Before the invention of the bicycle, the average distance between the birthplaces of spouses in England was one mile. Studying parish registries of birth death and marriages - Stephen Stearns, a Yale professor of evolutionary biology found on average, we were marrying, not only within the village,...
I love the monthly bike publication Cyclist. Suits my time in the saddle. Well written, great images. I switched my monthly subscription from Rouleur as the self-proclaimed tag line of “The world's finest cycling magazine” began to irk. Imagine what you would think of a wedding...
FRED STOOD AT THE TOP OF THE CLIMB WAITING FOR JOHN. HIS FACE WAS THE COLOUR OF BEETROOT. WATER RAN FROM HIS NOSE LIKE A BROKEN SPOUT. HE STILL WORE HIS ‘FAVOURITE’ WINTER GLOVES. IT WAS MAY. When we understand what is happening within our body...
James Carse is a philosopher who was nearly famous 25 years ago. I had dropped out of university and had read his book while failing to prove to myself that I wasn’t thick. I read anything as I sat in my first bike shop waiting...
My uncle arrived on a Sunday morning. I was delighted at his approach as it got me out of mass. The tall, thin, moustached figure was an uneasy wonder. He had big motorbikes and small cars. He loved war movies, but shunned confrontation. I was 11 and stood...
In June 1941, Hitler stood in front of his dark Generals and ordered the opening of a second front and attacked the Soviet Union. At first, the German forces made rapid progress and his orders seemed a good idea. But the cold winters ahead and...
1. Sees someone riding a bike, thinks they would like it. 2. Borrows a bike. 3. Talks about buying a bike. (Duration 1 week to 12 years) 4. Buys a bike. (If a close friend/relative cycles, jump to number 8) 5. Finds out what a head wind/ hill is:...