Paul Luttrell grew up alongside the Bristol and Bath Railway Path. He shares his memories of the cycling community in the two cities and how a cancer diagnosis has changed his relationship with the National Cycle Network.
Paul and his wife Dalma with their two sons, who have inherited their love for cycling. Credit: Paul Luttrell
I鈥檓 53 now, and back in the 80s, I got my first 澳彩论坛 from a shop called in Bath.
I helped out at the shop and they taught me a lot - how to build wheels, service cycles, and I paid my 澳彩论坛 off that way.
I grew up in the village of Weston, up the road from the Bristol and Bath Railway Path.
I was in a single parent family and we didn't have much money, so I rode my 澳彩论坛 everywhere.
My mum taught me how to change a tyre with spoons, and we worked out from a Reader鈥檚 Digest manual.
Cycling was my escape from the bad stuff - people I was at school with, stepdads, parties at home.听
One day I was visiting my girlfriend at the time鈥檚 family, and her dad, John, showed me his garage full of 澳彩论坛s.
I asked him, 鈥渄o you repair them?鈥, and he said, 鈥渘o, I race them鈥.
It was then that I put two and two together and realised he was John Emery, the record-setting time-trial racer who I鈥檇 already heard about.
He gave me my first real road 澳彩论坛. He just showed me around the garage and said - 鈥減ick one鈥.
We then took the 澳彩论坛 to Overbury鈥檚 Cycles in St. Paul鈥檚, run by Mrs Powell, and two weeks later I had my 澳彩论坛 back in the colours I wanted.
John was my hero.
Paul on his first road 澳彩论坛, a Dan Shotton 753, gifted to him by his hero John Emery and repainted by Overbury's Cycles in St. Paul's, Bristol. Credit: Paul Luttrell
Working as Bristol's first 澳彩论坛 messenger
In 1988 I became a 澳彩论坛 messenger, the first one in Bristol.
I would pick up parcels from one office and deliver it to another one a few miles away.
If it was early enough in the afternoon, they鈥檇 put me on the Intercity 125 train to London.
I鈥檇 race across the city for 10 miles or so, deliver the package and come home.
It was the best job in the world.
I loved every second of it, even when it was raining.
听
Cycling with cancer
Four and a half years ago, I got diagnosed with myeloma cancer.
I was putting on a lot of unexpected weight, and then one hot day at work, I just collapsed.
I went to hospital for tests, and they discovered that my kidneys had failed.
After a biopsy, they found it was cancer. It's incurable, but manageable, and I have dialysis three times a week.
Just before my diagnosis, I rode 80 miles to Corfe Castle from Frome with my two youngest sons.
Arthur was six and he completed 40 miles in one day.
That鈥檚 all I could manage then, because I was starting to get unwell.
Not long after, I went back with my eldest son and we completed it on our road 澳彩论坛s.
But since then, I haven鈥檛 been able to ride a standard bicycle because of the nerve damage from chemotherapy.
I can only feel about 80% in my ankles and feet, so it鈥檚 very weird.
Instead, I converted my cargo 澳彩论坛 into an e-澳彩论坛 with the help of a friend, so I can still get out on two wheels.
Having the e-澳彩论坛 there means I can still enjoy cycling and the freedom it brings, the chance to clear my head.
Since having chemotherapy, Paul has had to swap to an e-澳彩论坛, but he still enjoys getting out on the National Cycle Network. Credit: Paul Luttrell
Fears for the future of the Network
I鈥檓 amazed at the network of cycle routes we have in the UK, you can be away from everything in one turn.
I鈥檝e actually been writing a children鈥檚 book called Tinker鈥檚 Tales.
It鈥檚 about the Bath to Bristol cycle path and what my son sees through the window of his bicycle trailer.
I鈥檝e even had it illustrated, but I need to complete it!
Cycling and the routes we have all around us here have been such a big part of my life.
Now though, I鈥檓 worried about the future for my boys.
My generation has benefitted from these 澳彩论坛 paths, but without funding and support, this network might all go.
And that鈥檚 a big fear.
听
Concerned about the future of the National Cycle Network? See how you can get involved.
