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| JOHN ARRIVING AT ONE OF OUR REGULAR RIDE STOPS |
If I was a youngster, my Mum would be telling me to be careful when I went out to play with him. He was probably one of those kids around which all sorts of minor and quite innocent mishaps seemed to happen and over the years nothing has changed.
JD still holds the record for the most punctures in one morning that any of our group has ever had. This major achievement occurred back in 2008 when we were riding Lands End to John O' Groats.....
Then when we were riding on the Atlantic Coast Challenge Ride in 2009 he managed to achieve the highest number of broken spokes award......
As I said if something is going to happen it WILL happen to him.
Brake adjustments.....Saddle adjustments.....Mudguards falling off....you name it and JD has been involved.
I can't count the number of times his Garmin has been returned to the suppliers due to setting up problems etc....
French road workers have been known to hose him down whilst he stood in a large barrel of water in order to cool him off.....
Ex pats living in France have taken him into their home to feed him and give him cold drinks, because they felt sorry for him, as he looked such a wretched sight one hot afternoon in southern France....
I won't even begin to tell you about some of the things that happened on our ride back from Gibraltar a year ago..but you get the picture.
Things seem to happen to him and he gets involved in things.....
So I always go out on a ride with JD having a heightened sense of anticipation and wonder....
I wonder what can possibly happen on the ride and I anticipate that it probably will......
Well last Friday before my weekend camping trip I had arranged to meet up with JD to do our short training loop....just a quick 40 miles I thought so not much can happen on that......
I should have known better from previous experience.....
If someone had told me that we would go off on our ride and JD would end up helping to launch a rigid inflatable boat for three pensioners in their seventies I wouldn't have believed it....but then again I probably would.
Anyway, that's exactly what happened.
As we were sitting down having a drink and an energy bar at Swanage seafront we saw this group of three pensioners manoeuvreing a large inflatable boat along the road.
They then came up onto the promenade where we were sitting, where they nearly wiped our bikes out in the process of attempting to get it down to the beach.
Next thing JD, always wanting to help and get involved, jumped up and before you could say 'cycle ride' he was helping them launch the thing into the sea......
To be truthful it did look a bit like an accident waiting to happen and I did shout over to JD asking him ' do you want me to call the coastguard now John?'
My coastguard offer was declined but the female of the little group did see the funny side.....
JD eventually arrived back on the promenade after about 20+minutes discussion with the little seafaring group, probably having discussed the distance across the channel to France and likely paddling time.......
Anyway before the coastguard really was required we got back on our bikes and rode away in the direction of Studland.
I must admit that later on I did tune into the local news just to see if three pensioners in a boat had gone missing off the Dorset coast near Swanage......
Going on a bike ride with JD is always more than just a bike ride..!!!
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| JD LAUNCHING A BOAT AND GIVING SEAFARING LESSONS |
12 comments:
Sounds like a great friend to have around, especially when things are looking on the boring side.
JD, huh? I have lost touch with the "JDs" I used to know. No wonder things are so freakin' boring now! (hehe.)
Helping folks launch their tiny boat in the big ocean is the good king of excitement. Broken spokes and flats are a drag.
Most good friends are the source of stories - sounds like JD has a bundle!
*Paul*
Yeah...It's never boring with JD around.....
*RANTWICK*
Pity I can't send JD over to you to help spice things up a bit...!
*Big Oak*
The thing with JD is, that things happen to him and he never shies away from getting involved in things....As you say he has a bundle of stories.....
Well, at least JD hasn't gotten little animals running into his wheels, or has he?
JD seems like the type who doesn't hesitate to jump in, and that may be the secret.
This made me laugh Trevor. Thanks for posting
Wish you could clone him for us in Florida. He sounds like a great guy to know and bike with!
*Steve A*
Yep...That too..!
*JRA*
That's just what he's like....
*cyclingthesixthdecade*
Glad it gave you a laugh Brenda.
*Marsha*
Every ride is fun with JD around Marsha.
JD is a legend. Many a happy hour was spent with you two. If I cod turn back time I would turn back to '02-07 some of the funniest working years of my life.
JD is legend some of the funniest working days of my life was spent with you pair. I miss those time but have fond memories.
*Durhamlad*
Great to hear from you Darren...
Yeah they were great times and I too will always look back on them fondly.
Working with you was pretty special too mate.
Keep in touch - you can always contact me via twitter or something.
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