news
June
2008 update
Molly out for the count; Granny Dew bringing up the rear
Well, here we are – three generations cycling around the exotic delights of the Isle of Wight on two bikes.
Top of the chronological scale comes Granny Dew who, perched at the right side of 80 (but only just), is amazing the younger members of the fleet by managing to cycle up the majority of the island’s multiple hills.
Next in years comes me, and though I may be roughly half the age of Gran, I am struggling to travel at anything other than the speed of a snail in labour. This ponderous pace I put down to being attached to four panniers and two-stone but-not-yet-two (1¾ to be precise)-year-old Molly who sits aloft in her reclining seat on my rear rack.
Progress is anything but swift: my back seat cyclist is adamant that no playground, duck pond, farmyard, field of sheep, cattle, horses or pigs can be passed without stopping for a session of detailed analysis. On the many and varied occasions that I have tried to accelerate by these numerous diversions in the faint hope she doesn’t notice, an urgent ‘Aaaaah! Aaaaah!’ is heard emanating from behind and I am forced to bring my unwieldy load to a shuddering halt in order for a playground to be played upon or for a field full of gambolling, ruminating or manuring livestock to be observed at close quarters.
At this rate we’ll be lucky to make it home before Christmas.
Molly keeping up her fluids on a much-needed pub stop
It's best to keep your distance if you see one of these on the loose
New
books out now:
Long
Cloud Ride
and Saddled
at Sea.
For details and ordering visit the books page.
Previous news:
March 2008 -
a belated Happy New Year!
December 2007 - shock confession!
Autumn 2007 - back from Scotland
May 2007 - Stupendously Unnecesary Vehicles
and other thoughts
Summer 2007 - babies, bikes and bottom brackets
January / February 2007 - books and babies
Winter 2006 - an eventful event!
Summer 2006 - 2006 update
April / May 2006 - invisble cyclists . . .
February / March 2006 - the future has pedals
. . .
December 2005 / January 2006 - D is for . .
.
October / November 2005 - a new postcard
August / September 2005 - writing progress
June / July 2005 - crossing the bedroom Pacific
. . .
May 2005 - one bright and breezy morning .
. .
April 2005 - a postcard from home
February / March 2005 - boating . . !
January 2005 - New Year update
December 2004 - festive greetings
November 2004 - right side up update
October 2004 - more postcards
September 2004 - Upside Down Update
August 2004 - New Zealand postcard bonanza
2!
June /July 2004 - New Zealand update
May 2004 - 3 more postcards from NZ
April 2004 - NZ postcard bonanza!
March 2004 - stormy in NZ
February 2004 - A postcard from New Zealand
January 2004 - Made it!
December 2003 - STILL en route to NZ . . .
November 2003 - An update from the Pacific
October 2003 - A postcard from Dorset
September 2003 - New book, new plans
August 2003 - Slow Coast Home events
June / July 2003 - Postcards from Holland
May 2003 - Josie's cycling nightmares
March / April 2003 - a change of plan
January / February 2003 - writing the new book
December 2002 - To Newquay and Lands End!
November 2002 - Greetings from Wales
October 2002 - A Postcard from Snowdon
September 2002 - Greetings from Cumbria!
July / August 2002 - Postcards from Humber
Bridge & beyond...
May / June 2002 - England to Holland
April 2002 - New paperback
March 2002 - Events update
January / February 2002 - 2002 events
December 2001 - Best Roads part 2
November 2001 - Post Wonky-Knee Progress
October 2001 - Highlights From Coastal Britain
So Far
September 2001 - Dicky Knee Update!
August 2001 - Coastal Cycle Update and Therapeutic
Pedals
July 2001 - Coastal Cycle Update
April - June 2001 - Setting Off on the Tour
of Coastal Britain