April 2016 Update

Garry McGivern’s April 2016 update. Apologies for the late update this month. I’ve been having trouble with my internet connection and haven’t had a chance to get it sorted!

Friendly sign on the Isle of Wight

Steam train at Swanage

It’s been a really quiet month as far as cycling goes. only managing the one weekend trip away at the very beginning of the month down to Dorset and the New Forest; the rest of the month has been spent working even at the weekends!

River Frome at Wareham

Garry at Swanage Bay

On one of the days that I did have off. we went up to that there London town. This time it was to go and watch the London marathon. Julie’s daughter’s boyfriend was running in it. The idea was that we would travel up by train and meet her daughter there. As she was already in London, they would then go and watch the race while I went and did my own thing (I wouldn’t have been able to do the walking or standing around due to my back!) And I would meet them all at the finish.

Nothing Is Simple

The day really didn’t get off to a good start! Firstly halfway to the railway station I realised that I’d forgotten my phone and we all know that we can’t be without them these days! So we had to turn around to go and get it, this made things a little bit tight for catching the train so it was a mad dash back to the railway station to catch the train which we made with literally only a minute to spare, only to then found out that the train had broken down and it wouldn’t be leaving on time!

After a 20-minute wait, a replacement train arrived, and we were on our way. Midway through the journey, the conductor came on over the PA system to announce that the train wasn’t going to go to London after all. And would terminate halfway. So we would now have to change trains! We eventually arrived in London and made our way to meet Charlotte, Julie’s daughter. Charlotte was also running late (it’s a family trait!)

We decided to go to a café for a cup of coffee (I wasn’t allowed a pint!) But with no cafes about we had to buy a coffee from one of the little coffee stalls. And have it in one of those paper cups that everybody seems to have to carry around these days, which really winds me up! What is the point? Why? Are they really that busy that they can’t just sit down and drink it? You see people struggling to walk down the street pushing a pushchair, carrying bags and on the phone. Or, in a lot of cases, all three at the same time. But they still insist on carrying that stupid cup of coffee! They just can’t be seen to not have a cup in their hand, idiots! Rant over with!

After finding a seat to sit down and drink the coffee (I certainly wasn’t going to walk around with it). I went to take off the plastic lid and proceeded to spill half of it! If that wasn’t bad enough, when I went to put the sugar in, that went all over me as well!

After meeting Charlotte, Julie and Charlotte went their way, and I went mine. I’d decided that I was going to use the Boris bikes to get around. The underground would have been too busy. And besides, I’d not been out on one of those for ages.

Out On The Bike

I had a good day cycling around London town, and with very little traffic around it was rather pleasant. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get anywhere near the finish of the marathon to meet them all, which wasn’t really much of a surprise. So I met them all back at the railway station. While I was waiting at the railway station, I felt right at home. Everybody else was hobbling along in a lot of pain after they’d run the marathon. Perhaps people would think that I’d run it also!!

Dan Charlotte’s boyfriend completed the marathon in 4 hours and 16 minutes, which for the first time, I thought was pretty good.

I’d forgotten to mention last month about my new discovery on Twitter, I can now post short videos! This modern technology is marvellous!