Richie & Mountain Biking...

Now that the weather has closed in and it's not so much fun out there on the road,  Richie is now participating in some MTB events!

I must be mad because this really is not my bag. I've had my arm twisted by my good friend and cycle services colleague Kelvin Norton. He is good on a MTB and he's raced before, so I'm learning the ropes from him.

We recently completed a 47km MTB Sportive where we came around 70th out of 300 finishers, not bad for first attempt.

On the 28th November I'll be riding a 2hr endurance race in the 'Veteran Male' catergory of the Merida Brass Monkeys  www.meridabrassmonkeys.com
It won't be easy, these events attract a lot of very good capable riders. Am I one of them, not entirely sure, but as always I'll have a go!

Don't worry all my 'Roadie' friends, I am NOT converted and never will be, this is just a way of getting my cycling drug in the winter months.
See you all soon.

The Great Cycle Helmet Debate

The Great Cycle Helmet Debate

Those who have already read my previous blog updates will all be familiar with the story of John Bush and his spill on the way to Paris.  His helmet saved him from further serious injury, and I trust that he has now made a full recovery.

My recommendation that ALL cyclists should wear helmets was further endorsed when three weeks ago I took a charity group for some group cycle training in the famous Richmond Park. I had spent around an hour explaining bike set up, nutrition, basic bike maintenance and rider safety. I always use this time to emphasize the need to wear a helmet (the organization that I do a lot of work for, won’t allow anyone to ride without one), and I use previous situations such as John as an indicator as to what a helmet can do for you.

Five minutes later we were on our bikes, five more and we had a female rider off the bike and drifting in & out of consciousness on the Richmond Park tarmac!

You could not have written the script!!!

Anyway, some immediate first aid and an emergency ambulance and she was safely on her way to Kingston hospital.

A big thanks to the riders from London Dynamo cycling club who stopped and assisted me with the incident.

The outcome, the helmet DEFINITELY SAVED HER FROM FURTHER SERIOUS INJURY , there is absolutely no doubt whatsoever. The helmet did its job, and it was destroyed in the process. There were cracks all the way along the poly inner on the side of impact.

I’m so sorry that I cannot recall this young lady’s name, but she was released from hospital later that same day after xrays etc.

So, the debate......

.............................Cycle helmets or not?

YOU KNOW WHATS RIGHT!

Bye.

British Association for Adoption & Fostering, London-Paris 17th-20th Sept.

London - Paris, 17th-20th Sept.

British Association for Adoption & Fostering

When I received my trip allocation for the events that I would be working on this year, I never gave a second thought to the one labelled BAAF. With all due respect to all of the charities and organizations that I provide my services to, and there are many, I usually read up and take an interest in each one just before the trip. It would be difficult for me to retain all the information on all of the charities for such a prolonged period prior to their particular event.

When the BAAF event arrived I read their website www.baaf.org.uk with great interest. Now some of you already may be aware, but others not, I was adopted at birth. I had a fantastic and very loving childhood with my adoptive parents, the ones that I consider as my natural parents. I always have done, and always will do. My relationship with Mum & Dad continues in just the same loving way now, as it has done for the last 46years.

So what a delight to be working on this event, with the people and fund raisers for the BAAF. Of all the events that I’ve worked on this year, I would have never known that eventually by the end of the summer that one of the charities would be so close to my heart. 

I never knew of the BAAF, and certainly when Mum & Dad adopted me, then their second child Daniel (my adopted brother) some 6 years later, they would have been unable to turn to anyone for help or advice. In fact having spoken at length to some of the staff and cyclists on the event, I’ve now come to appreciate what a difficult, uncertain time, and not knowing what to expect and an unsupported part of their lives, my parents probably had in the mid 1960’s. 

When I returned from the event I had a fantastic family conversation about it all and today, more than ever before I thank Mum & Dad for persevering through those times of uncertainty and little outside support.

During the trip we had an evening where many of the participants spoke of their reasons for being on the trip. None more so than Nicky Campbell the well known radio broadcaster and television presenter. Nicky is the patron of BAAF and he had some fantastic words to say, along with so many of the others. I spent time talking with Nicky and we share an almost identical view of our adoptive childhoods, although and he won’t mind me telling you this, but he decided for his own reasons to explore the origins of his birth parents. I have not and have no intentions to do so either.

Nicky wrote a book called ‘Blue-Eyed Son' about his childhood, a fascinating read on adoption and of course its available at most online bookshops etc etc.

I was flabbergasted to hear some of the difficulties and hurdles involved with adoption and the outdated and very obstructive procedures involved for families wishing to adopt today, in 2010! 

This is one of areas that BAAF is trying to address, amongst many others.

I sincerely wish this particular charity all the best, I hope that they continue to carry out the good work that they are already doing and that funding is always available for their cause. Who knows, I’ve worked on so many charity cycle events over the last couple of years, maybe in the future I might even ride and raise funds for this one.

Oh I better mention cycling or bicycles or something down that line! 

The riders for BAAF were a great group. Now I can’t remember everybody's name, however the following stood out;

Lily The Pink - A great club rider and one of the fastest all season, a credit to your club ‘Brighton Mitre’, but PLEASE PLEASE get them to change their club kit!

Nicky Campbell & Co. - always smiling, funny and never without the camcorder. Any luck with the film of my legs?

The Scotish Ladies Commonwealth Road Cycling Team - Three extremely fit cyclists who have trained together, and rode fantastically well. You always looked so good dressed the same, hence my nickname for you.

Charles Richards - Charming and always first in the queue to buy new tyres & inner tubes!

There were others, too many to mention but all in all everyone on this trip was great.

Ok better sign off now, but as I write this (yes it’s around six weeks late) I have just finished a training day with another charity, and i have yet another ‘’ a helmet prevented this casualty from further serious injury’’ story to tell you all.

Watch this space over the next few days.

Chow Now.