Remembering Alec

1951-2022

The last Mellow Velo ride he helped organise was the Alston ride at the end of July that Alastair initially planned but he led. The last ride he went on was Anna’s Dunblane to Helensburgh ride where he appeared in good health cycling up Glen Fruin with ease!

I have put together a selection of photos taken over the years.

Alec was a mainstay of Mellow Velo and the Spokes cycle group that preceded it. His routes were carefully reconnoitred almost to the last inch and he took great pride in endeavouring not to have to cycle on any busy road. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of not only the road and rail network, but the history of them and also of all the buildings of note that we passed!

Harry: I had known Alex for a long time, during the BikeBus days and even before that. He was a real gentleman and always quietly there in the background, willing to help anyone in trouble and a fount of knowledge about anything cycling, and in particular about hub gears. He was a strong cyclist too, I remember someone joking, when he couldn't keep up with him, that he too must get a five-speed Sturmey Archer.
He will be missed.

Sue: That’s a real shock. Alec looked as though he would go on quietly forever. Alec was just always an unassuming and steady cycling presence.

Paul: He was such a gentle and kind person..tho difficult to get close to..I passed his flat regularly and always wondered how he was doing...no more, sadly.

Barbara: Alec organised a Mellowvelo weekend at New Lanark.Three women signed up, including me. We teased him that we were his harem and later got out of him that his grandfather was a bishop in Japan! Alec never offered information but never ducked a question.

Alec was always willing to chum you on a reccy for a weekend. One time, with Paul, we did the Glen Prosen trip. The three of us had the old school/bunkhouse to ourselves and spent a very pleasant evening working out who was the most old-fashioned - in attitudes, cooking and gadgets.

Maura: I had the chance of quite a few cycles with Alec and knew if I kept him in sight, I would always be ok..no matter how difficult a ride or how wet the weather, he always looked like he was just out for a casual cycle. I enjoyed our cycles and remember him fondly.

Sian: But I'm very saddened and surprised to hear about Alec since as you say just a few weeks ago he seemed fit and healthy. I didn't know him well and hadn't seen him for many years before the Dunblane trip. What I do remember from talking to him on bike bus days is that he always wore a yellow jumper, it used to be one his mum had knitted. And I noticed he was still wearing a yellow jumper, not the same handknit however! Bless him

Jenny: There was nobody quite like Alec – he was one of a kind.
At first appearing quiet and shy it soon came to light that he had a big personality and a fantastic memory. He was good company and made the most of his life. He had no need for a mobile phone. He managed fine without it. When he found something amusing or interesting, his face would light up and he would rub his hands together. He enjoyed years of cycling in all weathers and terrains without the need for fancy cycling gear. You always knew that, with Alec on a trip you were very unlikely to get seriously lost.

Elaine: That is sad news indeed. I didn’t know Alec well but when I did meet him he always seemed a very thoughtful person in all senses of the word.

Eibhlin: This is really sad news. I had noticed that he didn't opt to join Tuesday's ride. He was indeed a stalwart of Melo Velo.

Sheelagh: What a shock. Alec was certainly a key member of MV and loved his cycling. He was a unique character and will be really missed.

Sandie: That’s sad news, he was amazing. but he lived it fully to the last.

Peter: This is dreadful news. He was cycling with me on a Mellow Velo ride only a month ago and he had to keep waiting for me. He was terrific on the Spokes Planning Group.

Alastair: I have known Alec since 2016, when I started joining in the cycle rides organised by Mellow Velo.

Alec led the first overnight trip I attended. This was a sort of test of whether Mellow Velo would suit me. Thanks to Alec’s good organisation, I was pleased to find that it did, and I have been on numerous other enjoyable overnight trips with Mellow Velo as a result.

Another ride where I got to know Alec better was in 2018, when we went over the highest road in the Bathgate Hills, which goes close to The Knock, the highest point in the Hills. Alec and I both decided to leave our bikes and climb to the top on foot. We spent quite a while trying to identify the various places that could be seen from the summit.

But my most detailed collaboration with Alec took place this year (2022), by Email. I was in the middle of organising a ride over the heights of the North Pennines to Teesdale, when my current health problem
appeared. Alec, who had already put his name down for this ride, volunteered to take over. I had already made sketch maps of possible routes, but had not yet found one which was short enough and also avoided roads with heavy traffic. I passed him the sketch maps, and he was able to find another connecting road which solved the problem.

John: This page brings back memories of many rides and of Alec's memorable comment: "If I see one arrow on a road on the OS map I know that I have to walk up and if there are two I have to walk down as well!"

Photos: Barbara, John, Kathy, Lynn, Sheelagh and Tiana