The bike was waiting fully fuelled up and checked. As I had done all of this the week earlier for the Paws and Claws run from the Ace to Mayhew Animal Home which sadly through bad weather was cancelled. Thank you to all the members for their generous donations received and as a result we managed to send off a cheque to the Mayhew Animal Home.
Well here we go again the 21st annual Toy Run still headed up by big “only one more year” Ron. He will be there forever. He is like me desperate to do one more ride hoping this is not the last time. I am still managing to cope with the traffic and have not lost my hooligan feeling whilst riding so here is to the future.
It was a dreary cold day with a threat of rain when I left Luton but enjoyable as always. Quite a good crowed of father Christmas figures who formed a choir and sang a carol. We left with the support riders who did a wonderful job of shepherding us through London. We went straight to St Mary’s hospital in Paddington for the first call of the day. A detour was made through the road works at hospital as we entered at the opposite end from our normal entrance. The giving of the presents was carried out and everybody was smiling.
We left the hospital and this year turned down the Bayswater Road into the Hyde park for a change. Straight down the park to the abbey and Victoria memorial then down past the museum onto Kensington Road. Got to Royal Brompton and Harefield hospital which is always a nice ride with the Ace. Christmas riders got a lot of waving from the pedestrians and there was a lot of horn blowing in response. Around visit was made and we set off back to the Ace for a cup of tea.
As we did not go to St Thomas’s hospital this year and so Whittington hospital in Highgate was substituted instead. This would take us past Ace Café and therefore a stop was planned. As the weather really got bad with heavy rain, cold and slippery conditions on our return to the Ace. There was a hands up vote and it was decided by the majority not to take a risk with a ride out to the Whittington hospital.
Best bike and costume prizes were given to Ron who was elected to go with the van on Monday morning to the Whittington hospital to hand out the presents. Well done Ron! We all said our goodbyes and set off home which was not a pleasant ride with rain and cold. Had to wash the bike before I could have garaged it just to get rid of salt.
Although I was pleased to get home I was happy knowing that today we had lifted the lives of some of the children and people we had met.
Well done everybody!
Ian
