A Ride Odyssey
Monday 2nd July 2001 to Sunday 8th July 2001
Funds raised: £63,000
Number of riders: 163
The outward journey was via Cherbourg for the first time with a first day ride down the Cherbourg peninsular alongside the famous Utah Beach. In the afternoon the Ride stopped at Bayeux where the Sussex Brewery Team were wrongly accused of stealing the tapestry!
The most notable new entrant of that year was Barrie Dawson. Barrie would go in to raise nearly £60,000 for Throat Cancer. In his first year alone he raised £3000. He was one of many who wrote in to thank the ride organisers:
"I would personally like to thank you and your team for doing such an excellent job with the organization of this event. The attention to detail was 200% and as I have a conference and incentive company, I truly understand what this entails."
F
or the all the success in 2001 it was undoubtedly tinged with sadness. The Ride lost two great ride characters in Steve Munt and Alan Rae and then Ride nurse / support regular Judy Dyer died of cancer on Christmas Day.