Unusual Transportation

 Admittedly initially because I don't have a car, I've always been a passionate advocate of active transport for getting to and from work, that being cycling, walking or scooting. 

Nowadays, despite being still technically illegal, many folk are using electric scooters as well these days, something I suspect more people will be taking up in the coming months, and then even more when they are finally legalised in the no too distant future, hopefully relieving the pressure on parking. 

However, I'm also an advocate of that transportation being safe, which I can hardly say about the old Raleigh Twenty until about a year ago one of my colleagues was using before just dumping it in the cycling shed. 

Deprived of its original seat, they had been using a bean bag roughly strapped to the rusting metal seat, which must surely have been a huge risk for nether region tetanus. The handlebars were so rusted they looked they could have snapped at any time, and the brakes and gears were note exactly in a fresh out of the box condition.

It was a wheeled death trap, basically.

Then when I was going home, I noticed someone going passed me in their pride and joy - an ancient Reliant Rialto 2 three wheeler that looked like all the back seats had been removed.

Don't go round corners too fast in that baby!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 26.09.21

Return to the Lincoln Grand Prix

The Lincoln Grand Prix is the greatest cycle race on the British domestic scene, contested every year by the best pro, semi pro and amateur riders in the country. You have to be the best, 13 13km circuits including the cobbled climb of Michaelgate that most people can barely walk up, is not for the ordinary.

It's been a few years since I've been, with work and cricket commitments getting in the way, but with the sun in the sky and milder temperatures, it was insane not to go when I had the chance.

I was there for virtually the whole thing, and it was probably the most open and exciting race I've been to, with no breakaway of riders ever really being allowed to get too far away, and the group more or less altogether at the base of the final climb.

It was Tom Stewart of the Canyon DHB team that won, followed by young star in the making Tom Pidcock of Team Wiggins and another Canyon Rider, Andy Tennant, in third, after just under 4 hours of gruelling racing.

Rather randomy, a rider's girfriend messaged me on Instagram out of the blue and asked me how he was getting on, having seen the videos on my IG feed. Another pro-rider, Rory Townsend, liked a few of my photos too, an excellent achievement given he was in the bike race at the time.

Long day for me, 7 hours out of town and I didn't eat a thing!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 12.05.19