Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
'We're really sorry to bother you,' I said, 'but we were wondering if you had any old
bikes lying around that you were trying to get rid of.'
'I don't think we have,' she said, completely unfazed by our question. 'We got rid of
ours last month. We might have an old scooter in the garden.'
'Seriously?' we both responded, perhaps overenthusiastically as it appeared to startle
her. 'A scooter would be amazing.'
'Ok, what do you need it for?'
'We're cycling to John O'Groats,' said Ben, who then described our challenge to her.
'What an adventure!' said the lady, whose name was Sue. 'Just give me a sec, and I'll
see if our neighbours have anything they can give you.'
'Helen, it's Sue,' she said on the phone. 'I have got two boys with me who are heading
to John O'Groats and they're after a couple of bikes. Do you have anything at your place?'
There was a long pause. 'It doesn't have to be a bike,' she added, 'anything with wheels.'
There was another pause. 'Yes, they both look barking,' she said laughing and looking at
us both. Another long pause followed, but Sue's expression changed to suggest she was
havingsomesuccess. 'Brilliant,' shethensaid,'anychance Rosscouldrunitoverthefield
with the quad? Thanks, Helen. Talk to you later.'
Our mouths had both dropped open as we stood there expectantly on Sue's doorstep,
waiting to hear what Helen had said.
'Ross is our neighbour's son who lives across the field. He's going to bring over his old
bike for you,' she said. 'It's very small and rusty and he doesn't know if the tyres have
punctures, but it might be of use to you.'
We both grinned like lottery winners.
'He'll beoverinafewminutes,' said Sue.'I'll just goandsee ifIcan findthat scooter.'
Sue reappeared a few minutes later wheeling a scooter and a tricycle. The tricycle was
pink with a little basket on the front and was clearly intended for a two-year-old.
'I don't think you'll get to John O'Groats on either of these, but this one will get you
as far as Zennor or St Ives,' she said, lifting up a black WWF scooter. The former
World
Wrestling Federation
, that is, rather than the World Wildlife Fund. I don't think the latter
make scooters.
'Woweeeee,'Isaid.Yes,Iknowpeopledon'tsay'Woweeeee'anymore,butIdid.Itjust
slipped out in the moment. I'm not proud of it.
Ben was already testing out the tricycle and it was clear that under the weight of an
adult, it would be crushed within minutes. The other one, however, was a beast of a scoot-
er. It had a wide skateboard-sized platform, Harley Davidson sized handlebars, big foam
wheels and was emblazoned with pictures of greased-up wrestlers. It would have been the
Rolls Royce of scooters 'back in the day'. It also had functioning brakes and a drinking
bottle holder.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search