Why the 6 – you may well ask, and your guess is as good as mine – I think my finger slipped. Where to start? I’ve always had a bike, from the Raleigh Chopper I got for Christmas, through all the different bikes in between. I live in a small town, so a bike was the only way to get anywhere when I was younger. Then cars came along, and I didn’t touch a bike for years. But one day, when my dad turned 60 and biked to the coast, I thought, “I can do that!” I must have been in my 30s. I grabbed a mountain bike, a sleeping bag, and a map, and headed to Hunstanton – it nearly killed me! I limped home the next day and realized I wasn’t as fit as I could be. So, when I recovered, I set out to get a bit fitter. Despite not showing any sporting ambition in my life, I spent the next few years just messing about in the fields and lakes near me. Then I wanted to go further afield.

My first road bike was a Giant OCR, if I recall correctly, and I started going out with a few mates on the weekends. We slowly went further each time. Soon after that, the distances increased and the group got smaller. I found myself doing more solo rides, pushing what I thought I could do. This pattern repeated every year, gradually increasing the distance through spring and summer, and then losing fitness through winter. I realized that if I wanted to start the spring well, I had to train through winter. Being a builder and working outside during winter, I really didn’t want to go out at night. So, I got a dumb trainer and set up loud music. It worked well for a few years, and I was somewhat comfortable doing 200-milers.

However, one incident changed things. An old man in a VW spoiled my fun by hooking me halfway home from Scarborough. I woke up in Lincoln hospital with my bike written off, a bump on my head, and a partially injured shoulder. But worse than that was the sheer panic of having cars near me. I couldn’t ride a bike and fell into depression, leading to medication. I had to do something about it. So, I went through a series of smart trainers and programs and met quite a few good mates over the years. As winter approaches, I think some of them might ask to join in here. We met up many times and headed to the mountains, where the driving standards are wonderful for someone like me, as I keep my brakes covered as soon as a car appears.

I’ve discovered that I don’t just enjoy skiing down mountains; I love riding up them too! I feel privileged to be in a position to do so. Many times, I sit at the top and wonder what this silly builder has done to deserve being in such a place. Being lightweight, I take full advantage going uphill, as I know I get left behind going down. I understand this might sound strange to some people, but my weight issue is entirely different from most. I have to eat like a lion to maintain weight, and if I’m not careful, I can drop down to around 9 stone 7. It’s not a good look! My visit to the Tutankhamun exhibition in London was eye-opening; my son even joked about spotting the difference when I stood next to a picture of his mummy!

My love for the mountains almost led to my downfall. I had a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) coming back from Canada, and I didn’t know until three clots hit my lungs. The pressure built up and damaged my heart. Now, I’m on blood thinners for life, with the added bonus of having a doctor who likes cycling. He scolds me if I share too much, but I suppose I feel much like most of the people here. The buzz of pushing and doing well gives you a natural high that clears your head and makes you feel, as Tony says, “gggrrreat!” Slowly, my fitness is returning, and it feels good. I’m glad I gave Rouvy and you all a shot! As for the highlights of my biking journey, I don’t know. I cried at the top of the Portet, feeling like a beaten shell. I almost cried while doing cingles (bloody emotions – maybe it was the knock on the head). I even took a picture of a place on Strava during a ride that proves statistics don’t always matter. But I’m taking it anyway. Well, I suppose that’s it – best to rest up my typing finger!