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| Start: Team picture at Robin Hood's Bay, from mist to sun. |
They made it from start to finish in just under 13 hours.
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| Finish: Blackpool welcome in shadow of the Tower. |
It was a gruelling 150 mile ride, with some serious hill climbs, and, for a time, through driving rain with poor visibility.
But a team of tough-minded and focussed individuals, determined to complete the demanding challenge they had set themselves, if anyone found themselves flagging, the good-humour and support of the others was the booster they needed.
Darren Cremona said: "I went through every emotion possible on the way."
The event to raise money for the Happy House was organised by Chris O'Hare, who will be heading out to volunteer there in a few weeks time with his girlfriend Gabriella Gratrix and his son, Jacob, 14.
He and Gabriella, who met through the Coast to Coast ride, have done so much training for the ride they could have kept on going had the Irish sea not been in their way!
Chris said: "Can you believe 19 of us cycled 150 miles and didn't have a single flat tyre! In fact no problems at all, even after Stephen Cox crashed he just got straight back on his bike with no damages! "
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| Time to celebrate!Top right, Elizabeth Gomm with Gabriella, Chris and Jacob |
Team members were: Chris O'Hare, Gabriella Gratrix, Scott Taylor, Sean Devlin, Ian Walker, Ian Kitson, James Godwin, Barrie Hadgraft, Daz Cremona, David Gigli, Paul Brackpool, Alex Cremona, Ian Brownbridge, Mike Ryan, Alex Williams, David Bednarek, Steve Cox, Asa Brown, and Stephen Beesley. Support drivers were: Steve Wilson, Pat Appleton, Stuart Sykes and Ivan Smedley.
Happy House volunteer UK coordinator Elizabeth Gomm and other Happy House friends and team members' relatives were waiting to cheer the cyclists as they came down the home straight along Blackpool Promenade to cross their finishing line on the Comedy Carpet.
Now they are all getting their sponsorship into Chris ready for a final total.
Thank you all for going the extra mile,
Like Blackpool, you rock!
