I'm a cyclist and he was a cyclist also as evidenced by his lycra outfit, extremely lightweight racing bike, funny shoes and Brad Wiggins sideburns.
Who? I have absolutely no idea but while doing a 20 miler in the sun yesterday, I stopped off at a village called Braughing to feed some ducks in the ford.....well, the ducks were in the ford; I was adjacent. A cyclist rode past, climbed the little slope before stopping and reading a scrap of paper he had drawn from a pocket. Obviously identifying me as a fellow cyclist, probably due to the high-vis clobber and sit-up-and-beg bike next to me, he called over to me asking directions.
Always one to oblige and not hearing exactly what he had said, I ran up the slope, not something I do very often these days, and just for a fleeting moment I thought, "Blow me, it's Bradley Wiggins!" As I got closer, I realised that it wasn't but he sure did a pretty good impression....apart from the accent, that is. I've heard Wiggins being interviewed and this bloke sounded nothing like him. Now, I'm usually pretty good at identifying where someone originates from in the UK but I couldn't pin down this guy. On reflection, I'm not even sure he's from this planet but read on.
He wanted to know how to pick up the A120 to Bishops Stortford but wasn't sure about the next step on his map as his sweat had caused the paper to turn to mush. Fortunately, my local knowledge was sufficient to point him in the right direction but before heading off he managed to impart to me that he had left Northampton earlier and was heading for Chelmsford. There have been very few occasions in my life when I have felt small and insignificant but I'm sure you'll understand if I say this was one of those times.
As I watched him pedal away, I noted that he had only one water bottle and nothing else in the way of sustenance on board; well, nothing obvious on the bike or in the pockets of his close-fitting lycra jersey. Later, much later, when I had recovered somewhat from my exertions, I checked out the distance from Northampton to Chelmsford and if this guy was for real, he certainly hadn't picked the shortest route as it showed something in excess of 100 miles using Braughing as a via point.
On mentioning that little encounter to a friend in the pub, he told me he had just done Buntingford to Norwich the day before in an hour and a quarter. I was totally gobsmacked although I couldn't immediately grasp what the distance might have been but I felt it was a fair old way. Before my brain could compute how far and how fast, fortunately, he came clean and threw in the fact that that was on a CBR!
Back to Bradley Wiggins: I really cannot comprehend the willpower, desire, motivation, physical condition and whatever else may be required to undertake a trip like that guy was doing.....solo....if he really was doing that journey! He might have only cycled form around the corner when I met him for all I know! To be fair though, he was a little too sweaty, red in the face and breathing a little too heavily to have just been a local poser in his wrap-around sunshades.
All in all, I had a lovely day out on the bike, did 20 miles and still had 2 lights showing although that's explained by trying to use power sparingly from my 5yo battery. I just had to take it steadily up the steepest hills while my other half left me trailing each time she summoned assistance from her Cytronex system with its little Tongxin engine.
As regards "Bradley Wiggins"; although both he and I rode bikes yesterday, clearly we're poles apart in philosophy, ability and probably a few other things too. I certainly don't inhabit the world of those people in their lycra uniforms with their single-mindedness and hair-shirt attitude to cycling. Big, old Dutch-style bikes are more my scene with their easy pace and serenity. I don't think most people notice club racing types or the actual bikes they ride as they all look the same. Everywhere I go though, people stop me to ask about my bike and even the kids seem to think it's cool which surprised me.
Indalo
Who? I have absolutely no idea but while doing a 20 miler in the sun yesterday, I stopped off at a village called Braughing to feed some ducks in the ford.....well, the ducks were in the ford; I was adjacent. A cyclist rode past, climbed the little slope before stopping and reading a scrap of paper he had drawn from a pocket. Obviously identifying me as a fellow cyclist, probably due to the high-vis clobber and sit-up-and-beg bike next to me, he called over to me asking directions.
Always one to oblige and not hearing exactly what he had said, I ran up the slope, not something I do very often these days, and just for a fleeting moment I thought, "Blow me, it's Bradley Wiggins!" As I got closer, I realised that it wasn't but he sure did a pretty good impression....apart from the accent, that is. I've heard Wiggins being interviewed and this bloke sounded nothing like him. Now, I'm usually pretty good at identifying where someone originates from in the UK but I couldn't pin down this guy. On reflection, I'm not even sure he's from this planet but read on.
He wanted to know how to pick up the A120 to Bishops Stortford but wasn't sure about the next step on his map as his sweat had caused the paper to turn to mush. Fortunately, my local knowledge was sufficient to point him in the right direction but before heading off he managed to impart to me that he had left Northampton earlier and was heading for Chelmsford. There have been very few occasions in my life when I have felt small and insignificant but I'm sure you'll understand if I say this was one of those times.
As I watched him pedal away, I noted that he had only one water bottle and nothing else in the way of sustenance on board; well, nothing obvious on the bike or in the pockets of his close-fitting lycra jersey. Later, much later, when I had recovered somewhat from my exertions, I checked out the distance from Northampton to Chelmsford and if this guy was for real, he certainly hadn't picked the shortest route as it showed something in excess of 100 miles using Braughing as a via point.
On mentioning that little encounter to a friend in the pub, he told me he had just done Buntingford to Norwich the day before in an hour and a quarter. I was totally gobsmacked although I couldn't immediately grasp what the distance might have been but I felt it was a fair old way. Before my brain could compute how far and how fast, fortunately, he came clean and threw in the fact that that was on a CBR!
Back to Bradley Wiggins: I really cannot comprehend the willpower, desire, motivation, physical condition and whatever else may be required to undertake a trip like that guy was doing.....solo....if he really was doing that journey! He might have only cycled form around the corner when I met him for all I know! To be fair though, he was a little too sweaty, red in the face and breathing a little too heavily to have just been a local poser in his wrap-around sunshades.
All in all, I had a lovely day out on the bike, did 20 miles and still had 2 lights showing although that's explained by trying to use power sparingly from my 5yo battery. I just had to take it steadily up the steepest hills while my other half left me trailing each time she summoned assistance from her Cytronex system with its little Tongxin engine.
As regards "Bradley Wiggins"; although both he and I rode bikes yesterday, clearly we're poles apart in philosophy, ability and probably a few other things too. I certainly don't inhabit the world of those people in their lycra uniforms with their single-mindedness and hair-shirt attitude to cycling. Big, old Dutch-style bikes are more my scene with their easy pace and serenity. I don't think most people notice club racing types or the actual bikes they ride as they all look the same. Everywhere I go though, people stop me to ask about my bike and even the kids seem to think it's cool which surprised me.
Indalo
