FUTUREPROOF STAFF INTRODUCTION :::: THE PREPATORE - ACHIEVEMENT

Current mood: HOW TO GO ABOUT THINGS....
Category: HOW TO GO ABOUT THINGS.... Goals, Plans, Hopes

I was talking with my Official Prepatoré last night. He's heading up to the Shetland Isles for more extensive life enjoyment, long walking and searching...


Searching for what???

I have no idea...

My Prepatore AKA My Personal Conditioner AKA one of my very best real life friends, spends most of his time walking in the wilderness. He doesn't much care for work, so he doesn't bother with it.

Instead he spends the vast majority of his time walking or cycling about the world, living simple and taking it all in....


At times I've felt Mr B is wasting his life and NEEDS TO GET WITH THE FUCKING PROGRAM!!!! But upon putting this advice to him, he fails to agree and continues as he is...


We're all encourgaed to think of AIMS and GOALS!! Of ACHIEVEMENT in this life, but Mr B doesn't buy this kind of advice - at least in the conventional sense.

He fully understands why others do it, but excepting a few unconventional ocasions, he simply doesn't buy it..


One such unconventional occasion worth recording, was in the summer of 1999


Yes boss, the picture above was taken on a cross channel ferry.

My prepatore and I are on our way to watch the 1999 Tour de France cycle race (the first of Lance Armstrongs 7 consecutive tour wins). We cycle from Southampton to The Alps in 10 days. It's a double heavy regime of 100km of cycling per day + a bottle of wine per man minimum....

As a start, we disembark the Portsmouth to Le Havré ferry after 8 pints of Kronnebourg and 2 cigars a piece. We cycle through customs without even noticing where they are, cycle the wrong way down the road and camp for free in the nearest campsite (late to bed, early to rise)


Thereafter follows a stirring regime of physical endurnace and heavy drinking to land us on schedule for the tour....

If we get lazy - we miss the race..


My sole sacrifice for this mission, is to give up smoking for the 3 weeks before.

Mr B's is to cycle half way around the UK.

I'm in trouble...

We race each day's stage. Mr B wins all but one.


Prior to our first day of serious mountain action, on the enormous Col De Galibier (2646M) Mr B sinks no fewer than 4 bottles of wine as well as cycling up The Col De Telegraphe (1556M)....

By itself this is an achievement, but let me add this to the story.....

We start at the bottom of this 1556m alpine climb in revived spirits after a shitty day before. The most polite of the Tours climbs of that years race, the Telegraphe is relatively easy: Steady and not too steep - it's the kind of climb a decent amateur can get up in one - without a break....


Well, about 2 k of upward zig zags in, we're both going well. Mr B is ahead, but by then, I both accept and expect this...

Yes boss, after having come up short on a previous shorter climb the day before, we're both keen to do this Alp in full - both of us in our own time - we're not competing anymore....


But then, Mr B punctures. He's had a persistent problem with his back tyre. It's punctured 3 or 4 times. Each time he's fixed it, but the problem persists....


I ride past him..

'Do you want a hand??' I ask - not really meaning it

'No. Go on!' he replies


I do.


I cycle hairpin after hairpin, suffering like a fucking dog, but knowing that each one that goes, makes me surer. I'm not only going to do the climb in one, but also win the first mountain stage!!!!.

I'M NOT STOPPING!!! I'M GOING LIKE A DREAM. I'M CYCLING UP A FUCKING ALP WITHOUT A BREAK AT A SAFE AND STEADY PACE!!!!!

GLORY GLORY GLORY!!!



3 hairpins from the top, I become aware of a prescence to my left shoulder.

I look around, and there's Mr B, COMPLETELY PURPLE IN THE FACE cycling around and past me, after having FIXED A FUCKING PUNCTURE AND STILL CLIMBING PAST ME TO TAKE THE FIRST MOUNTAIN STAGE!!!!


That boss,

is achievement.....

23:45 - 6 Comments - 4 Kudos - Add Comment - Edit - Remove -

	Vera Wankenstein	HAAA!!! Posted by Vera Wankenstein on Friday, April 11, 2008 at 01:22 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	: THE FUTUREPROOF MUSIC BLOG BY PIOUS GIOVANNI :	I don't ever recall being as astonished, as seeing this man cycle past me 3 hairpins from the top of The Col Du Telegraphe.... Posted by : THE FUTUREPROOF MUSIC BLOG BY PIOUS GIOVANNI : on Friday, April 11, 2008 at 01:24 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	Vera Wankenstein	Everyone has a special talent...and cycling up mountains quickly obviously isn't yours. )))))) Posted by Vera Wankenstein on Friday, April 11, 2008 at 02:48 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	: THE FUTUREPROOF MUSIC BLOG BY PIOUS GIOVANNI :	Well, I might have been beaten by a better rider, but I still made it up Col Du Telegraphe in one without a stop.... It's the male equivalent of giving birth... Posted by : THE FUTUREPROOF MUSIC BLOG BY PIOUS GIOVANNI : on Friday, April 11, 2008 at 02:54 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	simon	I'm exhausted just reading about it, I think I would struggle to cycle up Highate hill in one let alone an Alp. Much Respect!!! Posted by simon on Friday, April 11, 2008 at 19:09 [Remove] [Reply to this]

	: THE FUTUREPROOF MUSIC BLOG BY PIOUS GIOVANNI :	Posted by : THE FUTUREPROOF MUSIC BLOG BY PIOUS GIOVANNI : on Saturday, April 12, 2008 at 04:09 [Remove] [Reply to this]