Meek's LE2JOG
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With ten days of long distance cycling behind us, we reached Wick and the final run in to John O' Groats. I recorded the last hour or so on a video camera and prepared a one minute trailer to whet the appetite. The 15 minute movie was on general release a few days later. |
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I first met Ian in John Smiths' car park in Tadcaster on Friday 29th April 2011 as we gathered to travel to Bristol for our 200 mile ride back to Bingley. Whilst I didn't really get to speak to Ian on the ride, I did get to know him better during the preparation phase for this much bigger enterprise. Without any real training, I joined a group walking the Three Peaks in April. Coming down from Whernside I was beginning to find the going difficult and Ingleborough seemed a very long way off. Ian and his family were supporting the walkers and I met them at the end of a lane. My lasting memory of Ian comes from that moment, he obviously saw my poor state and did his best to help. He insisted on walking up the lane with me to point out the way and gently provided encouragement with soft kind words that propelled me on for the remainder of the walk. His taking the time to do this was such a simple act, yet something I'll never forget. We managed to visit Ian at St. Gemmas on Tuesday evening and I'm so pleased that we did. It was almost as if he was hanging on until the team arrived and he knew that we were safe. It was not lost on us all that he died on Yorkshire Day; the very day that we were in Leeds to celebrate; the reason we'd cycled up the east side of the country; the day for which so much had been planned. 1st August will now have far more meaning for everyone involved with the ride. Read more about the ride. |