- The car honk – invariably positive rather than angry as displayed in the Pie Chart of Positivity (scroll far right)
- “That looks like hard work” – as I struggle uphill and riposte predictably with “Yeah, it feels like it too!”
- The wave – drivers passing on the other side of the road or overtaking and sticking a hand out the window; pedestrians on the High Street or kids transfixed, their heads following me as if I were a Wimbledon tennis ball in slow motion
- Standard greetings said with bewildered enthusiasm – e.g. the passing cyclist who doesn’t have time to process what they’ve seen so instead squeezes out a happy “Hey!” or “Alright!?”
- Complete nonchalance – A garish three wheeled bicycle creaks along a quiet country hill-top road in the early hours and a passing local gives me a simple nod and an casual “Alright?” as if this sort of thing happened every day. The Scots were good at this.
- “Gimme a ride mate!” – This greeting comes only from young males and I fear may not be an entirely genuine request but occurs with such frequency that I’ve decided I need to view it positively
- Standing ovation – Only happened once but a family pulled over at the top of a hill, waited for my arrival then clapped and cheered me over the crest. Brilliant.
Day 18 (13th May)
- Distance so far: 622 miles
- Quote of the day: “Now I know I’m seeing things”, pedestrian witnessing me pass in the middle of nowhere
I’m currently cycling a rickshaw 1000 miles from Aviemore back to London in support of Special Olympics Great Britain. Find out where I am on the map, track my statistics or donate here.
