14 July 2008

I never thought we would get a day like this again for the Bike Ride. It was dry, warm with a hint of sun, but more importantly - it was going to stay dry and warm all day - deffo!!!!! 

With this in mind, the riders assembled in Wetherby and the mood was very relaxed and everyone was looking forward to a good day in the saddle.

And so it proved. The ride went off with very little drama, thankfully no major injuries, and the fantastic atmosphere continued all day. For some reason, the entry decided to all arrive at the lunch stop together. The last time I saw so many bikes together was a rush hour photograph of Beijing. But even a bit of queue brought no complaints and the excellent hot pasta, sandwiches and snacks provided by our sponsors Farnell InOne through caterers Sodexho and the fruit from Goosemoor Organics went down a treat.

The scene at the finish was just the same. With the weather still perfect, riders gathered with a cup of tea to relive the events of the day with friends and new friends alike, before many loaded the bikes onto the sponsored Moores Furniture Group lorries for the return trip back to Wetherby.

The organisers reported that the finish rate was high and the finish area was broken down and cleared nearly an hour earlier that 2005.

We had a record entry and slightly more starters than in 2005. Unfortunately we had to reject nearly 1000 riders over-subscribed this year. Our thanks go to everyone who took part; the riders, the sponsors, the supporters, marshals and administration team.

This was a fantastic example of what people can do to a common good. We have a great day out, promote cycling and fitness and friendship, show people the best of Yorkshire and raise a stack of cash for our nominated charities. Is there a better way to spend a Saturday in June ??

The 2006 event brought in a record sponsorship total. Follow Link to Presentations below.

See lo-res video trailer for the dvd coming soon from Mark Smith Media