The fourth Mad Bike Ride!!
Back in 2018, Collioure to London seemed impossibly far to me! On a bicycle. So…I gave it a go…..and it was a revelation! Simply the best way to journey around. See everything, smell everything…stop whenever you choose….whilst getting fit, losing weight…and with a licence to enjoy the end-of-day beers…guilt-free. Well…I am not sure I feel guilty usually…but you know what I mean! A gloriously slow pub crawl. A solo trip…with Martin accompanying me for a week or so up the Atlantic coastal path.
And so followed the journey to Rome in 2019! 50% further…and a glorious trip through Provence and Tuscany en route to Rome. Except for the cold. It was freezing…and the cold froze Alan’s arthritic knees…so he sadly quit…leaving me to complete the trip alone. The madness of Napoli, the Amalfi Coast…and lovely wee coastal towns down the shoelaces of Italy’s boot….across Sicily, up through Sardinia and over the mountains of Corsica, for the ferry back to France. It was epic!
And inspired me to plan for the journey to Athens in 2020. Much further again….and with the idea of relaying a second bike with three partners. The first leg was to be ridden by my great friend and ex-partner Chris. Alas Covid conspired to kill the trip…despite misplaced but enthusiastic attempts to reroute to avoid Northern Italy. So sad…because Chris had been battling cancer for some years by then…but still felt fit enough for a few weeks of biking.
And by the time we were able to reconvene two years later…he was not well enough. Robbed by Covid, we both felt…but nothing like today, for Chris died earlier this year…so we have now been robbed of him forever. So this years trip is dedicated to him. A wonderfully gentle man, and one of the best mates/partners anyone could wish for.
With the delayed Athens trip last year…it felt we really did get in the groove! Nearly 5,000kms…through ten countries. I had three partners on the relayed bike… Martin, Iain and Shennae….with each experience so different, …and not too long!! (I am not sure anyone could put up with me for the whole distance!!)
But it is great that all three were keen to return for this year’s ride. To Istanbul! That magical city sitting astride Europe and Asia. So my first inter-continental ride! And this year we have a fourth partner joining the crew, with Alan picking up the last leg from those Italian shoelaces, round Sicily and up through Sardinia once again (different coast this year!).But that is so far in the future.
And as I contemplate the journey ahead…I always wonder if it is indeed possible! Such a hugely long way. With the whole trip relying on a myriad of tiny things not going wrong! New countries. New experiences. Fingers crossed!! And yes….I am nervous! Really nervous! In fact I have a tingle of nerves at the start of every single day…which simply evaporate just as soon as you start moving. So….let’s get moving!!
As prior…this is a blog for family and friends…to avoid my having to write lots of emails! So take it as you will. Xx
