Helen Rogers
Band of Bicyclists
Fundraising for Help for Heroes
Story
Daily Updates! Please ask to see the daily newsletters when we return, the text updates are shown below!
Band of Bicyclists - Day T-1 23rd May 2009
The start of trip packing, as various team members began dropping off the equipment for the trip, the support team familiarised themselves with the logistics equipment for the trip.
Band of Bicyclists - Day 1 24th May 2009
A new day dawned bright and fresh over the flatlands of Cambridgeshire, the intrepid band of bicyclists met up bright eyed and bushy tailed, in fact Mark Marsay and Anne Hewett were a little too enthusiastic, arriving a full 15 minutes before the rest of the group, at a eye watering 5.15 am!
After a gentle run down the motorways of England (largely because the performance of our minibus/trailer combo could be measured by sundial) we picked up the stragglers (Graham Gabb & Helen Rogers) at the port of Dover.
A short crossing and nutritional pint of Stella Artois (It's not French you know!) for the non drivers saw us into France. With a mere 335 miles to our lodgings and an over active H4H bear on board - he does get everywhere.... We finally arrived a 9pm local time
Follow a wee drop of "Van Rouge" a plan of action was formulated for the next day.... Who knows, it might even involve cycling!
BoB - Reporting from a slow minibus in Northern France - 24th May 2009
Tomorrow - Pictures of people on Bicycles and tight clothes...
Quote of the day - at Dover customs "Last time I was searched like this, there was an AK47 pointing at me!" - Gav Hukin
Band of Bicyclists - Day 2 25th May 2009
The night before had been a beautiful Indian summer and hopes we high as the exhausted masses (having failed to find a bar) turned in for the night.... However our French hosts had laid on a little bit of home for us all... Rain! As the group togged up in their best lycra - well we did promise you pictures!
To ensure they were covering the required miles, navigator in chief, Ronnie Macleod took an additional 10 mile diversion from the off......!
As the team ambled into Ste Marie Eglise for their lunch stop, we were treated to a moving wreath laying ceremony and a display from the Red Devils parachute team, fortunately not finishing on the church roof......
When the main band of brothers bicycle had moved off, and after the "A" team of Carl Stretton, Ronnie Macleod and Elric Heslop had helped a damsel in distress change her inner tube, then they were off again!
As they wobbled off the wrong way down a private road (Quote from anon "We can do that as we won the ***** war") the next homage was at Omaha Beach as the pathfinder team powered off into the distance - indeed the beat the support team to the final meeting point, the remainder of the group arrived in at a more sedate pace! With 81 miles on the clock for the first day, congratulations, and when the gasping had stopped, Van Rouge (spot a theme here?) was handed round.
Now with sore backsides ("with a bear behind" - Quote Helen Rogers), the team retired to another of the high class pre-fabricated hotels that are our home for the week!
We can't not mention the glorious sight of a furious French farmer leaving his load at the supermarche door!! And yes is did smell worse then 5 day old cycling shorts (editors note... how would you know?!)
Tomorrow - More John Wayne walks and lycra......
Excuse of the Day "I fell off because I was looking at that *** birds *** on the bike in front" - c/o Clive Jones.
www.justgiving.com/bandofbicyclists
Band of Bicyclists - Day 3 26th May 2009
Reporting from hotel cell block H, after a good meal the night before and Mick Mahon demonstrating that you can fit a minibus and trailer through the pedestrian entrance to the car park in the centre of Caen! BoB trip enters its third day of fun and frolics. To continue another theme, the glorious wet weather greeted us along with a protracted negotiation to get our breakfast before heading out into the Normandy countryside.
As the support team manfully stayed dry our intrepid cyclists headed out in the direction of Arromanches-le-bains.
Following a storming ride down the coastal road, stopping at Gold, Juno and Sword beaches for moments of remembrance a well earned lunch was taken at Pegasus bridge, vital in its strategic location for the left flank of the D-Day landings.
During the lunch break, Elric Heslop decided to have an impromptu paddle in the large puddle adjacent to the minibus and then enjoyed the afternoon with a wet right shoe....
