OUR MOTORCYCLE RIDE ON SUNDAY, 15TH AUGUST 2010

Betsy Wilson, your Motorcycle Moll.

Those of us who rode with you from our Sheffield Visually Impaired Walking Group would like to thank all of you who took part in this as we all had a wonderful time and we even had wonderful weather, lovely and warm unlike our frigid ride earlier this year, but we would jump at any opportunity in spite of any weather!

Fred was our oldest member, having turned 87 the previous week.  He said he had ridden his own bike until after he was 70, just so he could go fishing along the River Trent.  When macular degeneration set in he had to give up both pursuits and when he came with us two years ago he said he never expected to sit on a motorcycle again.  Our next oldest member, George, came with us for the first time and he has the same condition as Fred.  He was like so many older men - after the war he had a bicycle, then a motorcycle, probably an ex army model, before graduating to a motor car.  He was thrilled.  Then there is Sylvia who joined us for the first time and is looking forward to the next ride.  She has poor vision plus poor hearing and she could not use her hearing aids under her helmet.  She is up for all experiences and you should hear what she got up to when she was in the army!  We dare not ask what is happening to the cancer we all know she has.  Then there is Ken, our up-for-anything totally blind member.  He goes on the most scary rides at Alton Towers!  I noticed him fingering the controls on John's bike.  Would one of you let him sit on your driver's seat so he can get the feel of all your controls?  Don't leave the keys around, however.  Ken let me take his place on the ride back as he said his hip was uncomfortable.  I am unsure whether he was simply being a gentleman or whether his hip was sore.  After all, he had been knocked down not too long ago by a car shooting out of a drive without looking to see him coming along and he now has a plate in one hip.  However, this did not stop him wanting to do loop-the-loops when we went glider riding in July at Sutton Bank.  I had gone with the first group and was incensed when only two men were invited to do these loops, so I was included in the second group two weeks later.  Ken did two loops and, I am sure, would have opted for many more, but it began to rain and the gliders must come down even in slight showers.  I got two loops and then called it quits.  First the glider nose goes down to gain speed, and then you are nose up and you are surprisingly pressed back against your parachute.  Then a glimpse of sky, a brief glimpse of earth, and you are quickly upright again.  However, then your head is confused and while your balance mechanism sorts out where you are, your stomach awaits its decision.  I thought it was time to take the T-shirt and get out, but I had great hopes for Ken who followed me.  People like Ken and myself cannot see the ground so we need these 'extras'.    Our youngest rider was Brian who was having his first ride and loved it.  He is 55 but had a stroke a year ago, followed four months later with the vision in his one operating eye dropping 75 percent, he was then eligible for our Group.  He desperately wishes he could work and feel himself to be a real man again
.  He thoroughly enjoyed the company of such a vigorous group as our motorcyclists and he sounded much more manly when he joined a few of us on a grass patch while we ate our lunches.  When Sylvia pulled out a fag and then swore because her matches were in our bus, Brian whipped out a lighter even though he doesn't smoke, explaining that he was tired of being asked for a light so he bought some lighters.  He now 'looks after people' like his partially disabled partner, and myself when he can.  Most of his life  is spent among unemployed youngsters.  Nigel is one of our most proficient guides who we are always eager to include in any of our activities.  We need him on such rides and it is a change from his guiding us places like Kinder Scout.  Nigel rode a motorcycle until it was stolen a few years ago.  And then there is myself, always eager to ride and I thank Paul King for the DVDs he sent from our previous ride!  My only problem this time was how to scratch the itch above my hairline under my helmet.  So, we wish to thank you all, past, present and future motorcyclists, and especially to Garry, Graham, the two Pauls, John and Glen who took us on Sunday.  You really are making a difference to our lives!