We all dread thinking about the day when we’ll hang up our leathers for good – whether it’s to sell off our pride and joy to raise money for the kids to go to college, or just for our own safety; much as we’d like to ride well into old age it never seemed possible – until now that is!
We read a wonderful, inspirational story on the This Is Derbyshire website this week of the story printed in the Derby Telegraph in which a local woman got back in the saddle at the tender age of 90! This week Norah Ayre was back on a bike for the first time since 1969 when a crash in Scotland disrupted her enjoyment of the biker lifestyle.
Although her late husband was the one who usually rode them places together, on holidays and at weekends, he was put off by the accident which the couple suffered in Scotland in the sixties. His broken leg kept him off work for a long time and by the time he’d healed he decided not to ride again.
It didn’t stop her from wanting to live on the wild side though, and after talking it through with a friend, all these years later Norah found herself riding pillion with local riding instructor Andy Rayfield near the offices of BBC Radio Derby, which was joining in the fun to raise money for Children in Need by organising their fifth annual Children in Need motorcycle ride across the city. More than 60 keen bikers took part to raise over £500 for the charity.
“I had always wanted to get back on a bike after the accident but my husband didn’t, so I didn’t have any way of doing it,” said Norah. “I’ve never dared driving one myself. I’m just really grateful I could do this.”
Norah Ayre, we salute you!
Photo Credit: This is Derbyshire
