This is a picture of a postman standing between my bike, on the left, and his official Royal Mail bicycle on the right. Children over here often confuse me with a postman and you can sort of see why.
It's been a hard week, but then the first few days of a big trip usually are for me. Many of you have heard the story of my trip from Calgary to Los Angeles where I lost my wallet and contracted an inconvenient intestinal problem in the first three days. Eventually it comes together, and I just know I have to tough it out.
Within 24 hours of leaving London on Sunday I suffered three flats, and realized that the old tires I was using were TOO old for the task. I stopped to buy new ones in a community called Whitstable and ended up camping on the beach overnight.
There was a thunderstorm just as I finished cooking my dinner and I took shelter under an awning with a man who told me that during the coronation in 1953, there were huge bonfires all the way up the beach. There was also a flood when the sea wall was breached in 1951. The man told me a beach cabin from the town was found as far away as Holland. (I may have actually gotten the stories confused here -- the cabin may be connected with the coronation celebrations.)
Anyway, I've passed through Dover and Hastings and am continuing my way for a while along the south coast. The cycle routes often run on top of the sea walls so it's very pleasant!
This was really a great entry Rob, but I think you would have gotten more comments if the postman had been nude. Just a suggestion...
ReplyDeleteSee, if I had only known that you needed tires, I could have organized people to pitch in before you went. Let us know how they're doing closer to the end of summer and perhaps there can be something done retro actively.
ReplyDeleteI like that this postie agreed to have his photo taken. He stands tall and straight for a grey-hair.