My First 3 Day Solo Cycle Ride Spring 1964

My first Youth Hostel Tour. On day 1, cycled from home in Yeovil, Somerset to Beer Youth Hostel in Devon. Despite being underaged for unaccompanied hostelling. I was 11 at the time. They put me up for the night.

The next day, I cycled to Bridport Youth Hostel. I was the only person staying there that night. The Youth Hostel warden was a man by the name of Mick Latimer, who I met again on several occasions, working at other hostels as warden. I also came across him back in the '80s, when I was really into Audax events, as he was. Keith Benton knew him well. He went to Tasmania to be a warden there in Hobart. Not long ago, I read in the Audax magazine that he had died. I chatted with him quite a lot whilst I was at the hostel and enjoyed his company. The hostel at the time was an old rope mill, it had since moved, but as of the present, there isn't one in Bridport.

On day 3, I headed home, but the weather condition had dramatically changed from the two previous days with their glorious sunshine. Today I had snow and it was heavy. I was wearing a cape and was continually having to clear the snow that was settling on it. It was hard to see where I was going, as I was riding into a headwind and the snow was stinging my eyes. My progress was further hindered by the depth of snow and how it was building up in my back wheel.

I eventually reach Beaminster where I found a cafe open. I was desperate to get warmed up and wasn't sure I could continue in such conditions. I had a hot drink and something to eat. There was nobody in the cafe at the time, apart from myself, the cafe owner and an old man. The old man turned out to be the cafe owners, father or grandfather. He just looked very old to me. He was a White Russian émigré. He kept me enthralled for some time, telling me of his exploits during the time of the Russian Revolution. Eventually, I had to decide what I was going to do. Fortunately, the snow had stopped falling and it wasn't so cold. So I decided to continue my journey home, even though the cafe owner had offered to put me up for the night. However, there was no way of contacting my parents apart from phoning the police to get a message to my Mum, as to my predicament, and I didn't want to do that. As neither, we or our neighbours had a phone. I could see the cafe owner and the old man were concerned, but I'd made my mind up. I threw a bowl of hot water over my bike to get rid of the build-up of snow and ice, which had hindered my progress. I then set off on my Raleigh Lenton Sports bike with its 4 speed Sturmey Archer gears. It was a long days ride. I started out at about 9 am and arrived home to my Mum's relief at about 8.30 pm. The distance covered that day was about 25 miles, a lot of which I did on foot. That day was a baptism of fire. My next ride to a Youth Hostel was on my 12th birthday, that same year. It was Litton Cheyney Youth Hostel. I could then officially stay unaccompanied. I can't imagine that would be the same now. I was treated to a birthday cake made by some girls staying there. Those were great days, never to be forgotten.

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