Bananas, Petheads and Vietnam

Hi,

Shelley's parting words at work on Friday evening were "Take care of your banana!"

Last night I was a Pethead par excellence. I was in the audience close to the stage for the Pet Shop Boys gig at the Apollo in Manchester. It was tremendous. I would urge you all the catch them in action only the tour is more or less sold out.

So I am definitely up for becoming Neil Tennant or Chris Lowe for a day on my bike trip all I need is a sponsor - over to you (£50+ half day, £100+ full day). Think of it Bill on bike declaiming 'West End Girls' and 'It's a sin' to bewildered sheep in Devon or the Highlands. I could even capture it as a video clip on my new digital camera!

Talking of sponsorship my friend Holly whose Vietnamese gave me some sponsorship money on Sunday saying, "They need it". I was touched because I know Holly had a dreadful time in Vietnam and then months in a refugee camp before she came to England.

It is time that those of us in the West got out of the way and ceased to be part of the problem of the Third World.

Best to all

Bill on bike

Bananas, Altrincham and Knutsford

Hi,

I had a regular monthly meeting this morning in Altrincham and decided to cycle there and back along the canal path about 15 miles round journey from my home and add the round trip to work makes 22 odd miles today. My trip to Altrincham is usually an unpleasant car journey. I thought about my idea of a cycling retreat and this canal trip certainly lends itself to one in a urban setting. You get a different view of the city, some great barges, a few walkers but mostly tranquility.

Phil from the Guardian - that's the Knutsford Guardian - rang me yesterday to interview me over the phone and his piece on me should be in the next issue on Wednesday hopefully with a photo of me and my bike! Phil wants me to call in on my LEJOG trip which should pass right by their offices. This opens extra ordinary vistas of involving the local papers en route and who knows local radio. Today Knutsford tomorow daytime TV, such ambition!

Meanwhile in yesterday's (Manchester) Guardian their regular bike correspondent Matt Seatton was talking about yes you've guessed it bananas! I quote "bananas are so ideal (easy to chew, swallow and digest, and containing potassium, which we easily lose in sweat) that you would think they were designed with cyclists in mind".

Apparently if you don't eat and drink regularly when cycling you can go into a hypoglycaemic state which cyclists call 'the hunger knock' or 'the bonk'.

So eat bananas to avoid bonking!

See you,

Bill on bike