The big ride that took place a year ago. Next ride 26th May

The Great RNLI Ride-16th July.

They did it! Malcolm, Mark, Craig and Norman cycled in one day from Reading to the RNLI College in Poole to raise more than £1000.00 for the RNLI.  The highlights of the ride were rain all morning, strong winds all afternoon, and stinging sand along the seafront from Southbourne to Poole. This was topped by three punctures and the need for two new tyres. As Rodney Britton, the RNLI Reading Branch Chairman, said many times to them "but you made it" and they did.

They started well, arriving at the first two stops on time. They set off for the third in the rain. Then the going got tough. They got frozen while they mended their first puncture and were late arriving at the next stop but The Mill Arms, Dunbridge had all they needed.

They battled wind across the New Forest. Norman said “It was like riding in the Tour de France and having a Mark Cavendish moment racing for an imaginary finish line.”

He also said “Our RNLI Cycle shirts, which we were all wearing, caught the eyes of people we passed and we even gained extra sponsorship as a result”.

After cycling up the final hill they arrived in Poole and were greeted by many photo calls in front of the RNLI statue.

Anyone interested in riding next year please email norman.pitcher@hotmail.co.uk