The intrepid Jesters cycling team, comprising of the
four ‘F’s, arrived back in Pattaya from Ubon last week. The riders
raised over B300,000 for charity, and would like to thank all those who
sponsored them.
The
Four “Fs” and their support group, weary but happy they made it.
The team set off in the extremely stupid hours last
Friday morning in pick-ups and minibuses up to Ubon. One rider went in a
pick-up following the actual proposed route back down, with the other
going up by convoy along the busier main roads. It was soon apparent that
one of the strengths of the team was not orienteering as the pick-up got
slightly lost around the Cambodian border well north of Aranyapratet and
actually crossed into Cambodia before asking for directions to the nearest
town from a somewhat confused army officer. Still, everyone arrived in Si
Saket on schedule and completed the easy first leg of Upon/Si Saket just
before the light died.
The next day was somewhat different with a couple of
salient points becoming obvious. Firstly, the ride should have been
Pattaya to Ubon because of the prevailing wind direction (i.e. right in
our faces) and secondly, Richy realised that the mountain bike was not the
preferred machine for the ride!
120km and six hours later, the battered and somewhat
disillusioned riders arrived at the hotel in Surin and ran into the hotel
massage parlour! It’s amazing how difficult it is to get a proper
physical massage when you want one.
There
was hardly a dry eye in the crowd when the blind children sang “You Are
My Sunshine” as their way of saying thanks.
The next day it was Lahan Sai that was the target, with
the intrepid pathfinder Baker making his first, but not last, wrong turn
adding a few unwanted kilometres onto the ride. This ride took the group
through a more scenic part of Thailand with country roads, buffalos and
rice fields featuring heavily.
During some intricate manoeuvring for position on this
ride, Ian Nicholson made the mistake of trying to pass the human wind-wall
Baker and received his comeuppance as he slid down the road with the bike
still attached to him!
Day four was considered by the guys to be the most
demanding as it entailed crossing over the hills to Aranyaprathet.
Mountain Man Wilson was particularly concerned, citing no low gears as
being a potential problem. Luckily for the riders the weather was kind
with clouds and drizzle whilst crossing the hills, and the downhill
section proved to be particularly interesting with speeds of nearly
70km/hr being reached. At this point, Richy’s knee was giving him so
much grief that he rode at a comfortable pace for his 58 year old knee
(gotcha Richy!) but plodded along regardless.
Team Olympic orienteer then made his second major ride
mistake and took himself, Ian and Jon on a 20km detour. However, the pork
at that little restaurant was worth it. After the detour, the heavens
opened, and team “racing boys” spotted Richy “the tortoise” ahead
in the distance. After riding behind Richy undetected for some time, Richy
then had brown kittens after being brought out of his riding trance by
Baker the hooligan requesting right of way.
The weather had the last laugh as the mother of all
storms swamped the riders for the last 30km of this 130km section. With no
real shelter the riders plodded on through it with trees falling down
around them, water containing snakes from the fields flooding across the
roads. All in all, an interesting day.
Day five was a completely different kettle of fish,
crossing the rice bowl of Thailand to get to Kabin Buri. The weather was
hot, hot and damn hot, but no thanks to the support vehicles all riders
made it.
Day six was a short hop of 70 km to Rayong, missing
route 331 due to road safety and instead planning on riding an equivalent
distance from Ban Phe to Pattaya on the final day.
And what a final day it was. 75kms of easy riding
followed by food and beer at Shenanigans and TQ.
The team then rode from Shenanigans two days later to
the Blind School in Naklua, accompanied by the Jesters on Harleys, to give
all 160 kids lunch. The kids reciprocated by singing some songs, and there
were a few moist eyes amongst the Jesters and families when they did that!
Of the B300,000 raised, B190,000 will go to the Blind
School with the remaining going towards the Huey Pong Project in Rayong.
The riders would like to thank all sponsors, the
support team of Lewis, Imperial Peter and Jonny No-Mates for their help.
The ride was an excellent week of fun, pain and
massages, and the team is already planning their next one!
Helle
Ransten, welfare coordinator for the RLC, and committee members enjoyed a
successful annual charity bazaar.