On yer Bike

Today

My sister has recently discovered the joys and benefits of walking. She trots off on Sussex walks most weekends and tries to get some walking in, rain or shine, daily.

She was thinking about attempting to walk the 4.5 miles to work every day and wondered in what sort of a state she'll arrive.

In My Day

In 1982 we moved to the house in Westham. We settled the girls into the local school, just 3 minutes walk away. My journey into work involved a daily train journey. The terrain was flat and I began to wonder whether it would be possible to cycle the 6 miles there and back into Eastbourne daily.

I did my sums: a bike would cover the cost of my train ticket in about 6 months and I'd get fit and slim.

I put this into practice by first buying a bike! One frosty February morning, having seen the girls into school, I heaved out the machine. The morning was freezing. With cold winds whipping my face and body, I'd soon be hypothermic, I reasoned. So I put on a shirt, followed by a nice warm jumper, topped with a woollen blouson jacket. I put on some heavyweight needlecord trousers. Grabbed scarf and gloves and set off.

By the time I'd got over the level crossing the gloves were off, followed shortly by the scarf. As I struggled up the (very slight) incline towards Langney, I had to stop to remove my jacket. I was hard pushed to find somewhere to stow this, but managed. Finally, the jumper came off.

I pedalled triumphantly into St Anne's House carpark, put my bike in the cycle shed and went up to the office. I was out of breath, wheezing freely and a dangerous shade of beetroot. I stood at the office door as colleagues looked expectantly at me. I just stayed there, gasping and unable to utter any other sound for about five minutes. I was also very hot and sweaty, despite the removal of clothes. The office was toasty warm and my pleas for open windows were not welcomed by the staff.

The good news is that I learnt to dress more lightly and did eventually get used to it, arriving at work only slightly dishevelled, unless it had been pouring with rain. So I guess Beatrice, with her walking, will become accustomed too.