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14 TOP cover aUtUmn 2012

FeAture

THe ride

for your

life eight ‘cops’, Five DiFFerent Forces, TOTAL RAISED £5,000!

980 miles on their Bikes, What

coUlD possiBly go Wrong?

April 2012 saw Team PFOA cycle from Lands End to
John O’ Groats in just 10 days. The aim of the ride was
to promote awareness of the role of Firearms Officers
and raise money along the way for the PFOA. Karl
Smith, the team captain, chose the latter part of April as
a start date as the temperature would be rising and the
days getting longer… or so he thought. What actually
happened made grown men weep and almost curtailed
the challenge. From day one the weather was awful.
The team endured freezing temperatures, gale force
winds and persistent rain. So bad was the rain the riders
resorted to wearing surgical gloves to keep dry.
Tim, Rich and Brian adapted to the hilly conditions
well, mostly due to where they live, but it’s fair to say
some of the other riders suffered, particularly those
from the Fens and Norfolk where the steepest hill is a
speed bump!
The riders met up with various sponsors along the
route as well as speaking to members of the public,
many of who felt sorry for the team cycling in such
atrocious conditions!
Guest riders, including Sue Freeburn from RJW
Slater Gordon Solicitors, joined our heroes at various
stages. Others included Mark Ayling, Hay on Wye,
JB from Tayside and a group from the MDP based at
Clyde Marine.
As well as the normal punctures and the odd
chain coming off, the team’s bikes stood up well to
the adverse conditions. Iestyn had a moment with a
waNT To RaIse MoNeY foR THe pfoa? cherry picker he would rather forget – day one ‘stuff’
really – look where you are going! Leggo had to retire
if you are interested in a sponsored event and want the
pFoa to be your chosen charity please contact us on deep into the ride with a serious knee injury. Steffan
0845 543 0163 had an Achilles injury; his own fault due to his saddle
position! Pete, the whippet from Suffolk, enjoyed the
the pFoa is a registered charity in england & Wales 1139247