Town Crier Starts Indoor Cycle Marathon
Town Crier, Rex Swain set the wheels in motion at Rye Community Centre at 12 noon on 15 March when he ‘belled off’, Gary Booth for the first hour stint in a 24 hour marathon event to raise money for the Club to help Kenyan member Richard Mwangi with his Further Education.
Richard impressed members when he rode with them for six months last summer. He is back in Kenya now kicking his heels in his home village hoping that the efforts of his friends in Rye can help him realise his ambition of becoming a teacher.
The event was held during the Two Day Antique & Collectables Fair by kind permission of promoters John Sinclair, John Murphy, and the stall holders.
Riders rode one hour at a time on rollers, the second rider was up and riding before the first man dismounted. The event was planned to the minute and ran smoothly throughout day and night until the finish at 12 noon on Sunday 16 March.
Most of the riders used modern rollers which are silent but Ben Sharp dragged out an ancient set of prewar rollers which roar like thunder and are very difficult to ride. Ben was pleased to get off at the end of his ride but not half as relieved as his clubmates who were almost deafened by the noise!
‘Thundering Express’
prewar rollers
New membe r Lynda Hamilton did the midnight shift and another stint at 8am Sunday morning. Al-most every member played a part in the event, either riding or helping. Gary Booth and Barry Goodsell did the lions share of the riding doing nine hours between them. Other riders were Peter Holland, Martin Carter, Roy Fritchley, Jim Hollands and Mark Nash.
Town Crier Swain was present again to do the countdown to the finish. Appropriately Gary Booth rode the last hour. The indoor Marathon was Gary’s idea and he did most of the organising. The total combined distance ridden without moving an inch was in excess of 450 miles.
Rye Wheelers 24 hour Indoor Cycle Marathon at the Rye
Community Centre Sat/Sun 15/16 March.
More than £750 has been raised, this will pay for two terms of the course that Richard Mgwabi is hoping to take up. Members are already talking of holding an ‘Auction of Promises’ to pay for the third term of Richard’s course.
Richard back in
Kenya
Rye’s Own April 2003
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