I wish to this day that I had kept the bike. I can’t recall what happened to it. Maybe at that age, I didn’t value possessions in the way that I do now.
As arranged I went to the bike shop and the owner proudly showed me the bike he had built for me. It was stunning. 18 gears. Drop handlebars. Perfect size for my 6′ frame. Panniers had been added. Perfect. Now all I had to do was to cycle to Ireland!
What were the questions uppermost in my mind at this stage? What day do I start? Why am I doing this? What is my destination? What am I hoping to achieve? How do I measure success and failure with this challenge?