Hello Ken

Ken Ord
Originally uploaded by westlothianclarion

Another rider from the East Calder Crew joins up this week, Welcome to new member Ken Ord.

Ken Says: "I was a keen mountain biker during university here until I moved to London and seven years there saw me get married, buy a house and have a child but not touch a bike."

"The family moved back to Scotland and a neighbour I took Munro bagging persuaded me to start riding again. My first choice was a mountain bike, a bog standard Specialized Hardrock Pro, but I spent all the time on the road so early last year I resolved to get a real bike. A long planned cycle from Livingston to Aberdeen over the Summer now looked like a possibility."

"After much deliberation I chose a Van Nicholas Amazon prepared for me by Big Al at Wheelcraft. During the spring I got involved with the cycling effort at Sky and joined other staff on the Polkadot Challenge in the Peak District. This was my first experience at riding in a group and I liked it."

"I cycled 150 miles to Aberdeen in June over two days, heavily loaded with camping gear and taking a hilly route. An injury on the way there stopped me returning on the bike, but nevertheless I was hooked. In the autumn I met you guys for the first time on the President's Run and now meet for the East Calder social ride as often as I can."

"This year I'm joining 100 other Sky staff to do the Etape du Tour, and take part in the Etape Caledonia, the Trossachs Ton and more, perhaps even the new Etape Hibernia."

"Training programmes for us are being planned by the pro-team coaches. Sky have also asked me to be a ride administrator so I'll organise information for routes, calendars, training and such for the other riders. Lots of responsibility and I expect I'll be leading rides with the dozen Scottish staff Sky has on the programme, and perhaps members of the public on Sky Rides too.

"Recently I led a ride consisting of Sky and Clarion riders from East Calder which all the Sky participants greatly enjoyed, and it convinced me to get my WLC membership."