OUR WHITE BICYCLE. HOAD AND THE TOUR OF BRITAIN

A bit of cycledelia for starters...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JhZqWCqKs8

The Cycling Tour of Britain was due to pass through Ulverston on September 7th, and the stages across the country were marked with various artworks including bike designs on fields and the sides of hills.

Alex and me were asked to make one in the shadow of the Sir John Barrow Monument. We made various suggestions as to a safe and temporary material and in the end went for some recyclable layflat drainage tubing and several hundred tent pegs. The design came from a local school, the weather was decent, and by the time I'd been convinced to stick with the original site and scale (sorry mate) it was an enjoyable task.


We decided to avoid paths, bracken and rocks, and we needed space so the angle was the best on offer. And I should say that, yes, if you draw something with two large circles underneath something like Hoad Monument then you had better expect consequences, from some angles at least.

We were joined by spectators, well-wishers and even helpers (thanks to Emily, and to Simon, Sam, Theo and Sonny) These pics (larger images by Lindsay Ward) tell something of the story, and Paul Leviston's drone pic shows the finished piece.

It came down yesterday, having been up for a week. It's been well received, and featured strongly in the live ITV coverage, which gave the Tour, Ulverston - and us - an audience of millions.

Our thanks to UTC, Les Tallon the Monument Keeper, for the use of the Monument as store room and workshop, and to Townlands, Alan Edmondson and his sheep for the use of the land.