Biker Lyndsay loves life on the pink road

Biker Lyndsay loves life on the pink road

28 August 2013

PASSED by a flash of pink, the roar of 60 engines, and the smell of burning rubber at the weekend? Then you probably came across an intrepid group of female motorcyclists who did a lap of Northern Ireland — the ‘Breast Way Round Norn Iron’ as they called it — in aid of Macmillan Cancer.

With pink tutus, pink Mohawk helmets and pink riding gloves over their leathers, the bikers left Stormont on Saturday morning, heading west towards their overnight stop in Londonderry, before travelling back to Stormont via the north coast on Sunday.

Among them was Ballynahinch’s Lyndsay McClelland — a human resources advisor by day and biker by night — who at just four feet 11 clocked up 420 miles on her 250cc bike over the two days.

Lyndsay has had her own personal battle with cancer, but on this occasion was fundraising in memory of loved ones, including dad Bobby Cowan, who lost his battle with leukaemia in May.

Although it was a mixture of Macmillan, Marie Curie and district nurses involved in his palliative care at home, Lyndsay decided to raise money for Macmillan as its fundraiser involved something close to her heart — her motorbike.

Riding a motorcycle from the age of 17, she explained that it was simply something she has always had an interest in.

“I was always running around on bikes when I was a kid,” she said. “At four foot 11 people think you are never going to ride a motorbike but as I am stubborn I thought ‘I will’.

“My height can be awkward when having to make a turn, you sometimes have to get off the bike and walk it, but apart from that it doesn’t cause any problems.

“It is just the freedom I love, the headspace, the being in control. The biking fraternity has been fantastic to me. You will never meet a better bunch of people.”

Although a little nervous about her biggest adventure to date, Lyndsay described her weekend whistle-stop tour of Northern Ireland as “fantastic”.

“We passed Newcastle, Kilkeel, Tandragee, Portadown, Armagh, Enniskillen, Castlederg and Strabane, and the next day we went from Londonderry to Coleraine, Portstewart , Ballymoney, stopping off at Joey’s bar [owned by the family of motorcycling legend Joey Dunlop] Ballycastle, Carnlough, Larne, Carrickfergus and back to Stormont,” she said.

“The public were fantastic and people came out of shops houses, parks, bars etc. to cheer us on as we beeped our horns coming into each city, town and village.

“Our return to Stormont was very emotional as we turned in through the gates, each of us with what felt like our guardian angels carrying us at times.

“We all have a great sense of pride and achievement that we completed this ride out and it is a reminder to those fighting and to those that have won their battle that we are right there with them.”

The ‘Breast Way Round’ initiative first took root in Scotland six years ago as a way of raising money for Macmillan and enhancing the profile of female bikers, but it is the first time it has taken place in Northern Ireland.

“The thought of biking, marshalling and simply being involved within the biking fraternity has got me through some of my darkest hours.”said Lyndsay.

“The nurses involved in my father’s care were second to none and although this was such a difficult time for all involved, they helped to make it just that little bit easier by the dignified manner they treated him both while he was alive and just after he had passed away.

“One of the nurses in particular, Suzie, was with us when he passed away and asked us if there was anything she could do to help; dad’s wife June asked if she could prepare him for leaving the house one last time.

“Suzie did this by changing him, shaving him and combing his hair and while doing this she spoke to him as if he was still with us, and told him it probably wasn’t as good a job as he would do but promised him he looked well for his last journey from home. In a time of deep sorrow this brought warmth to our hearts.”

So far Lyndsay has raised over £500. To make a donation visit: http://www.justgiving.com/Lyndsay-McClelland