Heather "Turbo" Uzzell, lead the group off for the afternoon leg of the stint - upto the coast and then back down to Caen for the overnight stop.
As the hardened cyclists (certifiable?!) decided to add an extra few miles onto the already tough day a decision was made for the group to split - so they got lost independently of each other!
Frantic phone calls with people clutching sat nav's increased and just to ensure that we had a crash of the day nomination, Graham Gabb's collision with the bus sealed that prize... (The bus has been treated for trauma and Graham is fine after being struck by the bus)
Finally the group arrived back at base for a brief Van Rouge tasting session and to allow Mark "I love my bike" Marsay time for a quick clean up on his sprockets.
Tomorrow - more rain and tired legs
Quote of the Day - "I want to beat Ronnie to ****ing death with his sat nav" - Helen Rogers
Band of Bicyclists – Day 4 27th May 2009
On the road again, your intrepid reporter writing from a lay-by in deepest France! As the team enters the hump day of the trip – its all downhill to Paris from here on in! Or so we keep telling them…
An unusual start to the day, with breakfast served on time and…. No rain! Well not until lunchtime! A tough morning for the team with lots of long climbs during the morning, finishing with a 3km hill to the lunch stop – ouch! However from this did come one the best quotations, whilst racing up the final hill Calvin Crompton was overtaken by a very fit female rider, which he duly gave chase to – unsuccessfully.. Upon arrival at the lunch stop he was heard to exclaim "I tried my best, but she blew me off all the way up!"
Following a lunch stop made memorable for the team hiding in the trailer out of the wind and rain, before heading back out Gavin Hukin decided that a little motivation was in order, so the group startled other riders with their rendition of "Sunshine Mountain" before heading off for the afternoon! Check out the YouTube clip at (TBA when I can get the account to work!) Unbeknown to the group Helen Uzzell had sneaked off early to get a head start on the group and finished off the fternoon then proceeded to guess her way back to the hotel!!
Back with the main group, singing had broken out en-route until the first major hill! As the afternoon progressed smaller groups found their own pace along the route, all hoping to see Clive "Cool Cat" Jones take another fall from his usual effortless progress!
Final note of the riding day goes again to Gavin Hukin who by "accident" missed one of the route markers to the finish, and in the process cunningly avoiding a huuuge hill at the end… He protests innocence, we are not convinced!
Following careful voting – the following awards were handed out
Quote of the Day – Calvin being blow off up the hill
Lone Ranger Award – Heather Uzzell
Rider of the Day – Anne Hewitt
Care in the Community Award – Calvin Crompton & Mark Marsay
Dick Van Dyke Award – Gavin Hukin
Hill Avoidance Award – Gavin Hukin
Tomorrow – more rain and silly awards!
www.justgiving.com/bandofbicyclists
Band of Bicyclists – Day 5 28th May 2009
The penultimate riding day is here! With the hump day over,spirits were high in the BoB camp, and we were even blessed with a dry day – no not really…! In the driving rain the team headed off into the distance, leaving the support team with a flat battery on the minibus to sort out! It was later discovered that an unnamed person left the interior lights on..
With team tandem suffering at the front and the back, sleep deprived Elric Heslop suffering due to Carl "Carpet Pizza" Stretton the night before, ensuring the room got little of the much needed sleep..
Lack of sleep being the theme of today’s report, with a change in the sleeping arrangements leading to the quote of the day from Calvin Crompton being heard to say – "I can’t take the punishment any more" (of sharing a room with the snoring Graham Gabb)
The morning generated the most pathetic accident avoidance from he tandem pair, approaching a corner to fast, instead of taking it like men and eating gravel, they chose to go straight on and hop off, earning them "bail of the day award"
Following a good feed at lunch and a change in the weather – urrarh! The team headed off for the afternoon of pedalling.
With the quota of punctures growing and the language of Graham Gabb becoming more blue, and when the team finally caught up onnie Macleod, they were swept up by support crew and delivered into the hotel for the night!
Final word of the day goes to Anne "Homer" Hewitt for not nderstanding what colour a white cross on a white background is…. Just ask her!
