Pedal2Paris was AWESOME!

Posted by Liberty Hen in Castle Coop News, Cycling from London to Paris for WLS & the Royal British Legion, World War 1 Centenary | 16 comments

Those of you who have been loyally following ‘The Awesome Hen’ will know that at the end of last year I had a sudden rush of blood to the head & signed up for the Royal British Legion’s Pedal to Paris 2014 Bike Ride. It was an attempt to do something personally to honour the memories of the Bede Boys -WLS, Tutty and Bob H and to commemorate the Centenary of WW1 by trying to raise money to help today’s gallant service men and women and their families.

Nearly 300 cyclists gathered at Greenwich

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysrMJjG_ANk

to start the ride and we all finished at the Arc de Triomphe 4 days later.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT_0TktHNIU

It was one of the very best experiences of my life; I loved every minute! Without your fantastic support, I could not have done it and I thank all of you very much indeed.

By looking on the web-site of the Royal British Legion, you can see how the charity uses money raised in donations to improve the lives of servicemen and their families. By looking at my blog (Category: ycling from London to Paris) you can read about my efforts to learn to ride a bike properly and  (LOL) turn myself into a long distance cyclist.

Yours encouraging anyone who’s thinking about doing something similar to go ahead and do it – it was fabulous!

PEDAL2PARIS 2014

WITH THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

WAS

AWESOME!!!!

The Route!

View Pedal to Paris in a larger map

THE

CAUSE

WAS

AWESOME!!!

Wreaths were laid to commemorate those who died:

and funds raised to support for those who survive:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ajzy9fjfLtU

(youtube video source: The Royal British Legion) 

THE GENEROSITY OF MY

KIND SPONSORS

WAS

AWESOME!!!

THE

ROYAL

BRITISH

LEGION’S

LEGENDARY ORGANISATION AND SUPPORT TEAMS

WERE

AWESOME!!!

 (photo credit: Dave Hayward)

MY

FELLOW CYCLISTS

WERE

AWESOME!!!

 (photo credit: Dave Hayward):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysrMJjG_ANk

(Youtube video source: British Forces News)

THE WELCOME OUR

FRENCH HOSTS

GAVE US

WAS

AWESOME!!!

They welcomed us with ceremonies at their war memorials in Calais:

Abbeville:

Beauvais:

 and at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris:

  (photo credits: Dave Hayward)

with bunting in Auchy la Montagne

and with a feature article written by Monique Biéri the ‘Courrier Picard ‘ at Poix de Picardie:

THE

CONSTANT SUPPORT

I WAS GIVEN

BY MY FAMILY & FRIENDS

WAS

AWESOME!!!

both before:

and afterwards:

W. L. S.

(WHO SURVIVED FIGHTING ON THE FRONT LINE IN 2ND YPRES IN 1915

& IN WHOSE MEMORY

I PEDALLED TO PARIS)

WAS

AWESOME!!!

both in his youth:

and in his old age:

THANK YOU ALL SO, SO MUCH!

Yours feeling absolutely thrilled to have been part of The Royal British Legion’s Pedal2Paris ride, 2014,