About

I was 16 when my parents bought my first bike; a 2-stroke Raleigh Runabout. I painted her purple and orange and loved riding around Worthing – my first taste of freedom. Sadly this was sold when I joined the RAF in January 1978.

I joined the RAF as a photographer and remustered to be a Ground Electrician the same year. My first posting was RAF Leuchars where I had a wonderful 18 months. I was posted to RAF Newton, married, left the RAF too soon and followed my husband round for 17 years. He had a motorcycle for a while but it was while he was bikeless that I caught the bug again and, at the great age of 43, I passed my bike test first time. I was asked what bike I always wanted and said a dark red Honda Superdream; I was amazed when the person asking me had exactly that for sale with MOT and road tax! £240 later I had it restricted and rode it (badly) for 2 years until my restriction was up. To everyone’s surprise the bike I fell for was the Yamaha TDM 900 that I still own; 15 years later. My husband bought another bike and we enjoyed some great rides as a family.

I was a member of Sawtry MCC, the village motorcycle club and gained my confidence on the road riding out with them. I joined the RBLR in 2007 and it wasn’t long before I was asked to be the 1st Cambridgeshire Rep. I enjoyed several years going to some of the best rallies and being with some of the craziest, funniest and best people you could wish to meet. I had to give up the ‘job’, and much of my social life, when I went off to do a Masters Degree in Geographical Information Systems with Remote Sensing at the great age of 53 – which I am proud to say I was awarded with Merit.

In 2006 I managed to walk up Ben Nevis and in 2008 my son challenged me to sign up for the first RBLR Saddlesore; to ride 1000 miles in 24 hours. So, 2009, I crossed the finish line with over an hour to spare and raised a good chunk of money for the Poppy Appeal in sponsorship. It was the most amazing challenge I had ever undertaken – and thought it always will be until we came up with this idea.

This ride was ‘dreamt’ up by my son and I on a car journey back from an RBLR committee meeting and we just knew we had to try to make it happen. I hope we can get the support we would like but we will be going for it anyway. It is not a fund-raiser; we just want to celebrate the 100th birthday of The Royal British Legion and promote the work they do along with going back to two of the three initial aims of the RBLR when it started; to ride and to have fun (to raise money for the Poppy Appeal was the third). We hope some of those reading this will try to join us along the route on two wheels or come and meet us when we stop for the night.