~"powering out of the dark"
The alarm was set for 'Stupid-o-clock', 4:30 am. Up & atom! It was finally Sunday. Dave and I were off to Newport, South Wales for a track session with VC10 Club at the Newport Velodrome. But more importantly this was the day I was finally meeting Simon, Amanda, and new pup Eevee. After months of messaging on line, since Simon's grave hit & run accident back in August, the day to meet face to face had finally arrived. Dave, Simon and Amanda already knew each other from racing at the Rudy Project, but hadn't seen each other in a couple years. Simon must have been excited as well as he tweeted the night before that he had gotten a haircut just for our visit.
CyclingSimonMBE Simon Richardson MBE
got@Cycle_Cafe coming down on sunday for coffee and blog interview and I need to get#simonstrong bike built ready for CTT dinner
I am now ready to meet@Cycle_Cafe I've had hair cut and shave lol
I was all packed...I had done everything the night before. Baked, filled our bidons, packed my kit, and borrowed shoes for the fixed wheel, I had my passport, which Dave swore I didn't need; as he explained that Wales is a part of United Kingdom. Meaning my passport was unnecessary; but being so excited to be visiting another country I packed it just the same. As well Simon's specially ordered Victorian Sponge Cake, with 'NO' frosting! Just as requested was also in the car. Simon had mentioned he didn't care for chocolate cake, or frosting. So, my ever popular Chocolate Guinness Cake was out. I had never made a Victorian Sponge cake before so I had practised all week. In total making 4 cakes. (and yes we ate them all lol). So, with the car stuffed we set off for Wales. A two hour 125 mile drive lay ahead of us, with copious mugs of coffee in tow. I was so excited I could hardly contain myself.
Newport Velodrome,South Wales, U.K.
We arrived at the Newport Velodrome by 8:40 a.m. for our three hour track session that I was dreading. Having never set foot in a Velodrome, having no experience, and truly no desire except a wee bit of curiosity and a willingness to try I tagged along with Dave. The whole experience frankly was very overwhelming. What with my first time on a fixed gear, the borrowed shoes, the shear enormity of the Velodrome; just getting my leg over a let bike was an adjustment. Of course I left out the part of being in a foreign land, with it's own foreign language. It really really was all a bit much and feeling completely out of my element all of this newness had mounted and brought me to tears. I soon calmed down and got the hang of it...and I even got past the blue line and near the top ridge..yay me. Our track session was soon over and I have to admit yes I did end up liking it and to be honest can't wait to go back. I showered and put on a nice frock for our visit to the Richardson's, and Dave and I set off again travelling more south for another hour to Porthcawl. We travelled over a moving bridge.
The few for the toll/moving car bridge was L1, which some how between both Dave&I we didn't have so we ended up giving him all our change , which amounted to 58P, bless he still took us across lol
Simon in his 'Lotus' position, the most comfortable position he can be in in his pain.
Simon's 1st Gold Metal @the 2008 Beijing Paralymics
Simon looked great. If it weren't for the many medicine bottles lying close at hand one would not know to look at him that a few months prior he had been struck down by a drunk driver and lay in a Hospital bed unconscious with multiple injuries. Although I had okayed it with Simon a few days prior to our visit to turn our wee visit into a bit of an interview for Cycle Cafe this was mostly a visit for us all. But I felt it was important to share Simon's courageous story of inspiration of how he continues to persevere despite having had two brutal accidents being hit by cars while out riding. I felt strongly that people can learn from Simon's experience and I have high aspirations to use Simon's experience to promote a change for the future of road safety threw out the world...Sounds lofty I know but i have a vision and I'm passionate about this cause; a Utopian cycling world lol.
@Cycle_Cafe thank you I think what you are doing is great we need to make roads safe all over the world as there are to many accidents10 Sep
But, I have to be honest, before Simon's accident I had had no idea who he was. How unfortunate that I had missed out on the privilege of watching this phenomenal Athlete ever before. Not at Worlds, or at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics, and as well had heard nothing of his constant efforts to push the bar and overcome obstacles baring his own disability of use of only one good leg. Simon had lose the use of one of his legs from a previous cycling/motor vehicle accident back in 2001. Seems unlikely that anyone would could have heard nothing of this great athlete; but in my defence I am from Canada, and very new to the whole cycling world. So, it wasn't to far fetched. If it hadn't been for Simon's second accident in August and a member of Cycle Cafe posting on the group wall the day of the accident this visit may never have come to be; and now here we were six months later having the best time chatting away."Oh yes please" I replied..and we headed back downstairs to the kitchen...that is the privy spot for Simon's pride and joy's lol...I had seen pics of this bike on Twitter and Facebook but really I have to tell you to see it in person was really something to behold.
