Latest Activities >> Cycle Ride
BIRMINGHAM TO LLANGOLLEN CYCLE RIDE: SATURDAY 21ST JUNE 2008
Three of us set out on a 117 mile cycle ride along the canal towpaths – Max Clark, Jordan Clark and myself. Today was the longest day, but on this occasion it was the wettest. We had over 13 hours of non stop rain on our journey.
Our quest started at 9.00am on the canal at Tyburn Road, Erdington and David Hulme was there to wave us off. Our first 50 miles were wet, although enjoyable, as we cycled through the Birmingham area, across the West Midlands and into Shropshire. We were doing around 15 to 20 miles an hour, but all was to change at Market Drayton as the towpaths became hard and our speed dropped. We were glad to arrive at Nantwich where we were able to join the Llangollen Canal, knowing there was only 46 miles remaining. It was around this time that we were all starting to feel the pain in our backs and legs. Jordan, the 15 year old, was almost crying with the pain. Max looked at me a couple of times as if to say “I can’t go on, shall we give up”. It was at this moment that I remembered a conversation I had with my children and grandchildren a month ago; my oldest daughter said, “Dad, there is no shame in giving up if it becomes too hard, at least you have given it your best shot”. My youngest daughter and two grandchildren were less supportive, saying “if you give up we will tell all our friends that you bottled it”. So we carried on down into Whitchurch to a welcomed hot sandwich and cup of tea. Refreshed, we pushed on towards Ellsmere, again, we all felt the pain, every bone in our bodies ached. We had to keep encouraging each other saying, “come on we can do this”, but just before we approached Chirk, events went from bad to worse. The towpath disappeared in front of our very eyes and we were in the middle of nowhere. “What do we do”, I asked myself, “wait for a narrow boat and ask for a lift, go back”? It was then that I decided to go across some farm land and try and join the canal further on. We were about ten minutes into our cross country walk when we were attacked by three of the biggest Rottweilers I have ever seen, thank goodness there was a farmer on hand to call them off. About half an hour later we joined the canal.
Llangollen was now only miles away - we crossed the viaduct at 9.00pm and cycled into Llangollen. There were hugs all round, we had done it, but there was more bad news to greet us. The driver who was taking us back to Birmingham had twisted his ankle up Horseshoes Pass, consequently I had to drive home. What a day, what a quest.
I would like to take this opportunity of thanking everyone who have supported this event to enable the work of Emmanuel Young People’s Trust.
Phil Bodenham (Key Worker)