Garry McGivern’s May 2020 update. Good news this month with the lockdown being eased! We’re now allowed to go out for unlimited exercise as many times as we like! With that in mind, I immediately made the most of it by getting out and about on my bike. And in the first three days, I cycled nearly 200 miles! With rides to Brighton, Arundel and Portsmouth.
It was terrific to be able to get out and about on the bike, once more. Although I wasn’t exactly prepared on my first ride to Brighton!! Unfortunately, I’d forgotten to take anything with me! And as I’m not meant and don’t particularly want to go into any shops, I couldn’t buy anything! And what water I had on the bike was at least a year old! A hungry and thirsty ride! But really good to be able to get out. I started to take a packed lunch after that.
One thing I did notice on my rides was just how eerie town centres were! It was strange to be in the centre of Chichester on a Saturday afternoon with nobody around. It’s usually a busy, bustling place, this day there were two people! Very strange! Although there was one busy place, the drive-thru takeaways! They were very busy with all the fatties getting their burger fix that they’d not been able to get for a few weeks!
Staying Anonymous
On my ride to Portsmouth, I found a wallet on the road. After picking it up and placing it in my bar bag, I wondered what I should do with it? The only police station I knew of had closed down! And I certainly wasn’t going to ride around trying to find one! But if I came across one, all well and good. If I didn’t find one, I would destroy any cards in there and donate any money to charity, unless it was a lot of money, then I’d hand it in at my police station.
Anyway as I was cycling along Southsea seafront, I spotted two police officers and gave it to them.
“Can I give you this, please? I found it on Eastern road on my way in. I’ve not even looked at it yet, I just put it in my bag” I said
“Certainly sir” she replied, looking inside the wallet. “Would you like us to pass on your name, so they can thank you?”
“No it’s fine, thank you, just say, Garry.”
“Are you sure?” the other police officer asked
“Yes, Garry is fine.”
“What’s this, drugs? The first officer said as she inspected the contents of the wallet!
“Drugs! Really” I said.
“Yep, it certainly looks like it to me” as she proceeded to smell the small bag, that had come out of the wallet.
“I bet you definitely don’t want to give your name now, do you sir.”
“No, definitely not, I’m off, goodbye” and with that, rode off!
Other News
I’ve been busy making more videos using photos from some of my previous trips. Which unfortunately for everybody I’ve not yet published! Something for you all to look forward too!!
Watching the local news the other week, my mate Malcolm from the Isle of Wight suddenly appeared! He’d been stopped by the BBC and asked about the Covid-19 app, they were trialling on the island! Your 15-minutes of fame, Malcolm!
On a slightly depressing note, I fear most of the things I like to do will be a long time coming! Camping, travelling, and sitting at a bar! Although I hear campsites are going to open at the beginning of July, but will they take tents, or tourers? Going abroad doesn’t look particularly good, either! And any touring will probably have to be in the UK, that’s if I can find somewhere to camp! Anybody want to put me up in their garden? And as for sitting at the bar, that’ll definitely be a long time coming, if ever at all! Now would be a good time for me to go into hospital and have my operation!
On a brighter note, we’ve had some superb weather. Which, as the lockdown gets eased, we can enjoy more and more.
Hi Garry! You always take the best photos of me. Your mileage is bloody amazing. Someone ought to give you the citizen of the year award. You’ll be out in Alaska and get a message to come home for a hip operation. (Then you’ll fail the pretest) he! he!
That’s because you’re so photogenic!
Citizen of the year? More like idiot of the year!
I should be so lucky to be in Alaska. Although I’d probably have enough time to cycle there and back before I get my operation! That’s if we were allowed to leave the country!