Tag: randonneur
-
The Night Cyclist
While the rest of the world turns in to bed, the night-time pedaller is only just setting out with plans to cycle through the whole night. What drives this unusual behaviour? In the depths of the night, those hours long after most have turned in to bed and as many more before they again arise, […]
-
LE to NE
As BBC weather introduced a new extreme heat symbol to their weather maps, one randonneur set off to ride 900km from Land’s End to Tyneside A clear blue sky hung over the peninsular as I coasted the few short miles down to Land’s End. Kevin was waiting looking sharp and keen. His weightless titanium bike […]
-
The winter hill
What way is this,Heft o’er hugging hills?Who thought to place you hereFar above the comfort of rambling valley lane – Lost amidst the chilling mists?Why do I seek your gravelly way,Stretching through the contoured clarts?Where wheels slide and slipThrough leaf-strewn mireWhile aching limbs burn and tire.Where others pause or turn the heelThe randonneur will grip […]
-
The Autumn Randonneur
Down sunken lane Up misty vale The randonneur will go While falling leaves And chilling breeze The randonneur will know Of moments passing with friends a-chatting And of many miles to go The sunrise over frosted fields The vapoured light begins to glow And spinning steady onwards, upwards The randonneur will go. Throughout the […]
-
Qualifying for Paris-Brest-Paris
“There simply is nothing else like it. And, as a test of physical and mental endurance it has no equal” — Chris Boardman Paris-Brest-Paris (or PBP as it is more commonly known) is a 1200km cycle ride boasting of a pedigree going right back to 1891 and the dawn of the safety bicycle – and […]
Ode to Cycling 