COME AND JOIN US FOR RIDE 2004

- Wed 28th Apr 2004

The annual event for cyclists on Hayling arrives once more....<%image(20040428-family ride 2.GIF|284|174|)%>We are still actively looking for new riders for this year’s ride in July. There are plenty of places on both the 3-Day and 5-day versions and we would love to see more Islanders taking part in Hayling’s premier charity event. It doesn’t matter what standard of cyclist you are – even total beginners have time to prepare, as well as get the minimum £150 sponsorship for their chosen deserving cause. Please get in contact using the numbers below.






Welcome Home at The Hayling School


We are very pleased to say that once again the venue for this year’s return is our main Island school, as part of a number of events being arranged for the day. The bike ride Welcome Home sub-committee has been liaising with the school’s administration, governing body and fundraising committee to make it a special day on Saturday 17th July. All the Island is invited to welcome us in and to take part in the activities on the school field, which will include games and sideshows, as well as a bar and BBQ.






The Inaugural ‘Hayling 13’


Leap Year Day, Sunday 29th February 2004, was celebrated with a family fun ride around Hayling Island, organised by the Bike Ride, as the first in this year’s practice rides. The event commenced at the Yew Tree pub at 10.30am, taking in a 13-mile route around the Island, finishing at the Maypole at about 1pm. The ride was aimed at families, encouraging mum and dad to ride at their leisure, with sons and daughters of all ages. It was a great success, with over 60 riders, despite the frosty weather and will now be an annual event. It was an opportunity to raise sponsorship money for local organisations, with St Andrews Football Club leading the way, members collecting over £200 for new kit.






Recces 2004


We are not planning great changes to the routes for this year, having introduced miles of new roads and made many enhancements over the last few years. A route recce by John Adcock, Pete Alloway, Dave Collins and Tony Hart will take place this month, mainly to check that the French have not been up to too many tricks! However, and hotel and waystop recce was undertaken in March by Pascal Pichon and Paul Fisher. We are pleased to say that we have found two really good new lunchstops, the first on the road to Caen and the other on the way into Paris, at the top of the last hill! It was also very hard work!






Practice Rides


A series of weekly rides appealing to new riders, devised by committee members Kevin Knight, Rick Hutchings and Leigh Hunter is now under way. Many of these are ‘social rides’, leading up to the main event, with country pubs incorporated, so that new riders can get to know the veterans. Anyone can join in, with rides generally starting at 10.30 on Sunday mornings from the Ship at Langstone. Another event, sometimes thought of as a ‘super practice ride’ is the Channel to Channel ride, organised by Peter McQuade. Now in its 5th year, this takes place on the weekend of Friday evening 14th to Sunday 16th May and involves cycling from Weston-super-Mare back to Hayling, via Salisbury. Please call Peter on 9246-3049, just in case there are some places left.






Details for Ride 2004


The 5-Day 416 mile ride goes out in the afternoon of Sunday 11th July (not overnight, as in the brochure), from Portsmouth to Cherbourg and the 3-Day 221 mile ride overnight on Tuesday 13th July, from Portsmouth to Le Havre. We shall all be in Paris on Bastille Day, 14th July, and return on Saturday, 17th July, from Le Havre, arriving at The Hayling School in mid-afternoon. Entry fees are £315 for the 5-Day and £215 for the 3-Day, with a deposit of £115 being required to secure a place. Standing orders can be supplied, to facilitate stage payments. Riders are expected to raise at least £150 for the charity of their choice, with entry fees and business support paying for the organisation of the event, allowing 100% of the sponsorship raised to be distributed to the nominated charities and deserving causes. A new promotional brochure entry form is now available.






Phone enquiries to 023 9246 1412 or by post to Paris to Hayling, PO Box 30, Hayling Island, Hants, PO11 9UD. Mobile – 07770-888501. e-mail: paul.fisher69@ntlworld.com


Website - http://www.hayling-cycle-ride.org.uk




Paul Fisher

By forum user, Mat