R
Richard Bates
Guest
OK so I'm a sad git for getting excited when a big box arrives by Parcel Farce. But today when TWO
boxes arrived I just couldn't help myself. I wasn't in when the delivery arrived ('cos I was out
cycling obviously) but the moment when I saw them standing there in the hall was so nice.
I'm now the proud owner of some front, rear and racktop Vaude aqualine bags. I'm also the proud
owner of an Orkney barbag.
I'm now pretty much equipped for my 30th birthday present to myself ...
...unfortunately I can't take the amount of time off work that I wanted (5 months). I rather cockily
considered handing my notice in and then applying for a similar job later in the year (I'm a nurse)
but with beds being closed at my hospital, I don't want to risk being left out of work at the place
where I *enjoy* working. But I have been granted 4 weeks unpaid leave since we are currenty over-
staffed. I am combining these 4 weeks with 2 weeks of annual leave. That means I have 6 weeks to do
a very long bike ride.
The rough plan is as follows: A camping based trip from John O Groats to Lands End. Now most of you
will tell me that it shouldn't take 6 weeks: Most people do it in 3. However, I will be diverting
through some parts of the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District and Wales.
The reason for this is that this year aswell as being my 30th birthday is also my 10th anniversary
of being a Real Cyclist (TM) (the time when I lived in Leeds and cycling became a means of fun
rather than just a means of transport). I want to re-visit some of the places that I cycled to in
1994 as a kind of momento. And that includes many places north of Leeds such as Otley (I MUST visit
the cafe and cycle up the Chevin), Ilkley (Cow and Calf rock), Bolton Abbey, Beamsley Beacon. I also
want to reminisce about the city of Leeds itself (by cycling down the A660 past my old university. I
want to pop into Ainsworths cycles in Headingley and tell the owner that despite his better advice,
I *did* spend a total of about £300 upgrading a really Shitty Bike (TM) that he told me to ditch,
even though I could have bought a much better final result for less.
I'm going to visit Dentdale YHA (the first YH I ever stopped in), and Ingleton (the second). I'm
going to visit the falls whose name and location I forget (somwhere around these two hostels). I'm
going to cycle up "that bloody great hill" and photograph the electric fence that my mate didn't
realise was electrified. And just to make it as near as possible a perfect match to the time 10
years ago, I'm going to take a kitchen sink and only use my 42/28 combination to get up there.
I'm going to visit Rowen youth hostel in North Wales, the place that has the steepest hill I have
ever encountered, and the only dog that has ever succeeded in finding somebody too knackered to stop
him from pissing on my front forks. I'm going to tie him down and then let him watch me **** on
*his* bicycle.
I'm going to visit Dolgellau (sp?) where I clocked up my fastest speed ever (49mph) before I grew up
and decided that speeds like that were scary. I'm going to visit Devil's Bridge.
Phew, my heart is racing already at the thought of it. I know some of the places I re-visit will
have changed. But as long as I'm expecting it, I shouldn't be disappointed.
I leave mid May and restart work at the very end of June. I should have a companion for about 4 or 5
days if there happens to be a school holiday in the middle of the trip (he's a teacher). Sadly, none
of the people I visited these places with are available or contactable, and my sister who I visited
Wales with no longer cycles :-(
However - it's a long shot - If anybody from the Leeds University "Alternative Cycling Society"
(Roadie Section) circa 1994 is reading then perhaps you could get in touch. A meet at the Otley cafe
might be nice ...
Love and hugs from Rich x
--
I remember when the internet was only in black & white. It only had a few pages but at least they
all worked. Email: Put only the word "richard" before the @ sign.
boxes arrived I just couldn't help myself. I wasn't in when the delivery arrived ('cos I was out
cycling obviously) but the moment when I saw them standing there in the hall was so nice.
I'm now the proud owner of some front, rear and racktop Vaude aqualine bags. I'm also the proud
owner of an Orkney barbag.
I'm now pretty much equipped for my 30th birthday present to myself ...
...unfortunately I can't take the amount of time off work that I wanted (5 months). I rather cockily
considered handing my notice in and then applying for a similar job later in the year (I'm a nurse)
but with beds being closed at my hospital, I don't want to risk being left out of work at the place
where I *enjoy* working. But I have been granted 4 weeks unpaid leave since we are currenty over-
staffed. I am combining these 4 weeks with 2 weeks of annual leave. That means I have 6 weeks to do
a very long bike ride.
The rough plan is as follows: A camping based trip from John O Groats to Lands End. Now most of you
will tell me that it shouldn't take 6 weeks: Most people do it in 3. However, I will be diverting
through some parts of the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District and Wales.
The reason for this is that this year aswell as being my 30th birthday is also my 10th anniversary
of being a Real Cyclist (TM) (the time when I lived in Leeds and cycling became a means of fun
rather than just a means of transport). I want to re-visit some of the places that I cycled to in
1994 as a kind of momento. And that includes many places north of Leeds such as Otley (I MUST visit
the cafe and cycle up the Chevin), Ilkley (Cow and Calf rock), Bolton Abbey, Beamsley Beacon. I also
want to reminisce about the city of Leeds itself (by cycling down the A660 past my old university. I
want to pop into Ainsworths cycles in Headingley and tell the owner that despite his better advice,
I *did* spend a total of about £300 upgrading a really Shitty Bike (TM) that he told me to ditch,
even though I could have bought a much better final result for less.
I'm going to visit Dentdale YHA (the first YH I ever stopped in), and Ingleton (the second). I'm
going to visit the falls whose name and location I forget (somwhere around these two hostels). I'm
going to cycle up "that bloody great hill" and photograph the electric fence that my mate didn't
realise was electrified. And just to make it as near as possible a perfect match to the time 10
years ago, I'm going to take a kitchen sink and only use my 42/28 combination to get up there.
I'm going to visit Rowen youth hostel in North Wales, the place that has the steepest hill I have
ever encountered, and the only dog that has ever succeeded in finding somebody too knackered to stop
him from pissing on my front forks. I'm going to tie him down and then let him watch me **** on
*his* bicycle.
I'm going to visit Dolgellau (sp?) where I clocked up my fastest speed ever (49mph) before I grew up
and decided that speeds like that were scary. I'm going to visit Devil's Bridge.
Phew, my heart is racing already at the thought of it. I know some of the places I re-visit will
have changed. But as long as I'm expecting it, I shouldn't be disappointed.
I leave mid May and restart work at the very end of June. I should have a companion for about 4 or 5
days if there happens to be a school holiday in the middle of the trip (he's a teacher). Sadly, none
of the people I visited these places with are available or contactable, and my sister who I visited
Wales with no longer cycles :-(
However - it's a long shot - If anybody from the Leeds University "Alternative Cycling Society"
(Roadie Section) circa 1994 is reading then perhaps you could get in touch. A meet at the Otley cafe
might be nice ...
Love and hugs from Rich x
--
I remember when the internet was only in black & white. It only had a few pages but at least they
all worked. Email: Put only the word "richard" before the @ sign.
I'm going to visit Devil's Bridge. )
