Books / cycling
Simon Parker presents the highs and lows of his UK-perimeter cycling odyssey
Travel writer, broadcast journalist and speaker Simon Parker’s usually far-reaching horizons were dimished more than most, when the global pandemic struck.
For a man who had worked in over 100 countries by the age of 34, the new dawn – and a newly empty diary – proved extremely challenging.
A close personal tragedy followed, and to offset a downward spiral in his mental health, Parker set about on a new adventure: a solo cycling expedition around the 3,427 mile perimeter of the UK.
Tales from Riding Out – photo: Simon Parker
His trip was characterised by the numerous soul-searching stories and anecdotes from the people he met along the way, including farmers, fishermen, artists and musicians, homelessness charities and the RNLI.
Parker’s book Riding Out: A Journey of Love, Loss and New Beginnings is the result.
It is a tale of “extreme highs and devasting lows”, and an affirmation of the healing power of nature.
“This trip gave me an opportunity to digest the fractious events we were facing,” he recalls. “It was an expedition on home soil, but it made me feel alive, rather than simply surviving.
“I learned so much from so many people, and I’m looking forward to sharing those lessons with audiences this year.”
Parker will be sharing high quality films, audio clips and recollections from his trip, as well as reading from the book, at the Redgrave Theatre on May 9.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CcDD4BDjgiE/
Simon Parker: Cycling 3,500 Miles around Pandemic Britain is at the Redgrave Theatre on May 9 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available at www.redgravetheatre.com. Riding Out: A Journey of Love, Loss and New Beginnings (2022) is available in hardback now.
Main photo: Simon Parker
Read more: “Cycling isn’t just about getting around, it’s another way of looking at the world”
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