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Anyone want to meet up in Europe in 2012?

Sorry for the silence. For the last few weeks I've had my head in my philosophy dissertation. I've finally reached the 20,000 word count that I need. I'm pretty sure I've chosen the right words but, as Eric Morecambe said, not necessarily in the right order. The topic is highly fascinating intersubjective realism. Yes, I'll shut up now.

Steven Primrose-Smith on a bench with his bike
Things are slowly being ticked off the To Do List. A couple of weeks ago I did the exam for MST209. I left the exam hall believing I'd done enough to get the grade two result I need but, with more time to think about it, I'm not so sure. I'm now thinking my final score might include an imaginary number.

Other things on the To Do List have been completed more successfully. The SXR208 astronomy report was thrown into the post a couple of weeks ago, I've managed a handful of half marathon-length training runs, I'm slowly working my way through the S207 course books absorbing the stuff I need to know ahead of 2012's electromagnetism course and I've also started to learn Greek. I can ask for a bottle of wine, although by the time I'm in Athens there may be no currency with which to buy it. I'll have to barter bits off my bike.

But despite possibly messing up the exam, something good came out of that day. Ruth, the OU invigilator, is going to be on my future route. Although she spends some of her time each year here on the Isle of Man, for several months she's in Romania, close to the Moldovan and Ukrainian borders. Via a charity called Hands of Hope, Ruth helps to improve the lives of some of eastern Europe's poorest people, providing food and building houses. I'm planning to pay them a visit on my way through Romania in 2013.

But this got me thinking. Despite meeting up with loads of people this year, and even missing out quite a few due to technical difficulties or route changes, next year I'm a little light on folk to see. And it's the people I meet that make this trip so interesting. I have a couple to visit in Madrid, family in southern France and one or two others in Italy. But from then until the end of 2012's leg - the remaining 9,000 kilometres - there's just one guy in Sarajevo. So if anyone out there is somewhere near my route and fancies a beer or a coffee then please get in touch with me via Facebook or email steven@unicycle50.com. It would be lovely to see you. And I promise not to talk about my dissertation.


 

 

 

 

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TweetSorry for the silence. For the last few weeks I've had my head in my philosophy dissertation. I've finally reached the 20,000 word count that I need. I'm pretty sure I've chosen the right words but, as Eric Morecambe said, not necessarily in the right order. The topic is highly fascinating intersubjective realism. Yes, I'll shut up now. Things are slowly being ticked off ...

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Robyn Bateman - Thu, 10/11/2011 - 12:10

Steven, I'm tempted to book a holiday in Europe just so you have someone to meet for an espresso

Elaine Bell - Sun, 13/11/2011 - 14:30

Hi Steven - I enjoy reading your blog and admire what you are doing. I'm really sorry - I intended to give your post a five-star rating but something went wrong (ie I didn't really know what I was doing!) and I ended up giving it a low rating instead. Apologies again, Elaine

Robyn Bateman - Sun, 13/11/2011 - 16:18

Not your fault Elaine, the ratings function on this site is a tad jittery so it's not always easy to give the rating you want. We're working on it! Glad you're enjoying Steven's blog, me too.

Robyn (Platform editor)

Steven Primrose... - Sun, 13/11/2011 - 18:30

Hi Elaine,

Don't worry about the scoring. I'm just glad you're enjoying the blog.

Cheers, Steven

Deborah Buxton - Tue, 20/12/2011 - 11:09

Wow. I have just found your blog a few days ago and spent awhile going through it. Love it! Love the inspiration. Im the same, always have something new I want to do!

 

Keep it up!!

 

Deborah

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About The UniCyclist

Hi, I'm Steven Primrose-Smith, otherwise known as The UniCyclist – one bloke, two wheels, two degree courses, one portable university and 50 capital cities. Nice to meet you!

I'm 40-year-old full-time student with The Open University and University of Wales, Lampeter. I got my first degree in 2008 in Philosophy and English from the OU and I'm currently planning my dissertation for an MA in philosophy with Lampeter as well as working through the necessary modules at the OU to get a degree in maths and another in physical science. The aim, once all these courses are done, is to be a well-rounded private tutor covering as many subjects as possible. But that's three years away. I might get squashed by a truck before then.

For 15 years I was a technical author and internet software developer, but other jobs that I've been paid for include (in order, from age 14): delivering newspapers, stocking supermarket shelves, working in a video shop cum off licence cum sunbed centre, playing a synthesizer (with one finger) in an awful band called The Slaves of Circumstance, buying electronic components, playing a synthesizer (now with two fingers) in an even worse band called Tuco Talks, graphic design, laying out newspapers, writing computer games, selling software online, knocking up websites, performing comedy, doing voices for radio ads, writing magazine articles, teaching people how to improve their computer skills, writing comedy sketches and, most recently, maths tutoring.

I did my first cycling tour in 1994 when I had a week on very windy Orkney. Shortly afterwards I was working in Austria and only did the occasional weekend tour although I had many a tipsy day-ride with friends out into the vineyards south of Graz. It wasn't until 2007 that I decided to get a bit more serious when I did an 11-day tour of western Andalusia. But the longest ride to date - in 2009 - was from the Isle of Man to the Costa del Sol, through the UK, France and Spain, lasting 32 days and covering 2,688 kilometres. It was that ride that gave me the idea for this one.

Other things I love doing include playing my guitar and keyboard (now with more than two fingers, but still not all of 'em), sailing, walking in the mountains, running, swimming and cooking.

This life is damn short, and it can be snatched away at any given moment. Whatever it is you want to do, just do it. Don't hang around. In other words, literally or metaphorically, get on your bike!

To find out more about the ride, including the rough route I'm planning to follow, or to donate money to the charities I'm cycling for, please have a look at my website at www.UniCycle50.com. And if you have any questions or would like to meet up, please email me at steven@unicycle50.com. See you on the road!
 


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