek:

I had a lot of concerns about our non-riding Team member who was organising the half way mark and fortunately she agreed with us about a BIG picnic at the end. So the half way mark was fabulous, loads of bananas, melon and various drinks. There was even a gazebo and chairs provided.

The picnic was so well planned out, even down to anchovies and olives next to the salad and of course fresh strawberries, the picnic truly was the envy of everybody else.

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My CamelBak worked a treat, (that's me no. 94). I was able to carry so much in it, my best ever bargain on eBay for £7! Another favourite photo, just looking at a friend of mine laughing, I think I made some 'rude' comment but the photo still makes me grin.

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This was one of my favourite photos, all along the way you had people cheering and shouting out some funny things, this lady called me a reindeer, so I had to point to my helmet and explain I was an 'Old Dear'! That's my friend to my left, who now is so chilled out and enjoying the ride, pretty amazing really.

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Once in Richmond Park, we came across a few proper deer, absolutely beautiful animals,

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All in all the day was fantastic, the majority of the riders had achieved something they never thought possible. One friend sent me this:

"Like you I have had achievements but they have all been academic and I knew I could do it if i tried. This was different, there was a real prospect of failure. usually I wouldn't even attempt to do something that had this option but with the support that has been offered by everyone I felt secure and able to make that leap of faith"...............that made all the organising worth while. :)

We have nearly hit £5000 or $8210.12 for Leukaemia Research, now that was worth doing. :D

Clock



PS Apart from the adrenalin getting me through the day, I think somebody must have been looking down on me on Sunday, as the previous day I was unwell and the following Monday until now, still suffering from horrible side effects from the medication. Each day I am hoping it will start to ease up. :cool:

Good job Clock! Nice to see you guys made it to the end :D

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Each day I am hoping it will start to ease up

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Wishing the same for you! Thanks for the photos with the report - as a fairly new member of TE I enjoy seeing the people who I am starting to get to know. So glad you felt well for the event and it looks like it was a wonderful day.

Sounds like an incredible ride! Thanks for sharing!! LOVED the photos - y'all look so happy. :D GREAT JOB!!

Nice work! Hope your riding buddies had a blast too!

Woot!!!! Congrats, Clock! I was wondering how you did, and hoping that you had a blast. Judging from the pictures- you certainly did!!! :D
LOVED all the pictures- looks like your group really enjoyed yourselves and had a wonderful time. Great job on raising so much money- huge kudos to you.
And yes, the medals are quite awesome! :)

I was just thinking of you today, Clock!
because I bought you a postcard;)
This thread makes me happy. You did a great job recruiting your friends and you raised so much money! I am truly impressed.

Great report clock! Enjoyed reading this and your "not published in Hello magazine" writeup! Good job to you and your team.

Great report, and congratulations on a job well done! :cool:

By the way, you look great :)

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Am all excited as today we have reached the final figure of £7745 (US $12273.54 or AUS $14110.75)
raised for LEUKAEMIA RESEARCH

My partner and I are looking forward to getting a bigger team and raising even more money in 2010.

Thanks to the friends on this site who kindly sponsored us.

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Clock

Clock, that's great! Thx for sharing and the pics.:)

Way to go! That looks like a really fun ride. Loved the pictures. :D

That's awesome Sally, congratulations on your final figure!

Zen was asking me, "what park were you in and what is the building in the distance behind the Big Ben"?

Well, the building behind Big Ben is the Houses of Parliament, this photo explains all:

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This is perhaps the most common view:

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The park was actually the grounds of the Royal Chelsea Hospital, the yearly Chelsea Flower Show is always held there too.

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There are few institutions in the United Kingdom with an unbroken three centuries of service and none of them is so close to the heart of the nation as "The Men in Scarlet", the Chelsea Pensioners, and their home, the Royal Hospital Chelsea. Founded in 1682 by King Charles II and intended for the 'succour and relief of veterans broken by age and war', the Royal Hospital, with its Grade 1 listed buildings, still serves its original purpose and intends to continue to further its role well into the 21st Century.

