Brian's Big Bike Ride Brought Forward

Why would anyone want to cycle from Calais to the Med?
Are you mad?
You're not 21 any more you know.
What if you have to give up after a few days?

These were some of the "helpful" comments I received when I revealed my plan to mark my retirement from teaching, by challenging my hitherto sedentary body to propel me and my newly acquired Dawes Super Galaxy from the North to the South of France.

I had originally planned to make this trip in 2012, when I was scheduled to retire aged 60. I thought that it would be a good way to mark these two major milestones in my life.

However at very short notice in May this year Fife Council decide that they could "manage" without my last two years of teaching and offered me early retirement - an offer which was grabbed gratefully and with indecent haste on my part.

However, they ruined my careful plan for this event and forced me to bring forward Brian's big bike ride to August 15th 2010 the official date of my retirement.

Better get the lycra looked out and start training!