Yes folks, it’s that time of year again, where a bunch of natural athletes - and a huge mass of very unnatural athletes - lug out a metal frame with wheels on it, brush off the rust and cobwebs, oil the gears, pad up their rear end, and venture out onto the roads of Pattaya’s fair city in preparation for the Annual Jesters Charity Bike Ride on Sunday 15th September.

For those of you who have not been fooled, misled, tricked, beguiled or got duped into it whilst under the influence of alcohol (this is my excuse as I certainly don’t remember volunteering), let me explain the basic concept of this year’s little jaunt out on a couple of thin wheels, powered by a chain and your own little legs.

10 & 50 KM
There are two courses this year, both of which are in ‘Harrier terms’ A to A, but seem uphill all the way. One of 10 kilometers and then the real thing, the 50 kilometers ride. This will take you out from the Diana Garden Lodge & Driving Range along Beach Road, then out into the country alongside Siam Country Club, round Mabrachan Reservoir and then back to the Diana Range. Sounds easy, doesn’t it. Have a look at the map provided, then set out in a car and see how long it takes you.

Set-Up Bike Ride Sponsors & Voluteer Helpers
As last year, Khun Supaporn Sara of B.T. Insurance has kindly come up with the wear to sponsor the bike ride, so that all the money that is raised by the bike riders goes straight to the kids. Without B.T. Insurance there would be no bike ride, as nobody wants to struggle their way round without a positive end result.

The entry fee for the ride is B.300 (men, women, children, and pensioners all the same price - after all, it is for charity). For this charitable donation you get a pat on the back at the beginning from the organizing committee, and seven strategically placed water stops manned by volunteers with ice-cold bottles of B.T. Insurance water. These water stops are marshaled by those stalwarts of the Pattaya community, Wayne (Blowfly) Ogonoski, Mark Gorda, Kurt Farnham, Wanchai, Gerry Carpenter, John Kennedy and John Wilson, who have all become dab hands at handing out frivolous free advice. Both routes are graphically marked out, and there are sweepers for both routes, Jack Levy naturally falling into that category. Jesters’ Robert (Scar) Taylor will be leading the Bike Ride off at the beginning on his Harley Davidson to ensure a smooth start.

B.T. Insurance Staff at dinner at Shenaningans

The Bike Ride is not a race, but the honour of finishing is the prize. A commemorative plaque has the name of the rider achieving the most sponsorship on it. Therefore the person with the most sponsorship gains Jesters Charity Drive immortality and, already up on the Plaque are

- Erik Sorenson (2001)
- Kim Fletcher (2000)
- Peter Robinson (1999)
- Paul Baker (1998)

On completition of the ride everybody receives a certificate with their name and time on it. This year upon entry, all entrants will be given a special commemorative cycling shirt supplied by Chris and Ueli Balzli of Baltex. Now come on, how many of you have actually ever owned a proper bicycling shirt before? The boys from Baltex assured me they make you go faster.

Helping out on registration will be Jesters Wild Bill Freeman, Malcolm Clare, and Mark Coombes of the Pattaya Panthers, Aom, and Moo. This can either be done at

Shenanigans The Irish Pub, on Saturday 14th September between 6.00 p.m. – 9.00 p.m.
or before the start of the ride at
Diana Driving Range between 6.30 a.m. – 7.30 a.m.

Sponsorship forms are available from Shenanigans, Tahitian Queen, Diana Driving Range and Diana Inn, or download it right here at

www.care4kids.info/fairs/2002/prints/map_bike_print.htm

Please remember to bring along your sponsorship money, all forms, as well as your B. 300 when registering.

The route will be monitored by Pattaya’s Volunteer Tourist Police to make sure of everyone’s safety.

So, in the next couple of months, if you see some poor red faced, grey haired, pot bellied old fool peddling away at the side of the road give him a wide berth as it’s probably me practicing for the big day.