In 1997 Pat Montuore a police officer in New Jersey had the idea of cycling from New Jersey to the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial in Washington DC to raise funds for the upkeep of the memorial. He managed to round up a group of 18 riders who make the pilgrimage to Washington DC. They raised a total of $18,000.
Since then the ride have grown so that in 2013 there were around 1500 cyclists on 4 rides, which all converged on Washington DC riding into the memorial 2 by 2. Each rider rides with a bracelet with the details of an officer who has ended his watch. These bracelets are provided to the family of the deceased officer. In 2013, in the USA a total of over $1.72million was raised by the Police Unity Tour.
A number of British Police Officers have had the privilege of riding with the Police Unity Tour. The event is so inspirational that Rob Atkin and Gary Byfield set about arranging a UK version of the Police Unity Tour.
I have ridden with Chapter 1 in the USA each year since 2010, despite being neither a police officer, nor a survivor but instead am a lawyer who is a Legal Inspector with Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service (No, I do NOT work for the CPS!). I met Rob & Gary who did a different ride on the USA Unity Tour in both 2012 and 2013 at the start of the parade through Washington DC and was honoured to be invited to take part in the Inaugural UK Police Unity Tour.
The UK ride was from the Police Memorial in the Mall in London to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire over 3 days, arriving in time for the COPS Service on 21st July.
So, on the morning of Friday 19th July, I was outside New Scotland Yard at 0630 to meet up with the rest of the riders. I have to say I was a little nervous being the only non police officer or survivor.
Gradually other cyclists arrived, all a little unsure of where they were supposed to meet. That confusion was a good way to break the ice. It was apparent that most people did not know each other, despite all being Metropolitan Police officers, apart from 8 guests from the Tampa Police and three survivors.
My nerves were not necessary as one of the good points on the Police Unity Tour is that there is no rank everyone is equal (well apart from the essential ride marshals).
There was a briefing session and the handing out of the UK Police Unity Tour cycling jerseys. Then it was time to ride to the National Police Memorial on the Mall for a send off ceremony addressed by President of the UK Police Unity Tour Chapter Rob Atkin, a few words from a member of COPS , prayers from the Metropolitan Police Chaplain and a few words of support from Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, Simon Byrne.
Then at 0900 we were off, with an escort of 4 police horses along The Mall and up Constitution Hill and off up the A5 through North London. It was a chance to start to make friends as we ride two abreast, with 2 motorcycles to help us through the junctions. We also had 4 support vehicles, one of which was a US Police Car with full livery.
After around 11 or so miles, we hit the hill of the day. It seemed to come from nowhere and took everyone by surprise. The foolish amongst us relished the challenge to get up the hill. Still, everyone made it to the first rest stop some 5 miles further along the road. The Bushey Police Club hosted us and it was a chance to take on more water and food supplied to us by the fantastic support team led by Jules assisted by the spouses of the American guests, two police cadets, the drivers of the support vehicles, and not forgetting Pete, the bike mechanic – no one would ever forget him!
After setting off again, we had a couple of more miles on the road before it was time to ride along the wonderfully scenic Grand Union Canal. This was to be our route for the next 30 or so miles in the blazing sun. Those who had mountain bikes fared far better than those of us on road bikes. Contrary to popular images, most of the canal towpath is not flat smooth surface. We rode miles on uneven surfaces and grass.
A lunch stop at a lovely pub provided some relief from the heat of the sun. It was amazing to see how well the group had gelled. Members of the public would have thought we had all known each other for years rather than just 4 or so hours.
After lunch it was back on the canal tow path making our way very slowly towards Milton Keynes. There were moments of light relief, such as finding a canal boat that was also a sweet shop. Some people couldn’t resist the goods. Policemen offering sweets?
An afternoon stop at Tescos in Leighton Buzzard brought fresh fruit and chocolate bars etc all courtesy of the store manager. Ask and ye shall receive says the Bible, and so it was. Thank you Tescos and thanks to the support team for asking the store manager.
