SPOKESPEOPLE Words Jo Denbury Photography Katharine Davies
T
his morning, while walking along Long Street, I was mulling on this very article when two young lads came past me on bicycles, wind in their hair, arms raised (yes, I know, very irresponsible) and singing their hearts out. It was a timely reminder of the joy that cycling brings. Ask any cyclist why they do it and ‘joy’ is no doubt high on their list. The levels of fitness achievable, an estimated 10-year increase in life expectancy and the obvious environmental benefits add to a very long list of incentives. If, like me, you are over 50 then the health benefits are certainly appealing. For younger riders it’s enough to simply be free. While the positives are inarguable, the reality for many, if not most of us, is that our public roads are just too unsafe. Somebody determined to change that is cyclist, writer and Sherborne old boy Adam Stones. You might have heard Adam deliver an inspiring talk on ‘How cycling transforms people and places’ at the TEDx Sherborne event last year. Adam grew up here, and although he now lives in Amsterdam, he still takes a keen interest in the well-being of his hometown. He is a strategic advisor to BYCS, the international cycling culture change agency that is responsible for the fastgrowing ‘Bicycle Mayor Network.’ Adam’s commitment to cycling took hold at the age of 25, with a coast-tocoast ride across the US. His book, The Limey Project, published this autumn, chronicles his adventure. >
Mike Riley, Riley's Cycles 64 | Sherborne Times | September 2020