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A couple of these lovely gents where around on day of the bike ride, one in particular was really cheeky, because of my helmet he came up to me and gave me a hug and whispered "you've got a nice pair", he was meaning the antlers on my helmet.................I think! :D

Clock

how wonderful! thank you so much for sharing!

Love the antlers :)

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Originally Posted by ClockworkOrange

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A couple of these lovely gents where around on day of the bike ride, one in particular was really cheeky, because of my helmet he came up to me and gave me a hug and whispered "you've got a nice pair", he was meaning the antlers on my helmet.................I think! :D

Clock

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You naughty Brits. Even cheeky stuff, when said with a British accent, is endearing as all get out. Congratulations on a very successful ride!

Are those gentlemen in uniform for a special event, or do the pensioners who stay at the hospital there wear them all the time?

Roxy

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Originally Posted by channlluv

You naughty Brits. Even cheeky stuff, when said with a British accent, is endearing as all get out. Congratulations on a very successful ride!

Are those gentlemen in uniform for a special event, or do the pensioners who stay at the hospital there wear them all the time?

Roxy

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Hi Roxy

I must confess to not knowing the answer so have Googled it for you:

In-pensioners are entitled to come and go from the Royal Hospital as they please, and are permitted to wear civilian clothing wherever they travel. However, within the Hospital, and in the surrounding area, in-pensioners are encouraged to wear a blue uniform. If they travel further from the Hospital, they should wear the distinctive scarlet coats instead of the blue uniform. The scarlet coats are also worn for ceremonial occasions, accompanied by tricorne hats.

In uniform, the pensioners wear their medal ribbons and the insignia of the rank they reached whilst serving in the military. They may also wear other insignia they earned during their service and many pensioners now wear parachute jump wings and even SAS jump wings.

It is illegal to impersonate an in-pensioner; at one time this was punishable by death.

I have learnt something too.

Clock

Congrats to you and your team on your ride. Very impressive amount of money raised as well. Loved the photos and your write up. Especially loved your helmet. :D

What a great thread!! Thanks for sharing, and excellent job!!!

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I received a phone call yesterday, from Leukaemia Research, to tell me that our Team is to be given an Award! :eek:

Unfortunatey, not all of the Team are allowed to go, so there are only 7 of us, I had to choose the people who had raised the most money, which seemed fair.

Anyway, Tuesday week we are all to go to Piccadilly in London to the Awards Party.

My friends are so very excited and I am excited for them, it will be a great evening, lots of fun too.

China Town in Leicester Square is not far away, so I expect we will all finish there for the evening and have a nice meal.

Just had to share my good news.

Clock

Bravo! This post made me smile. You guys look so happy in the photos. Way to go - big pat on the back!

Wow!
A big hooray for you and your team!

Well, tomorrow evening is the Awards Party, I should be excited but with my son still out of work, I am more worried about that, just hoping he has got food to put on the table for his family! Yes he is nearly 34 years of age but I cannot stop worrying. :(

Got to put on a smilie face tomorrow, if only for my other friends who are so very excited.

They don't know but I am going to be able to give them copies of the Awards Certificate to keep and I shall do that once we get to the Chinese Restaurant as a surprise. :)

Clock

That's really awesome! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Thanks for the pictures, too. I really appreciate seeing pics from England. I'd love to go there some day.

AND FINALLY...................

Yes, I promise this is the last post regarding our Bike Ride.

BUT IT WAS A FAB EVENING

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Always a bonus when it's an free bar but we were all well behaved and did not drink too much. Moi, the one with the sticky up hair. :rolleyes:

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The guy on the left is Alastair Campbell, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s spokesman, had been called 'the real deputy prime minister' and 'the second most powerful person in Britain'. Also, sponsored by the US President George W. Bush to complete the London marathon in aid of Leukaemia Research many years back.

Guy on the right is Geoff Thomas, former England football player, who has had Leukaemia and recovered. The man has raised thousands for Leukaemia Research and is continuing to do so.

Our Team members that were able to go along had such a great time and then even more excitement, when I gave them their personal copy of the Award.

So, next years plans, I am planning on making a target of £10,000, think that's about $16540, perhaps I am aiming too high but I feel it is the only way to go. :)

Clock