RANDOM REMINDER

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30156, 13 June 1963, Page 18

RANDOM REMINDER

WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS

There are a good many ways of defeating boredom. Lighting fires on the lounge carpet is one which comes readily to mind. One must forget an incessant battle against ennui, against drudgery, against monotony. Each to his own of .course, but we pay admiring tribute to a young * man pf our acquaintance whose duties require him to cycle from a very northern suburb into town each day. He can predict, more accurately than those equipped with all mod.met.cons. that there will be a strong southerly blowing each morning, and a nor*west gale in the late afternoon. It was this gift which first persuaded him that cycling was unrewarding. And he soon learned all there was to be read on the shop advertisements he passed; he’completed a ■thorough study of home ana

business; architecture; he watched progress in suburban gardens, ad nauseam. And he was left only with a weary bicycle ride. He then hit upon the idea of converting himself into an incognito racing cyclist. He decided he was in 20th place in a classic field of international riders; never mind if some of them were ladies of very ample build on very -small machines, they were all his rivals. So as soon as he left his own gate he was at it —full speed to get to first place before work. This, of course, he achieved by passing 19 other cyclists. The penalty for such success he concluded, must be a handicap of a further five places. So after a good week, he starts out on Monday morning, perhaps 55th in the field and the usual gale to bike against. The thing really got into him. He started going home

for lunch, to get more racing in. Two or three times, he cheated, by stopping quite unnecessarily, to attend to his shoe laces so that more people would pass him and therefore be ready for defeat. Once, indeed, he went completely round a block so he could come in again at the back of the field. On days when few cyclists are likely to be about, he contents himself with time trials.

He has become a lonely figure, as he races, pork pie hat bent to keep the rain out of his face down Papanui road. Others from his office used to set off home with him, but after a few days on which they addressed his departing back, they gave up. He is on his own and the working day seems an interminably long obstacle to his next exploit in road racing. Work has. in fact, become a bore, so much drudgery. But he has a scheme to defeat that. ..