The Final Total For Big C

Just to let everybody know. Big C Norwich are now in receipt of all the funds collected to date on the Cycling Music Tour. The total is £3,109.00  a great contribution from all who came to concerts or who just donated to the cause. Both Richard and I are delighted to have amassed that sum from touring on the bikes. Best wishes and much love to everybody. I am currently out in my house in France with family. Been out a few times on the bike attacking a few big hills. Big for me anyway!!  

The Last One

Norco Cycling and Music! 

Bike Percussion

Stage Set

Bach Cycling Music 

Tubular Bells 

Cycling Music 

We Made It!

We is everybody involved in the Cycling Music Tour.  All the hosts and the organisers at the various venues we have visited over the last few weeks, family and friends who have supported the long ride, fellow cyclists and various cycling mechanics, sponsors of cycles and equipment for the shows. Those who have attended the concerts and others who have donated to the Big C charity based in Norwich. One big team!   The last day of the tour involved perhaps the very shortest ride, just  two miles to the venue. This was a good job as a mysterious swelling has developed on the maestro's backside. Too much detail could perhaps be a little off putting.  Could this possibly be the much discussed infected hair follicle.  We will never know.  There would be no sitting down on the short ride to the Ropetackle Arts Centre.   Luckily my bottom has been very well behaved and has put up with all the pressure put upon it. A miracle in itself.     A special concert was planned for the last gig of the tour.  Instead of the backing tracks coming off the computer Richard had invited Stephen Hiscock,the percussionist, used on the  cd recording to join him on stage for full live renditions of Cycle Music and much much more. It would take longer than usual to set the stage and rehearse for the show.   Incident free transfer to the Ropetackle with more gear than the bikes could carry so Louise brought the larger sound system and bike parts for Stephen to use in the show.    The rest of the day was fully taken up with ensuring that the stage was set and no technical problems could bite us in the backside. That thought is awful. All looked stunning on a jam packed stage with the two bikes and the bike bits and pieces and in addition a full light show to enhance the tour lights.   A photo call at 15.00 and then on with rehearsing the cycling music. Before we knew it the home audience were arriving and the auditorium was bussing with expectation.  I say home audience, what a surprise when Chris and Jane Dunkley, dear friends from the world of Hot Air Ballooning, arrived for the concert all the way from Wendwover in Buckinghamshire. A four hour drive, including the deaded M25, on a Friday night.  What an great effort and so kind of them to support us like that.  Another blast from the past was meeting up with Mark Burke who was the playing partner to RD in the late 1980's when they first visited Eccles in Norfolk as The Two Fattest Boys In The Class.    Jeff Haynes riding friend on the early dates of the tour was there too.   You cannot beat a home crowd and the warm welome for Richard was just reward for the effort he has made on this musical endurance tour; physical, mental and artistic.   A great achievement not only for today but for each and every one of the thirty odd concerts played. The Cycling Music is usually performed in the first half of the concert but for tonight it was being saved for the finale.    The breadth of the concert was enjoyed by everybody. Stephen stepped up to the stage for the JS Bach arrangements which concluded the first part of the show. Truly the first composer of the cycling style of music.  With RD's arrangements joined by the sensitive playing from Stephen they left us all wanting more at the interval.    The second part of the show was opened with the artiste's rendition of Tubular Bells followed by the much anticipated  Cycling Music. A real one off performance with Richard and Stephen together.  Two encores and it was all over.  They left them wanting more!  Thanks to all who came to make it such a great homecoming for the tour. Stage cleared and gear packed it was time to say our goodbyes. I left Shoreham a little before 23.00 and headed home to  Norfolk with my head full of music, tour tales and tall tales along with great memories of new friends and kind people who had kept us all safe and sound, peddling and spinning. Thanks and love  to everybody for allowing me to be part of it all, particularly Louise and Richard, my great friends John and Anne who encouraged me so much, to my dear family Naomi, Joseph and Thomas who all played an active part in the tour.   My brother Michael who first passed the good old Norco and set me off riding four years ago. A great follower of the blog. What can I say?    All that and over £3,000 raised for the Big C charity in Norwich.   If you came to the concerts you helped raise that figure  as 20% of the ticket proceeds went to the charity along with individual donations.   The final figure raised will be posted on this blog as soon as possible.   Bon chance! 

Getting Set

Stephen's Bicycle Percussion Set Up.

Cycling and Music

Over Hill and Dale.