I have to say, I had heard that Simon was "One of the nicest guys you will ever meet"; but was still taken back by his jubilant, and gregarious domineer. It was simply delightful; and we hit it off immediately. I pulled out my pen & paper and got right to my questions that I had listed the night before, but soon forgot the list as the conversation flowed. I asked Simon how he was? He replied very candidly. He still suffers with quite a bit of pain, breathing is still difficult, but his K5@POWERbreatheUK with coaching from@BreatheStrong each day do help immensely http://www.breathestrong.com/home/. Simon's memory, especially short term, is still very much affected. He has plenty of night, and day, dreams that seem like actual events but he is unable to discern if the events actually did happen. His normal day consists off:
S.R. ~ " I get up I do physio and wattbike I get back on bed. I go out in wheelchair or car if I am up to it."I was surprised and ecstatic to hear that Simon was in some way back in the saddle. He asked if we wanted to see his 'Wattbike' bike? "Yes", Dave and I replied. He gingerly got up from the couch, for as gingerly as one can that still suffers from chronic pain. Simon still has a broken back, and lung problems, but is slowly getting there Simon lead us upstairs to proudly show off the wattbike that had kindly been given to him by Wattbike for his recovery. ( @wattbike on Twitter) http://wattbike.com/uk/ . Simon asked if I wanted to give the wattbike a go. I gleefully accepted; However, as soon as I got on the stationary bike I realised that I didn't reach the peddles. Or ,if I was on the peddles, couldn't sit in the saddle. Simon despite having lost 4"'s height since the accident still stands at 6'. Little ole me on a good day stand 5' 2", but that didn't stop me. I still gave the bike a spin....and oh was it ever whisper quite. While we were upstairs Simon also proudly showed us his very cool 'pod' helmets....
I call them 'Sperm Helmets' lol
After seeing everything upstairs Simon asked if I wanted to see the #SIMONSTRONG bike.?...
Simon's very Special #SIMONSTRONG Bike Porn is up close and personal in his kitchen where he can see it all the time!
#SIMONSTRONG
With Amanda's help I soon found my twitter name @Cycle_Cafe on the top tube. I grew silent for a moment. Everyone that had tweeted with the hashtag #SIMONSTRONG; 650 people's twitter names appear on the bike created by close friend and designer Chris Grove of Perfomance Race Art http://www.performanceraceart.com/ (@Chris_PRA on Twitter)
@Cycle_Cafe's name in the middle of the top bar of the #SIMONSTRONG Bike.How cool is that?!....After thoroughly gawking at the #SIMONSTRONG Bike Simon asked if I wanted to see the ONIX Bike that Craig Middleton had given to Simon shortly after he was released from the hospital. Could this day get any better. "Yes of course" I replied. Simon lead the way back to the garage to check out Simon's whole collection of 'Bike Porn'. As Simon opened the door to the garage and flicked on the light my eyes danced around from wall to wall and corner to corner each with plenty of shiny carbon, but my eyes quickly landed on the stand out ONIX frame which Simon proudly showed off then asked me if I wanted to see how light it was..Um "Ya"...WOW!
...next he showed me the frame he used for the Beijing 2008 Olympics the one he used to win all his medals...and so many more...I didn't count all the bikes but lets just say it was a pretty site! We headed back into the house ( Simon brought the ONIX frame into the kitchen from the garage, he said he had to start putting it together).
We all regrouped back in the kitchen to chat and have some coffee....
"BLACK" Just the way I like it!
....and then we floated back to the front sitting room as our visit cam to an end.
I had a few more questions for Simon before we said our goodbyes and these questions were going to be difficult as they were about the, his current condition, the Court proceedings, and the London Olympics. Simon had been very forthcoming so far and assured me that he was fine answering anything so I did.
C.C.D. ~"What is your current condition?"
S.R. ~"I still have a broken back and lung problems but am slowly getting there"
Simon showed us his scar from where they removed and went over every inch of his intestine after his accident
C.C.D. ~ "Where are you in the proceedings to prosecute the Driver that hit you"
S.R. ~ "The sixty year old man who hit me is up on many charges:
- Driving under the influence and excessive alcohol.
- Dangerous driving.
- Leaving the scene.
"We've had the preliminary hearing. The crown court will hear the case on February 20th."
Neither Simon nor Amanda hold any bitterness toward the man that struck Simon, or about the accident. As they told me, "It was an accident. It's done...and there is no point in dwelling on it it's in the past". They both have moved on since the accident, but Simon still struggles a great deal and his days are full of pain. He still requires constant care and can not be left alone for more than an hour. He has a long way to go still before he is back to a regular routine of training, and until he undergoes his final back surgery in a month resuming a regular training routine is out of the realm of possibilities at the moment. My tough questions were done. Now time for some fun ones......
C.C.D. ~ "As you know the London 2012 Olympics are fast approaching; where you aiming at competing this year before the accident?"
S.R. ~ "Yes. Yes I was"
C.C.D. ~ " Will you be watching the London 2012 Olympics. Do you have tickets?"
S.R. ~ "Amanda and I will be sitting here on the sofa watching, Yes. We don't have tickets as of yet, but if someone would like to generously donate some we would really appreciate that. Front row and centre please lol"
Simon showed Dave & I his Olympic metals. They were beautiful and very heavy.
C.C.D. ~ "How do you take your coffee?"
I tried to ask Simon a joke but that questions some how ended up being the joke. Apparently as he and Amanda snickered on; Simon does not know any jokes. Well he did tell me a joke, but somehow it didn't sound like much of one unfortunately lolS.R. ~"I'll tell you a joke" Simon said "A disabled cyclist. Now there's a joke"....
At least he told it with a smile, just as he does everything.
....moving on.We took a few group photos. Hugged. Laughed. Then said our goodbyes. All in all it was a lovely visit.
"Eevee"
Seaside in Porthcawl, South Wales
As we drove home I was thinking about our visit and what a lovely time we had all had, but mostly I was thinking how much Simon and I had in common. We both share a love for cake. We take our coffee black & strong! I can't tell a joke to save my life let alone think of a single one. And most importantly we both share a love for bikes & cycling that goes beyond passion and words.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
It was an honour to have finally met Simon, and his lovely wife Amanda. Spending an afternoon chatting with them both was a pure pleasure. I look forward to visiting again very soon with them both.
Thanks@Cycle_Cafe and dave u help cheer me and@widowofcycling up
