Everything Comes to those who wait …..

Well, I’m sure that’s not true in reality but …………… after searching for well over a year, we have finally managed to find someone who could supply us with kits to fit electric motors onto our Brompton bikes.  It would have been so easy just to go out and buy new bikes that were already motorised but …………. we like our Bromptons because they fold up really neatly and fit tidily on a shelf in the engine room.

The company (small – existing of only two guys!) is based just outside Marlborough so, needing to go back to Staines for a few days, we went via Marlborough!  It was further than we thought!  Unfortunately, the solitary guy there was way behind schedule with what he was doing so we left our bikes with him arranging to pick them back up three days later.  It’s a sad tale in one way but encouraging in another.  This nice chap used to be a really keen cyclist but, several years ago he had a devastating accident that has left him severely disabled.  He can now only walk with two sticks and finds it really difficult to use his hands.  Being determined not to give up on life and wanting to get back on a bike, he engineered a way to motorise a Brompton.  He now markets this.  Everything takes him a long, long time and his patience with himself is amazing!  I don’t know how it all came about that we ended up having them fitted for us rather than John fitting them – it just happened that way!

Anyway ……………. I now have electric wheels!  No more struggling up hills going slower than a snail with arthritis.  Now, me with a rucksack full of shopping and Maggie in the basket will exhibit oodles of va-va-voom!  I’ve even had a rack fitted on the back so I can carry extra! (John declined this accessory! He says it was the price that was prohibitive.  Rubbish!  He just wants ME to carry the beers!)

                                  

My mum was a keen cyclist all her life.  Back in the 20’s and 30’s she belonged to what was probably one of the first type of cycling clubs.  She told me how it took her ages to save up enough money to buy what was then akin to a racing bike. She had me riding my first two-wheeler when I was only four years old and, from then on, we cycled all around the local area together.  My bikes just got progressively bigger – always Christmas presents and always second-hand and I always loved them.

These newly acquired motors (John wasn’t going to be left out!) are from you, mum.  You kept riding your bike well into your 80’s.  Now, if you’d had one of these motors ……………….. you would have been down-right dangerous!!!

In Staines we had the soul-destroying task of completely emptying John’s mum’s bungalow. The charity shops didn’t want the larger, more dated items of furniture – display cabinet, dressing table and sideboard so …….. John had to break them up.  He made that dressing table for me 37 years ago – I couldn’t watch.

On the plus side we got to spend some time with Ben and I met my ex colleague, Lorraine, for a pub lunch – and a good old gossip!

On the minus side, we were involved in a bit of an incident on the way back to the marina – nothing serious but hassle we could do without.