Ride4Red
2026

Rufus Odin Borneo Pomeroy

13th August 2011 - 28th May 2024

Ride4Red in memory of our amazing son. I don't use the word amazing lightly, he truly was.

Riding was his way of escaping the sensory overload of city life. His love of the outdoors stemmed from this to include hiking, hill walking, wildcamping and a love of butterflies & birds of prey which he became an expert in.

Palmarès

• @2 mastered his balance bike.
• @2 1/2 on his balance bike around Bristol Docks.
• @3 3/4 towed my signing trailer in the New Forest as I was working, and again the following year.
• @4 using a FollowMe tandem our first cycle camping trip.
• @4 3/4 first validated 50km audax.
• @5 first cycle camping trip solo.
• @6 first to claim the new AUK Brevet 250 award (5x 50km).
• @6 3/4 first solo 100km.
• @7 & 20d finished LEJOG solo. He is the youngest to have done so on his own bike but didn't want the recognition - during this time his interest in butterflies & birds of prey was piqued.
• - we also climbed Ben Nevis, and over the next year Snowdon, Scafell Pike and the following summer...
• @7 1/2 first 100miles.
• @8 MIZMAL, the Irish equivalent of LEJOG where we celebrated his 8th at Malin Head.
• - we also climbed Carrauntoohill & Slieve Donard to achieve all the British Isle Nation's highest peaks.
• @8 3/4 first 200km and beginning of off road adventures.
• @9 3/4 5 day hike from Weston Super Mare to Salisbury.
• @10 the Islands & Highlands off road - Golden & White-tailed eagles, Short-eared owls and a Hen harrier spotted.
• @10 1/2 rode Way of the Roses but off road - sat in a hide for an hour watching Barn owls a metre away in the Yorkshire Wolds, Hen harrier & Ring ouzel in Forest of Bowland.
• @11 rode East to West England along the Old Chalk Way and other off road paths - did 2 daily 15min transects of species and habitat.
• The day before his 12th birthday completed his first RRtY - a 200km ridden every month for 12 consecutive months.
• @12 1/2 lobbied his support worker and IT for a lunch time Minecraft Club at Redland Green School - this gave him and others a safe space with a purpose to get through the lunch break.
• @12 1/2 completely owning me on Belmont Hill!
• Posthumously reaching Everest Base Camp; the founder of 2Wish kindly took my Limpet shell with Red's ashes embedded in on her trek.
• My Limpet now travels with me, close to the Red shaped hole in my heart.

Back in 2021 after Red completed his 4th 200km at the age of 9 I suggested he write a blog about it. I added some photos, gave him his own login details and left him to it. He made a start but then said he couldn't be bothered, he may have been pranking me. Shortly after his death I discovered he did finish it so have a read, it is as he left it apart from the extra I've added at the bottom.

Ride in Peace Red X

Ride4Red 100km is a route that Red designed. We started it in September 2023 but I came off in the tunnel on the B&B railway path and injured my wrist. We never got to ride it together. It is a beautiful route taking in places we regularly rode. Do you accept his challenge?

There will also be two 60km options available:

1. Castle Coombe and back - following the outward route of the 100km with the climb up onto the Cotswolds.
2. Limpley Stoke and back - using the Bristol and Bath Railway Path & 2Tunnels on an out and back route stopping at the Angelfish. This is 99% traffic free and very similar to the first 50km route Red did when he was 4.

If you can't make it how about doing your own challenge where ever you are in the world.

I'm so proud of him for coming up with this route, last year's riders loved it, and I honour him by using it to raise money.

This year I'm hoping to set up an organisation/charity (need to figure which suits best) to empower parents of autistic children to get outdoors and do a bit of wild adventuring. The aim is to provide items to give the kids an interest in the wildlife around them, then for some garden camping before a 'wild camp' on a weekend hopefully in a nature rich area.

I was lucky that I was confident in doing this and saw how much Red flourished, so hope to pass my knowledge & skills on to other parents thus showing them that autism isn't a limitation. Ultimately creating an 'out of the box' solution should other parents wish to set something up similar in their local area.

I had hoped to get this going last autumn but to be honest my mental health took a nose dive at the end of last summer and I've been doing my best to just hang on. My time for setting this up and running will always be free.

Last year I also helped Felix Road Adventure Playground staff take a coach load of kids on a hike up Pen y fan; there was some grumbling on the way up but once at the top they loved it. This was put on with money raised from Red's Funeral Memorial. I will be supporting them again this year.

Any excess monies raised will be given to an organisation/charity(s) that Red would approve of.

Entry to the event is free (I will be covering the AUK event & GoFundMe processing fees) but you may add a donation (see above). A link will also be provided in the confirmation email, or cash can be taken on the day should you wish to do so.

Booking:

Bookings are taken individually. Even though it is free, do please book so I can monitor overall numbers. There is also the option to cancel if you can't attend which will greatly help me in number management.

Under 18s:

Under 18s are welcome and encouraged. Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.

Please message me via the enquiry link above and I'll provide a digital form that will need to be completed by their parent/guardian.