Bull Bike Ride - 3 July 2005
The
origins of the bike ride go back some twelve years to an argument in the pub
between one of the current contestants, Sue Misselbrook and Rippingale born,
village character, Brian Dowse, affectionately known as "Twit". The topic
of cycling was being debated by the bar room philosophers and Brian had made
a comment to Sue to the effect of,
"What do you know anyway? You're too fat to ride a bicycle."
Sue took up the gauntlet and what had started as a two bike race grew in to an event taken up by many of the villagers and indeed contestants from as far away as Bourne. Sue did not win the race but she did beat Brian!
Now some twelve years later Sue had been training hard for "The Race for Life" along with several other ladies in Rippingale, but despite having lost weight during the process she was, according to Brian, still too fat to ride a bicycle. Again the challenge was accepted and we have another Bull Inn Bike Ride.
Contestants and spectators for the grueling three mile course round Rippingale's highways assembled at The Bull at 10.45 am for the 11.00 am start. A Bar-B-Q in the pub garden followed for those contestants concerned that they had lost precious fat reserves.
Ian Misselbrook
© Images copyright of Ian Misselbrook, Michael Exton and Nigel Adams
This years winners were:
Age Group 5 to 10 yrs: Charlotte Aisthorpe,
10 to 16 yrs: Jonathan Atkin
Men's: Karl Gray, Ladies': Sheila Gray
