Standing on both feet at
the back of the class, I closed my eyes and pictured myself
somewhere in Austria as I sang out, Julie Andrews style
“Climb every Mountain.
Search high and low,
Follow every byway,Every path you know.”
Search high and low,
Follow every byway,Every path you know.”
Just as I was about to start the next verse, there was
a tap on the piano as the music teacher said “err, yes, well thank you – can
you just mouth the words from now on, please?”
My dreams of becoming a
singer ended at that very moment. I haven’t sung a word since and have always
been rather in awe of those that can.
Decades later in a
nightclub, the lights dimmed, the audience hushed, the microphone was turned on
and someone called Wendy starting singing
“And now, the end is here.
And so I face the final
curtain.
My friend, I'll say it
clear.
I'll state my case, of
which I'm certain”
It was so beautiful I was
shocked! The sort of singing that wins the X factor and absolutely not what I
was expecting – not least because Wendy was supposed to be accepting a bouquet
of flowers at this, the Paramount CRT annual dinner dance in Shrewsbury where
singing wasn’t even on the menu!
Paramount Cycle Racing Team
was started 25 years ago by one of the owners at Stan’s Cycles, along with
another road racer and has grown and grown to its current 187 membership. As I
looked around me I realized that through sheer fluke I had stumbled across a
cycle shop and a cycling club that has simply raised the bar like no other.
Having Shropshire as a backdrop hasn't let them drop their standards - it's
made them higher.
Whatever kind of cycling –
mountain biking, recreational, road - the ethos of the shop and the Paramount
CRT rides is inclusivity and they are bringing cycling to the forefront of the
town with the work that they do.
They are pushing boundaries
in the community, sponsoring The Shrewsbury Grand Prix, encouraging youngsters
to become professional cyclists of the future and they run the shop as though
you are home from home.
It has set a benchmark that
I have not met anywhere else. Egos and overpricing have no place here. It’s not
just that their product knowledge is second to none, nor that their café has
just won an award. It’s the gentle enthusiasm and interest they have in making
sure their customers have the best experience both in-store and cycling -
always with a sense of fun which is what makes cycling what it is.
Earlier in the day I had
joined the Paramount CRT Ladies Ride. Eight of us met at Stan’s Cycles and
headed out into beautiful Shropshire countryside.
My loaded Carb breakfast should have been more porridge based but it was too good to miss.
As I sat and chose whether
to have jam or marmalade I was delighted to see that the entire selection came
from Tiptree Farm in Essex - this would clearly be approved by Jack
Thurston!
Had I put my Garmin on my
bike I might have a record of the route but sadly it stayed in the hotel!
Through picturesque
villages, past fields of crops and cattle and on the horizon the mountains of
North Wales. It was absolutely beautiful. The air was cold but the speed kept
me warm – I just managed to hang on to the back of the ride.
As we went around
a corner, a horse and its rider were in the middle of the road – like Tonto.
The horse was across both sides of the road facing the hedge. Two of us went
into the nearest driveway and hid behind a bin in the hope that the hooves
would stay on the ground and trot off calmly. A few minutes later they did.
We regrouped at the top of
a hill and I managed to catch my breath – just before the scenery took it away
again. I can only hope that Jack does make his way here. It was like cycling in
his book (but really only he can say that)!
This was the inaugural ride
on my Woodrup since its second and final bike fit. 21 miles later I was
grinning like a Shropshire Cat even though my bicycle was covered in mud as was
I.
Back into Stan’s Café where
we met all the other Saturday riders – the noise and welcome was warm and
wonderful. Whilst I was busy having coffee, the Mud Wizard removed all the mud
from my bike! Perfect!
As I headed back home I
realised that my weekend had been less My Way and more Stan's Cycles Way and I
have absolutely no complaints about that at all.
Stan's Cycles http://www.stanscycles.co.uk
Paramount CRT http://www.paramountcrt.org
Cycle Shrewsbury http://www.travelshropshire.co.uk/cycle/cycle-shrewsbury.aspx
Shrewsbury Grand Prix http://www.shrewsburygrandprix.co.uk
Jack Thurston http://thebikeshow.net/lost-lanes-shop/
Breeze Network http://www.goskyride.com/Breeze/Index
British Cycling http://www.britishcycling.org.uk
Sustrans http://www.sustrans.org.uk
