Alan Deakins

Old Hippie on a Bike Alan Deakins

On his 70th birthday, Alan Deakins suffered a stroke. Two years later, he flew to St Petersburg to ride his £80 eBay bicycle back to England in aid of his local Samaritans, where he is a volunteer listener. His ride was a life-enhancing journey."I set out on an adventure, I expected things to happen. And they did. Some aggravating, some enlightening, others frightening, then others wonderful and uplifting. But all of these experiences were extraordinary because I was in a life I hadn't been in before. ""The whole journey washed through my mind. The good times, the bad times, the unexpected times. The welcomed times. The happy times. The frightening times. The lonely times. I saw faces. Generous faces. Kind faces. Happy faces. Concerned faces. Sad faces. So many wonderful people filled my days, gave me company when I was alone, came to my aid when I was vulnerable, laughed with me, cried with me, and helped me on my way. All because I was a fellow human being on the face of this planet."This is more than a journal of places, sights, and roads. It is a personal inward ride of discovery."My desire is to express how it felt to be heartened, defeated, inspired, exhausted, moved, frightened, lost, lifted, lonely, loved. What happened inside me. In my head. In my seventy-two-year old heart."From extreme weather, shockingly fast traffic, death on the road, injuries, and living with an old body after a stroke, to laughs, surprises, nudism, and tender heartwarming encounters, Alan's journey wasn't easy or simple, but it was extraordinary.