Missing You......

I was chatting to a blind friend last week, and was telling her about this weeks Hexham Book festival. "Ah you know I really miss that" she said, once an avid reader. She went on to explain how she really misses just browsing round bookshops looking for something that takes your fancy, something new, something you haven't read before. She pointed out that the vast majority of new books never get put onto CD so she cant hear most of them. Id never thought of it, of course you don't, its hard to empathise with people sometimes, especially when you have no point of reference. So I told her the one thing I really miss is cycling. I have LOVED cycling since I was a child and its one of those activities whereby if you do it regularly, you really see the seasons changing before your eyes. We live in a great part of the world, and the council has put a lot of investment into pretty accessible cycle tracks, so I have been half thinking of getting a hand cycle. But I'm not sure, they are you know a bit Cripply... and I don't know if I would get on with it. But my son will soon want to go out on his bike and my husband doesn't do cycling, anyway why should he have all the fun?

So to get to the end of a long rambling around the houses kind of story, my friend is on the board of Leisure Tynedale, who currently have a huge new project being built in Hexham. I mentioned to her some schemes Ive come across whereby you can hire a bike at a leisure centre. I'm not just talking about any old bike though, I mean any kind of bike you can think of.

Wheels for All!

Working to provide cycling opportunities for everyone to enjoy.
For anyone who isn't able to manage a two-wheeled bike, for whatever reason, this Cycling Project has a variety of equipment in different sizes for you to try.

Bicycles with Stabilisers: A boost to confidence, whatever your age.

Tricycles: All the fun of cycling on three wheels, with the option of a supported or recumbent seat.

Handcycles: More cycling fun. The rider powers the front wheel by hand, great for a wide range of abilities.

Quadcycles and Go Karts: Cycling fun on four wheels.

Bicycles Made for Two: Fun with a friend on the Wheeleasy side by side hand-cycle or regular Side by Side cycle or a Harmony Tandem with hand-cycle or wheelchair at the front and bicycle at the back or perhaps the Kettwiesel recumbent tandem.

This is taken from the website of Sefton Borough Council who run a really great scheme whereby you can hire any type of bike you can think of. Given the nature of Tynedale I think it would be a very worthwhile scheme to have here too. So its something we are trying to get support for from Leisure Tynedale, and who knows maybe it will happen!