I obtained this exclusive interview with James after meeting him by chance at an exhibition detailing the BBC's new inter-planetary condiment delivery system. He has just set the world record for riding a bicycle around the world as quickly as you can. You may remember him from my other posts.
R: Congratulations on cycling round the world, Mr. James Bowthorpe. Have you been on any long bicycle rides before?
J: Not since the mid-nineties, when I did trips over the Himalayas, through a bit of Russia, and from Alaska to LA.
R: When did you decide to cycle around the world and why?
J: May 9th 2008. I did it to raise £1.8 million for Parkinsons disease research at the clinic where I volunteer. I'm really hoping to step up the fundraising now that I'm back...
R: People can donate here, right?
J: Yes. That's amazing, Ruby, I've never heard anyone say something hyperlinked out loud before.
R: Yes I am quite amazing, world record holder James Bowthorpe. What does cycling round the world mean exactly?
J: According to Guinness, it's 18,000 miles of cycling, crossing two antipodal points, with no u-turns. You're allowed to get on planes and boats and things along the way.
R: How do you know when you've cycled round the world?
J: You get back to where you started from; you recognise road signs, city names and eventually you start seeing faces you know.
R: How did you get ready for your trip?
J: By going to the gym and strolling around the place. I read a few books about cycling and also flicked through my diaries from the earlier trips. I also did a fair bit of cycling, but not so much that I was sick of it by the time I was leaving.
R: What did you worry about once you got going?
J: Time, space and where to pitch my tent.
R: What was the longest time you went without going into a building? Is a tent a building?
J: I was probably only a couple of days outwith buildings; buildings are where most food is kept and I ate a lot. A tent isn't a building because you don't build a tent, you pitch it or erect it; some people make camp or "bivvy-down", but no-one builds a tent.
R: I often "bivvy-down." Who did you talk to?
J: I talked to myself, people that I met and the weather.
R: What was the longest time you went without speaking to someone?
J: About a week probably. During that time I did a lot of shrugging, smiling and pointing to get by.
R: When did you eat?
J: Never whilst cycling until I managed to rig up a system whereby I could hang a bag of baby carrots off my handlebars.
R: What kind of amazing things did you eat?
J: Fish balls, special sauerkraut, Mega-Burgers, Vegemite in tiny sealed trays (on a plane).
R: What was the strangest day you had?
J: Flying back in time from New Zealand to Vancouver. It was 6 in the evening on the 15th when I left and I arrived after 11 hours in a plane at 2 in the afternoon on the same day.
R: Did you see any films or TV?
J: I watched Star Trek (the new one) on the ferry between New Zealand's South and North Islands. Apparently its one of the most beautiful ferry crossings in the world, but I was too tired. There were also some occasional motel viewings of Seinfeld.
R: Did you see any Star Wars or Lego products along the way?
J: I don't remember but it seems unlikely that there wouldn't have been any at all. I saw someone playing Lego Star Wars on Playstation, does that count?
R: Yes, of course it counts, it's both Star Wars yet Lego! Why didn't you cycle across Hawaii?
J: Too hilly.
R: What was it like when you got home?
J: Frikking Awesome.
If you enjoyed this interview, you might also like Britisher saint Bowthorpe has embellish the fastest Negro to tone around the globe. Mr. Pony, is this written by one of your pet robots?