So we promised more silly awards...:
Rider of the Day – Sleep deprived Elric Heslop
Bail of the Day – Carl Stretton
Care in the Community – Calvin Crompton
Puncture of the Day – Graham Gabb
Lone Ranger Award – Ronnie Macleod
Quote of the Day – (again) Clive "can’t take the punishment" Crompton
Bodily Function Award – Carl Stretton
Homer Award – Anne Hewitt
Tomorrow – Paris !
www.justgiving.com/bandofbicyclists
Band of Bicyclists – Day 6 29th May 2009
Fantastic! Incredible! Amazing! The last day is here and we are heading to Paris, even he weather had been switched from rain to sun!
It feels like we only started yesterday, yet nearly 400 miles up and countless hills later we are on the run in for the final push.
With no drama the cycling team powered off into the distance from our overnight stop, with 20 + temperatures, it was clear that sun cream and glasses were the order of t he day! Battling strong head winds and ever increasing traffic, the team sent its elite pathfinder force of Ronnie Macleod, Laura Cuss, Clive Jones & Graham Gabb to navigate the route for the remainder of the team! Helen Rogers decided that just riding was dull, so decided to play chicken with the French traffic, earning her a fine nomination for avoidance of the day! Wind blown but spirits high, lunch was served just a few miles short of outer Paris.
Before the team commenced battle with Paris traffic on a Friday afternoon (!) a few running repairs were needed on the well used equipment, in particular the tandem was losing gears faster then the boys could find them….With a route taking the cyclists through beautiful Versailles and the support team round the less interesting (but far more scary) Paris Peripherique, we headed for the Eiffel Tower and the end point on our journey.
After a short faff with the gps (as has been traditional on this trip!) the team made it unscathed through the suburbs and rolled into the Eiffel Tower in the afternoon sunshine!
And – that folks is it! As promised we have cycled from Cherbourg to Paris, hopefully we have kept you entertained and by the end of our efforts an extra £10,000 will have been raised to support Help for Heroes.
A few thanks, in no particular order – Carl Stretton and Ronnie Macleod, for organising the bulk of the trip and aided on the promotion and fundraising side by Helen Rogers and Elric Heslop. Great work guys and girl.
Massive thanks for all our employers for supporting us in this ndeavour.
Finally, last but not least a massive thanks to all who have sponsored us, donated, bought cakes and put up with our antics for this great cause.
So to sign off in the way you have become accustomed too – the awards!
Rider of the Week – Anne Hewitt
Fall of the Week – Helen Rogers
Entertainer of the Week – Gavin Hukin
Quote of the Week – Elric Heslop ("seamless GPS integration")
Lone Ranger of the Week – Heather Uzzell
Tomorrow – Sleep zzzzzzzzzzzzz !
www.justgiving.com/bandofbicyclists
Last year, 275 Help for Heroes (H4H) cyclists, including a team from the Tri-service rehabilitation centre at Headley Court, cycled through the battlefields of Northern France to link the actions of servicemen and women of the past with those of today.
This year a team of 15 RAF Wyton and RAF Marham cyclists (and support crew) (RAF personnel, MOD and Industry alike, including BAE Systems and Honeywell Aerospace plus a few supportive partners and friends) will be cycling across Northern France to commemorate the Allies’ liberation of Europe 65 years ago. The route from Cherbourg to Paris will incorporate visiting numerous WW2 memorial sites and battlefields, culminating in laying a wreath at the Arc de Triomphe before cycling under the Eiffel Tower.
Raising money for Help for Heroes (www.helpforheroes.org.uk), the team will head across the Channel on the 24th to return saddle-sore yet triumphant on the 30th May 2009. This is no mean feat covering approx. 400 miles during their 5 days in the saddle, averaging a gruelling 80 miles a day.
All sponsorship money will go direct to the charity as all accommodation and travel costs will be paid for by the team. Donating through Justgiving is quick, easy and totally secure. Help for Heroes gets your money faster and, if you’re a UK taxpayer, Justgiving makes sure 25% in Gift Aid, plus a 3% supplement, are added to your donation.
We are training hard in preparation for our cycling challenge and would be enormously grateful for anything you can sponsor us.
Be it a little or a lot, your contribution will support a very worthy charity, close to all our hearts.