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Cycling name?space
Slick.
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Cycling history?
After finishing my PGCE I was sitting having a drink with my sister discussing what to do with my first summer as a teacher? She suggested I buy a bike. I suggested We ride to Barcelona. She agreed but only if she stayed in london.
Three weeks later I rolled down Las Ramblas sun burnt, skinny and totally in love with the simple freedom of getting on a bike and cycling off somewhere. Do it! Go on, cycle off!!!!
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Worst moments on a bike?
My most demoralising moment on a bike was the day my chain broke in very rural France. My cycling partner thought he saw me pass him and so was pedalling like hell to catch me. He had the maps, tent, only phone and required tools to fix the chain. A 20k walk led to some surreal and ultimately pointless conversations with several baffled campsite owners. “J’ai voudrais mon amie?” “J’regard for mon amie?” I was only reunited with said Amie the next morning. He had spent the night in crisis, drinking himself silly wondering if I was lying half dead in a French mans grape field and how he was going to tell my mother? Lessons learnt? Bring your own tools and I don’t speak french.
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Second worst moment?
My derailleur collapsing just past Dartmoor one day away from finishing the JOGLE. I hitchhiked back to Exeter and slunk out of the south west national express styley. Kraftwerk to the divine comedy in the blink of an eye. Finishing the last section is near the top of my cycling to do list.
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Best moments?
The first time I wasn’t dropped by the Baroudeurs. First on Monday night and then on a Sunday.
Getting dropped on a Thursday morning knowing that I’m 100% empty.
Cycling the length of France. The French have mostly got things spot on.
The exhausted buzz after a big cycle. It’s prescription free Prozac.
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Slick’s buzzing feet!
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What bikes do you own?
A lovely carbon framed bike from the Dutch folks at Sensa.
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Why do I own it?
Glen ‘Chronos’ Thomson.
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Any other bikes?
A clunking, heavy Ridgeback touring bike.
Why do I own it?
I didn’t know Glen ‘Chronos’ Thomson soon enough.
Too Slick
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