Mr E flew home on Friday, just in time for the 33rd annual Townsville Christmas Toy Run on Saturday!
Mr E has ridden in the Toy Run before, but this was my first time.
WOW!!
500 bikes!! Over 700 riders and pillions! My camera simply couldn't fit everyone in, but I'll share some snaps of the day.
Here is the Mayor of Townsville, Jenny Hill, and our local Ulysses Branch President, Frank.
Jenny's husband is an avid motorcyclist and they never miss a Toy Run...
All 500 motorbikes rode in single file along the 30 kilometre route, but I can't take photos with my camera when wearing leather bike gloves, so can't show you the incredible view from the middle of the pack. All I could see in front and behind was an endless line of bikes. It was amazing.
Because this is an annual event to collect toys for needy families at Christmas, the locals knew to expect us along the regular route, so by the side of the road were entire families in deckchairs, or sitting on picnic rugs, with drinks and nibbles to watch the procession of bikes ride by.
I felt like the Queen waving to all the children and babies, with their excited shrieks of joy as we passed, but just as exciting were the elderly men and women whose smiles *beamed* at us and whose arms waved even more than ours! It was a real privilege to have been a part of the event.
The police were fantastic...
...and after an incident free ride everyone was very well behaved as we settled down to cold drinks and a sausage sizzle at Thuringowa RSL.
Everyone who participated brought gifts for the Salvation Army's appeal, and this blanket...
...was piled high and overflowing by the time we left.
Mr E...
Me...
Our friends, Marc & Marlar...
Can't wait to do this again next year!
