Seven weeks from now I will be retired and I can start to realise some dreams. Or will they be nightmares? I have been made redundant but had planned to leave around now so the timing is good for me. At just 51 I am young enough to have a few years in me and I believe, hope, that I have sufficient funding. I should be fine. First really big target is the Great Divide a mountainbike route between Banff, Canada, to Antelope Wells on the Mexican / USA border. Race or tour? Not decided. Lets see how it goes.
- Opinion
Seven weeks
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i watched the Tour on SBS , free to air and all you need is a vpn. Commentary was a bit crap though, they rabbit on and never tell you who is in the break, what is going on etc
RIP Mayer Hillman. Excellent obituary in the Guardian, apparently the only medium to notice his passing, but neither it nor the article here mentions one of his most important publications, at least for cycling. I refer of course to 'Cycling Towards Health and Safety' (BMA, 1992) a seminal work which demonstrated the overwhelming health benefits of regular bike riding. I treasure my copy. He also authored 'Cycle helmets: the case for and against' (Policy Studies Institute, 1993) which helped prevent the UK from getting a disastrous helmet law. Goodbye Mayer Hillman, and thank you for all the ammunition us cycle campaigners needed so badly.
@Rendel Harris That is probably the worst motorist kills cyclist case I have read. But in mitigation, the driver was crying and driving erratically, so clearly showed remorse. Presumably he will claim that he is considering never driving again.
I would happily tattoo “thieving scum” across the foreheads of this pair.
@Rendel Harris that was a hard read. Not often am I stuck for words but I can't even begin to comprehend how someone can be so callous. I also wonder how there isn't something the passenger could be charged with. Even though it would have unlikely changed the outcome (but she wouldn't have known at that point), the fact she delayed so long in reporting it shows she is just as scummy as the driver.
Halfords in Milton Keynes has space to lock up a grand total of two bicycles outside it's shop. That's how committed they are. I looked at stuff there, at a time it wasn't busy, then went to Decathlon's cycling department and that was heaving with customers. They seem to focus on car stuff these days, they may be better off dropping cycling.
@shufflingb I agree. I switched off the voice control on my GoPro when it’s on the bike. It would randomly switch on and off when I was talking to my riding buddy. Who needs voice control on the bike, in wind and traffic?
@Rendel Harris If was the passenger, I'd have got out at the petrol station, taken the keys (if possible) walked away and phoned the police.
surely the shopping carrying dilemma at Oxford Street is no worse than at places like Bluewater?
@Rendel Harris absolute scum..no other words
4 thoughts on “Seven weeks”
Best of luck Blackhound, a
Best of luck Blackhound, a world of riding awaits!
I am in the same situation
I am in the same situation Blackhound, although not quite retired, I was made redundant about 6 weeks ago, but I’m fairly financially stable (no mortgage or debts), so I’m aiming to get into the bike industry, but am finding it hard to be in a great rush.
We’ll have to get together for that ride we talked about last year, before I end up finding myself employment. Early retirement is calling me, but at 45 it may be just a bit too early.
My best mate is yearning to do the Great Divide too, he did the Cape Epic a few years ago (before they made it easy he likes to point out!), and thinks this is his next big one, so best of luck if you do decide to do it.
Kevin, is that you ?
If not
Kevin, is that you ?
If not then never mind :-0
if it is well
how much of a coincidence !
I’m being made redundant at some point in the next year and intending to take a year off, Great Divide is top of my list, followed by a very wiggly LEJOG, and then looking for work
If things work out I’m looking to go at the end of April next year, hopefully see you on the trail 🙂
I’m in exactly the opposite
I’m in exactly the opposite position. After being made redundant last year I took full advantage of the extra free time I had by riding at every opportunity – mainly to prepare for this summer’s Race Against Time LEJOG, which was one of the best experiences of my life.
Now, perhaps partly because I spent a little too much time cycling and not enough earning money, I’m contemplating a sheepish return to the job market and an almost inevitable falling away of cycling opportunities. Ah well, no regrets…I wouldn’t have swapped this last year for anything.