Putting an £800 heart into a 100 mile Lancaster to York bike ride

by Roger Masheder

Just over half way at 55 miles, Roger and Thomas take a well earned lunch break

 At 08.30hrs on the 16th of September 2007 my son Thomas and I joined about 250 others in the ‘Ride of the Roses’ which was a charity cycle ride on behalf of the British Heart Foundation beginning at Williamson park Lancaster and ending in York - a distance of about 100 miles.

The route started by leaving the monument travelling down past the auction mart and going up under the motorway over the top of the hill down into the bottom crossing the River Conder following Wyresdale Road to its end at the crossroads at Littledale post box. We now rode (and pushed) up Quernmore Brow to Jubillee Tower over the top and through the Trough of Bowland turning left at the end and following this undulating road through Dunsop Bridge and on to Newton. Here we joined the B6478 and travelled down into Slaidburn then a step climb out then easier route down through Tosside to Long Preston where we joined the main A65 for a couple of miles through to Hellifield. On leaving Hellifield we took a left turn and joined a meandering country lane which we followed passing Otterburn then down and through to the crossroads at Airton up a very steep climb to Carlton ongoing through Winterburn and Hetton reaching Cracoe.

At this point we joined B6265 for an easier ride along to Grassington and onwards following this road it starts to get extremely hilly again and on this stretch of road we reached our top speed of the day at 39.5mph near enough 40 (good job there was no speed cameras) the road now goes uphill for about 4 miles and we reached the highest point of the day on Greenhow Hill. On the way down into Pately Bridge there was a serious smell of burning brake blocks the hill being that steep, long and twisty that some riders opted to walk down the hill we passed one rider carrying his cycle down with a bent front wheel (he expected to much of his brakes). In Pately Bridge we had lunch

Having achieved about 55miles of our ride and befriended a huge ginger cat that was extremely interested in our sandwiches. Then Rested and fed we set off again at about 1445hrs riding out of the rear of Pately Bridge we go uphill on the A6165 then turn Left and rejoin the A6265 and follow it to Ripon having passed through the town and following on the A6265 for a while we turn off onto country lanes again at the Marton Le Moor turn off following signs for Norton Le Clay then Cundall again turn right at the T junction and head for Easingwold passing through Helperby and Alne. Having passd through Easingwold go up a long hill to Crayke then down to Brandsby now turn right and we followed a reasonably flat road past Marton Abbey, Wiggington and down a very long straight Roman road to the A1237 York ring road, here turn right and follow the ring road to the Clifton Moor Centre and this was the end of our journey.

Factfile: Distance: 103.5miles. Average speed 10.6mph. Time in the saddle: 9 hours 40minutes Total time taken: 11.00hrs (start time 08.30 finish time19.30 Money Thomas and I have been sponsored so far is over £800.00.

 

 

Above: President Graham and friends raised over £700 for the Stroke Association through a sponsored abseil.

Left: Alan Haddington, Liz Axten. and Graham Haddington.

 

Lions president drops in

Lancaster and Morecambe Lions Club’s new president, Graham Haddington of Halton, Lancaster, has dropped successfully into his new role – by abseiling 101ft down a lighthouse. Together with his brother, Alan, and Liz Axten, Kendal Lions Club President, they raised over £700 in sponsorship for The Stroke Association by abseiling down Leasowe Lighthouse at Moreton, Wirral.

Graham said: “My mother suffered a stroke so the cause was special for me.”

He worked as an instrument technician in the power industry for 34 years working in a number of power stations before taking up a post at Heysham. Since leaving he has had a number of full and part time jobs, mainly in sales. The majority of these posts have been related to health and safety clothes and equipment.

“My first contact with Lions and Lancaster and Morecambe Club was when my friend, Joe Pearson, asked me along to a social event and I have been closely involved with the club ever since. I was president in 1997-1998 and was club treasurer for many years. In many ways I feel that I have become president at a good time for the club, which is steadily growing with ages ranging from mid twenties to eighties.

"There is also a good mix of backgrounds and skills. That also applies to our members’ families and friends, including my own wife, Sarah, who are very much part of the club and absolutely vital to its success.

“The main change I would like to see during my term of office would be to reduce some of the formality within the Lions organisation. Of course we need to conduct our affairs in a business like manner. After all we are dealing with money that has been given to us by the public. However I do feel that there is much that can be simplified and needless repetition that could be avoided.
“I believe this is important if we are to attract and hold younger people who are the future of our organisation,” he said.
Away from Lions and work, Graham is a keen golfer.