The Atomic Theory Of Bicycles.

Lower Westbury Road.

I went out on my bike again yesterday afternoon. Just along the main road towards Trowbridge, then turned up Capps Lane, past Heyward House to Bratton. I did not meet a single car all the way along there, which was great. Then I came back to Westbury along the Lower Westbury Road which has not really been a road at all for about 100 years, more of a track, but better for cycling than the main road. I will try and go a bit further next time. It makes me realise how out of shape I am. I did not go out today on my bike because I took a walk up and gave Kim’s bench a coat of teak oil. That was enough exercise for me today. Also, it is not good to spend too much time on a bicycle, in case you start turning into one. (If you read The Third Policeman by Flann O’Brien you can find out all about De Selby’s Atomic Theory Of Bicycles.)

I see that I have already had a bid on my signed Alex Higgins book. That is encouraging because that bid alone covers the cost of all five books that I bought the other day. There is still nine days to go in that auction, so I might make a good profit. If I do, I will reinvest the money in more books or music. Today, I put a signed book by Gareth Edwards in the sale. If you have not heard of Gareth Edwards, he is one of the greatest rugby footballers of all time. Certainly, the greatest Welsh player in the history of rugby anyway.

I am missing the social scene because of this flaming virus. I have not been to a cultural event now since the end of January when I went to the William Blake exhibition in London. Little did I realise at the time the catastrophe that lay ahead. I see Van Morrison is playing two socially distanced gigs in London next month at the Electric Ballroom. I will not be going though. I just cannot face  crowded London for the foreseeable future. Hopefully things will be better next year. We shall see.

“The gross and net result of it is that people who spent most of their natural lives riding iron bicycles over the rocky roadsteads of this parish get their personalities mixed up with the personalities of their bicycle as a result of the interchanging of the atoms of each of them and you would be surprised at the number of people in these parts who are nearly half people and half bicycles...when a man lets things go so far that he is more than half a bicycle, you will not see him so much because he spends a lot of his time leaning with one elbow on walls or standing propped by one foot at kerbstones.”
― Flann O'Brien, The Third Policeman