By now, it was getting late, and we still had to get through Milton Keynes, the city of a thousand roundabouts and nearly as many cycle paths. We seemed to ride on them all before eventually picking up the A5 for the last couple of miles to our hotel in Old Stratford. We did not arrive there until 20:15, a bit later than expected, but it did make the night time beers and a curry even more enjoyable.
So, day 1 done and 65 miles completed.
Day 2 brought a start at 08:00 and today was to be mainly up the A5. We rode through some rolling countryside at a decent pace. We were at our morning rest stop by around 09:15. The Premier Inn at Weedon kindly allowed us to use their facilities.
We then had a 25 miles stretch to our lunch stop, so we set off again on the A5, a great bit of road. Fast and lots of rolling hills. Just what you want as a cyclist. With our support convoy of vehicles providing a buffer from the Saturday traffic, and the liveried US Police Interceptor car assisting on the roundabouts, we made good timing. We did have an additional break in a lay by, mainly to allow the motorised traffic that had built up behind us to pass.
Just before lunch we rode past the hotel COPS were using for their survivors meeting. The survivors had come out to cheer us on. We made a brief stop there to greet them and for photos. It was very moving to have survivors come and thank us for what we were doing. As I have always said, I’m having a 3 day cycle ride and I love cycling. They are the people who are making the sacrifices and suffering, not us on our bikes.
We left the hotel to head towards lunch, which was literally a couple of hundred yards away, not the 2 or so miles I’d been told to expect. Another pub lunch- Harvester this time – eating far too much as ever. The pub manager allowed the donation buckets to be placed in the pub and herself made a kind donation.
The afternoon stretch was relatively short. 9 miles on the road to Atherstone, and then a similar distance on the Coventry Canal to Tamworth. The canal path was rather pleasant, a leisurely ride at a slow pace with lots of people sat out in the sun and lots of cheery greetings from riders to the public and vice versa. Obviously, there was the inevitable suggestion we were going the wrong way for the Tour de France.
Public reaction is interesting. In the space of 60 seconds, we encountered one female who stood and deliberately blocked the towpath to stop us passing, then we passed a young couple with a pram who couldn’t have made more effort to ensure we had as much space to pass as possible.
We made our hotel by 16:00 and the next day we only had 10 miles to ride, so it was a chance to relax. We had a team meeting at 18:00 when a number of awards were presented, including a framed certificate for everyone who had taken part in the ride.
Then it was time to relax, a few beers and a good night. This was made possible by the fact that on Sunday we only had 10 miles to ride to the Memorial. Outside the Memorial we were to meet up with the Law Ride, a motorcycle ride, and ride with them into the memorial.
Whilst waiting outside the Memorial for the motorcycles, it was decided we should applaud the coach of survivors as they arrive. It would have been a good gesture if we got the right bus. I’m not sure what the coach full of tourists made of 40members of the Police Unity Tour applauding them as they passed. We eventually did applaud the correct coaches.
Then it was time for the last ½ mile of our ride, and the most moving part with the 3 survivors leading us into the memorial where the survivors applauded us in. Once dismounted it was time to attend the survivors’ service. This is something every police officer should attend at some time. It was incredibly moving, and also uplifting to hear the stories told by four survivors. These were interspersed with key note addresses and the laying of wreaths by every police force, and other organisations connected to the police, including one laid on behalf of the Police Unity Tour.
After the service was over, it was time for perhaps the key part of the weekend, the handing of the bracelet in memory of “your” officer to the family of said officer. A very moving experience, but one that fills you with pride and humility in equal measures.
After a buffet lunch and a chance to mix with the survivors, it was time to head home. British Transport Police had arranged travel warrants for the party, but I was lucky enough to get a lift back in one of the support vehicles.
Next year’s ride is a definite for me. The dates 18th – 20st July are already pencilled in my diary
Cycling Around Slowly 