Ace Cafe Toy Run 2010

Ace Cafe Toy Run 2010

The Alarm went off on the side of my bed and i smacked aroundfor the snooze button. One eye opened and the realization that i would have to get out of a nice warm bed on a sunday at an un-godley hour seemed iminent. But it soon became clear that the 12th of December was upon me…and i shifted my lazy arse out of bed with a hand down the back of my boxers and a finger digging crap outta my eyeball…

i picked my daughter out of her room as she must of heard the alarm go off and woke up…and placed her in my warm patch next to the mrs still half asleep but still able to give me a verble kicking for something i did 2 weeks ago…(how the fck does she do that?) …they both looked happy as a pig in Sht as i brushed my teeth and wiped a flannel over my pits.

Up came the Waffel and time was getting closer to be setting off, you see, it was the ACE Cafe toy run and it was my first one i have been able to attend. I threw on my jacket still with half a waffel around mycake hole and gave my 2 girls a kiss each on their heads and clonked back down stairs, grabbed the lid…and stuck my snout into the great outdoors…threw the key into the bike and …click…studder…studder…YOU C***…!!!..

So…with the battary flat as a dodo i swear abit, wave my finger into thin air a few times and try to bump start my wonderfull bike…after a few tries she sees the light, fires up and we set off to meet fellow LBer Sleeper.

I pull up to sleeper who has made a fantastic effort in his costume and my eyes turn to the box him and his mrshad made stuffed with gifts…’‘Alright mate’’ he says big grin on his face…’’ F*ckin cold init !?!’’…’‘Colder than a witches tit’’ was my reply and with more small talk, se set off too the ace…

Our bellys were full and a very much needed cuppa tea was in hand…we’d ran into the jetstreams with rioting rob, Rixxy, and a few other Lbers going on a rideout just getting a cuppa tea in before their journey…we had a quick chinwag and set off to get ready for the off …had a quick breifing on what to expect, then suited up and was on the road again but this time 50+ strong…this was going to be a good day…i could feel it…!!!

After quite alot of waving too the public…revving engines and letting the whole of London that we were here, we stopped at our destination. (that’ll be Brompton Heart Hospital) and we’re greeted by staff and some very sick little chilldren who are walking as fast as their little legs will take them with the biggest smiles on their faces that would melt any human being alive. The Gifts were handed out by two of our group dressed as snowmen and we all stood there in awe at these brave little souls who are so very sick, but overcome with exitement…I must admit, it all got abit much for me and i had to slip away a take 5 as we still had another 2 hospitals to go. After around 40 minutes we all said our goodbyes, fired up, and proceeded to the next hospital.

We arrived at St Thomas Hospital and made our way to the 3rd floor. while waiting for the kids to join us we mullerd about, sharing tales of the day so far and then afew of our group noticed a little girl one floor above us hard pressed at her window waving her little heart out. we all waved back and beckoned her and her familly who were also at the window to come down. She joined us a few mins later and weall said hi…she loved the snowmen giving her gifts and more chilldren soon arrived including a 7 mth old called Cloe…she stole my heart and i could feel myself letting go again…it was then a christmas mirical happend…she had received the very presenti bought and wrapped…I’ll tell you from the bottom of my heart this is something i will never forget…we gave more gifts to chilldren…met some fantastic nurses and made our way back to the bikes ever more sober about life in genral and went on too the next and final Hospital at St Mary’s Paddington.

This was more of the same, the chilldren absolutley filled with joy at all the pressents they received and everyone was feeling the christmas spirit. I said it before that this was the first time i have been able to do one of thease runs as i was always working in the past and could’nt get cover, so emotions from me were quite high most of the day and i started to feel exhausted as we left in a hale of waves…engine revs and beeps from the horns…i can honestley say…when i looked at Sleeper riding home with me as the end of the day drew near…he was feeling exactley the same as me…tired…cold…and dying to get home too our kids…

I’mlying sat upon the couch at this very moment…ive had a shower and i have a warm laptop on my lap as i write this in word…half drunk cup of tea too my left and my daughter fast asleep in my other arm with her mouth wide open as her little lip tucks in when she breaths and i think about the parents who are at this minute…lying in a chair next to a cott in a hospital…with wires comming out of their chilldren…monitors bleeping…trying to make sence at what is happening… all i can do is hope and prey that just for a vey short time…we helped them forget about the bad…

Merry christmas you little angels…i’ll be thinking of you all…

https://www.youtube.com/v/MPUlichsfQg?fs=1&hl=en_GB

smiled.

:slight_smile:

It was a very cool day out. Something I will never forget myself. I thought we were only going to 1 hospital so I handed all of the presents out at that one:P

It was very emotional to see these sick little ones. I don’t have any of my own but my sis has 2 small children and I feel for them like they were my own. I will do all the charity runs possible.

Merry christmas to everyone and loads of good karma here today:D

Shane,

Mate reading this bought a tear to my eye, but yes with you 100% with the getting home.

Was amazing day (as was the last one) and glad you could make it.

The one thing that stood out as well was one of the nurses saying thankyou as we left, it is not us that need the thanks it is the hospitals staff. What we did was a few hours out of one day of the year they do this day in and day out so my upmost respect to the nurses, families and children at this time of year.

Another plug for the box hill one I heard about, I would love to make that one but am busy it is this comming weekend for those who can make it.

Well Done all. Very good cause.

Very proud of ya :D:D:D

well done!:slight_smile:

Well done!

:slight_smile:

Nice write-up, Shane. I intended to meet you and Sleeper at Catford but got to bed too late Saturday night to get up that early, so went straight to Ace for 11 only to see everyone going the opposite direction on the A40 at 10.50!!!So people - if you go on this then get there early as they may move the “start” time forward. Apparently there was a mismatch between the start time on the flyers (10.30) and the website (11 - which I used).

Another great day. Sorry to miss you both, did keep a look out for you but didn’t see you (apart from when you were taking photos at the back of the van at St Thomas’ but you looked like you were concentrating so I couldn’t come up to you and say hi - anyway I was en route to an urgent visit to the loo).

Massive thanks to the organisers who made this possible, and especially to the Unity Riders (including Stem and our very own Giuliano), they did a fantastic job as always. One of them actually got hit by a taxi that reversed onto his bike as it was trying to make a u-turn; I hope the rider’s ok and that he gets his bike fixed.

Roll on, Toy Run 2011 :cool:

Well done Shane and all involved. This is the really important stuff in life and you wrote your piece beautifully…

Shane, cracking write up straight to the point unlike some of the namby pamby cr@p garret writes, lol.

am pissed i missed it, i am not good with claenders at all, lol, as you know by me calling you and asking where you was.

well done all, and carl/sleeper nice 1 m8.

shane does not have to dress up he looks like a pixie in leathers anyway.:smiley:

one wet willey comming your way big fella…:wink:
smiled.

lol Yer I was next to shane when you called. Did have to have a little chuckle

well done guys.

that’s really sweet :slight_smile: wonderful cause, i never knew bikers did this every year. was meant to come but slept through my alarm, i’d love to join next year

well done folks :slight_smile:

Nice write up Shane!! Well done everyone who went!:slight_smile: