Paris by Bike – Dave Rigby
Well, yesterday my brother got married and we won the World Cup. The day was quite eventful! I’m starting my ride in Swindon, ten gears, lights front and back, two overstuffed panniers and a map. Well two maps – one for England and one for France. I reckon Newhaven is a day and a half away. There are some long, steep hills and of course it’s raining. After days of sunshine and blue skies, the weather has chosen this morning to break. Yellow bike cape, draped over me and the handlebars and a souwester keeping the rain off my head. Shorts are better than long trousers, bare legs quicker to dry than soggy jeans. Head down, I set off slowly uphill, into the wind and rain. Marlborough, Andover, Winchester and maybe somewhere just beyond. That’s what I decide and that’s the way it turns out – but only because the wind drops. My cursing and shouting may have diverted the storm. There’s a field off a tiny lane and nobody about, as I remove the tent bag from the left...