The Ride to Northampton 2 team completed their 172 mile journey in the worst weather of the three day event. The wind and rain was non-stop right from the beginning of day 3 and made the final days riding the toughest. The weather coupled with a puncture and a bad fall also delayed the team’s arrival at Sixfields until around 14:00 but this meant that a bigger crowd had time to gather to give all 17 riders a rapturous welcome as they peddled in through the gates.
The group set off in drizzle, on the shortest leg of the three day ride. The conditions made it hard with numerous climbs during the early stages of the day. It had been decided that everyone would stick together as one group for the final day and the lads kept to their word, stopping often to ensure the pack formation was kept to. A welcoming downward section saw the group to Eye Brook Reservoir before the realisation that there was a climb to get back out of the valley.
Quick photo opportunity at Eye Brook Reservoir
The main stop for the day was the Waitrose cafe at Market Harborough. The occupants of the cafe looked rather bemused when 17 muddy cyclists joined the queue but many were soon passing on their best wishes as well as donating to the cause. The stop also meant there was time for part 4 of the ‘Mug-Off’. The challenge was for each rider to take it in turns to name a village/town that was listed on the route booklet. This would go on until either Waterworth or Corker got one wrong, couldn’t recall or repeated. It was over very quickly as Corker said Oakham which wasn’t cycled through, just used for its public house.
After final well wishes, the riders left Market Harborough bound for Northampton on National Cycle Route 6. A few beeps of encouragement from Cobblers fans and the riders made their way out of the town. The route for the final leg wasn’t accessible for the support vans so they made their way straight to Northampton to await the riders or to be called back if needed. With a target arrival time of 13:00, a puncture added a slight delay but it was the wind and muddy track that really slowed the group down. In addition, a bad fall left Tom Poole with a dislocated shoulder that managed to ‘pop’ back in and remarkably he was able to cycle the last five miles. A brief rendezvous with the van saw the entire group don British Heart Foundation t-shirts for the final mile to Sixfields where they were greeted with a huge welcome from a sizeable crowd gathered near the club shop.
The group on the final approach to Sixfields
The work didn’t finish there though as the riders immediately started their bucket collection which after counting was found to have raised an amazing £912.31 on its own!
A final lap around the pitch to received the plaudits of home and away supporters alike followed before the riders posed for photographs with Amanda & Alex Henderson as well as NTFC chairman Kelvin Thomas and YCFC chairman Jason McGill.
Riders with Amanda & Alex Henderson, Kelvin Thomas and Jason McGill.
At the time of writing, the justgiving total stands at £5167, this is before the bucket collection and YCFC squad donations are added to it. A number of riders still have sponsorship and raffle ticket sales to collect in whilst a second bucket collection will be held at the return game on Tuesday 23rd February. And on March 3rd, the raffle will be drawn. With all these things to come, it is hoped that the final amount raised will go very close to topping last years total of £7233.
The justgiving page remains open https://www.justgiving.com/ridetonorthampton2/
whilst it is still possible to donate by text:
Text YCFC56 £x to 70070.
Tuesday 23rd February: Bucket Collection before York City v Northampton Town (19:45 ko)
Thursday 3rd March: Raffle draw at York Minstermen’s Quiz Night, The 1922 Bar, Bootham Crescent.
ride to northampton 2 