Far from being Hell’s Angels, five Scilly bikers will be Health’s Angels this week as they raise money for charity.
The Scilly five, plus 21 others, are riding the length of the country and back on a motorcycle charity run in aid of Cornwall Air Ambulance.
Steve Smirke, James Sherris, Cyril Nicholas, Mark Praeger and Steve Harding, all of St Mary’s, set off yesterday to ride from Lands End to John-O’Groats and back in five days.
‘I?ve done it on a push bike and fancied doing it on a motorbike and raising money for the Air Ambulance at the same time,? Carpenter Steve Smirke told ScillyNews. ‘It was one of those things that seemed a good idea when you talk about it in the pub!?
He will be riding a Yamaha Virago, which he describes as “like a small Harley Davidson” on the run, which ends on 4 May. ‘We have to pay our own food and accommodation, although the Steamship Company were generous enough to take the bikes over to the mainland for free,? he said.
The route will take the bikers to Kendall on the first day, then from Kendall to Inverness, on to John-O’Groats, back to Inverness, Kendall and finally Lands End on day five.
The run is the brainchild of organiser Mike Waters, Chairman of Penzance Chamber of Commerce. “It all started off when I asked my other half (Angie) if she fancied riding to John O’Groats and back at Easter. Her reaction (predictably) was ?on your bike!?” he explains on event website http://www.lejogle.com.
‘She followed this up with the suggestion that I did the run for charity which I immediately agreed to, thereby starting the mountain of work that I set for myself as, instead of doing the trip on my own, I decided to take some others along!?
He organised the run in the name of Penzance Chamber of Commerce to offset the ?unfair and jaundiced opinion of bikers in general? and decided to donate any money raised to Cornwall Air Ambulance.
TV celebrity Dick Strawbridge of Scrapyard Wars, Geronimo and currently It’s not easy being green will be waving the chequered flag at Lands End at the end of the road. “Not only that but he will also be travelling down from his home near Par on his Triumph and in leathers,” boasts the website.
Organisers have anticipated that over ?10,000 will have been raised by the 13th May.