Love on Two Wheels
I read somewhere that the bicycle is the most revolutionary form of transport ever invented as it expanded the human gene pool. No longer did you have to marry the girl next door; you could hop on a bike and find a mate miles away – it happened to me!
I lived in London and my late lovely wife, Sheila, lived in Coventry. We met cycling in North Wales and most of our courtship was by letter.
I was in the RAF and was a keen cyclist. I took some leave to compete in a seven day cycle race which finished in Pwllheli in North Wales. My “mucker” back at camp, Alan C, was a cyclist from Coventry who knew Sheila. He bet that she could not ride from Coventry to Pwllheli to support her club mates who were competing in the same race. At the farewell social after the race I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see a charming young lady who said, “Tell Alan C he owes me two and six (12 ½ p).” This was the start of our beautiful romance and I have cycling to thank.
Derek Buttle
Many of you may not know that Derek, still a keen cyclist, took part in the first Tour of Britain in 1951 and as a professional rider in the Hercules team, participated in three Tour of Britain events in the early 1950s as well as competing in international races across Europe. You may find the following links interesting.
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