York Wings: Ride For Sight

The westward leg of the ride was tested the following weekend. Again, about six or seven of us showed up to do the trial run, but this time only one bike would make the trip. Murray had brought the company car,

A checkpoint in the 1980 Ride for Sight.

a boat of a Chrysler, and offered to drive as the weather was on the brisk side. I'm no longer quite sure why, but Peter B ended up following us on his unfaired Honda 750F to Windsor and back. Perhaps there was not enough room in the car, or maybe he just plain preferred to ride, but I often looked back from my luxurious, climate controlled back seat, and guiltily watched him do battle with the strong cold winds. In the big Chrysler, everything was quiet and cushy, and we literally felt like we were going only sixty mph even though the speedometer often registered speeds well in excess of a hundred. Throughout that long day, Peter followed us like he was glued to our back bumper, never letting his Honda fall back more than a few lengths. He certainly has my respect for that bit of riding.

With all our preparations taken care of (which included posters, pledge sheets, etc.), it was simply a matter of waiting for the day of the ride and taking position at our assigned checkpoints. I ended up being stationed within the city, which suited me just fine.

The first annual Ride for Cancer went pretty much as planned, and I think the club's organizers were pleased with the results. The money raised was turned over to the Cancer

Sid, myself, and my XS11 at a Toronto checkpoint

Society and everyone started thinking about the next year's Ride and how to make it better. It then came as a big surprise when we learned from the Cancer Society that they no longer wished to be involved with this event. Apparently the amount of money raised was not of sufficient amount to warrant continuing their participation in this project. Put in other words, it was not worth their while. The club was not amused.

So the first Ride for Cancer, as I see it, ended up as a practice run for what would soon become the Ride for Sight. Jim Bently had a riding friend who had lost his vision with a disease that was not well known (retinitis pigmentosa), and suggested that our charitable efforts would be greatly appreciated by the RP foundation searching for the cure. The club agreed and the rest, as they say, was history.