About Me

Heth Goes Biking

Hello, I’m Heth and I’m a writer and cyclist.

I don’t take myself too seriously and I’ve always thought reading my work is like eating a tube of Pringles. You know it’s going to do you no good whatsoever but somehow you keep going until the end anyway.

In the case of a tube of Pringles you then feel slightly sick and wish you’d stopped halfway. In the case of my writing you’re generally feeling cheered up and ready to face the day ahead (buying more Pringles).

As for the cycling. Well, it is deeply average. If you’re looking for commentary on cogs and cassettes then you may as well stop right here and go and find a proper cyclist instead. If you want a bit of fun, travel seen from behind bars (bike variety, not prison – yet) and a lot of examples of how not to cycle then you’re in the right place.

Still here? Well, let’s dive in!

Hooligans on bikes

As a kid Mum had a rule that between lunch and dinner you were not allowed indoors. Ever.

Banished outside, we took to our scrappy second-hand bikes. No helmets, three gears and often towing a dangerously designed go-kart we were loud, wild and the polite term might have been ‘free-range’ (other terms available).

But, hooligans though we were, this sparked my love of cycling. It’s a great way to explore. Its slow travel (uphill), fast travel (downhill) and whatever the weather, you never feel worse after a bike ride. Unless you fall off and break your collar bone that is. Then you feel dreadful.

Bikeability

Whilst I don't take myself seriously at all I do take bike safety extremely seriously and it drives me NUTS seeing cyclists failing to signal or veering out into the road with no warning.

In my view, its a pointless way to die. There are certain things we can do absolutely nothing about in life (such as live crocodiles falling off the back of a zoo transport truck and eating you) but cycling irresponsibly is not one of them.

To this end I am a fully qualified Level 1-3 Bikeability Instructor, currently contracted to West Berks. Teaching kids the correct distance to leave whilst cycling behind a friend (one baby elephant) to the Golden Rules of the road with my Special Communication & Observation Song (that will undoubtedly make it to Number 1 at some stage) I'm passionate about teaching kids.

And trust me, the kids of West Berks are The Business. A fantastic bunch. But for those of them who haven't yet done their level 1 or 2, watch out! Because I'm coming to a Primary School near you soon.....