Heavenly Beverley : A Jolly Good Heroic Weekend!

Tuesday, 15 October 2019

A Jolly Good Heroic Weekend!

Huzzah! We have just celebrated that quintessential weekend dedicated to bicycles, riders, serious racing, less-than-serious racing, penny farthings on the move and loads of fun for all involved. Heavenly Beverley has played host to another successful Heroic!

Those who have been hibernating in a comfy hollow or have had the misfortune not to read this blog would surely be the only souls in the known universe to have never heard of the Beverley Heroic. Inspired by a challenging bicycle race that ran for nearly a hundred years, "The Beverley" was considered to be one of the world's most gruelling bike races of its time.

Enter stage left Mister Toby Hodgson five years ago. With courage or foolhardiness (probably a bit of both), Toby decided to, almost single-handedly, to revive the camaraderie and devotion by those crazy enough to participate in an entire weekend revolving around bicycles. The Beverley Heroic was born.

The weather gods were kind to us this October. In 2018, a truly miserable and frightful cold front tested the endurance of the faithful. Last weekend, the conditions were almost perfect, after some light showers on Friday night.

We welcomed old comrades and new friends. Young Collyn arrived with a vintage 1925 Raleigh bicycle, which snoozed in the Gallery on Friday evening. Families and partners of those being very Heroic streamed into the Gallery all weekend. Some of those riders who were able to wobble their way down Vincent Street hobbled in as well and made good use of our chairs and sofa. Guests made themselves cups of tea and joined us in late afternoon drinks.

Our Number 1 Fans, Marion and Michael arrived on Sunday and immediately bought a painting from a delighted Jenny Couper, who had just dropped it off. Just to point out that artists live very much on the edge, Jenny did not earmark her earnings for a trip to Tahiti. The dollars will be spent on a new pool filter for their above-ground watery oasis. Another of our newest artists, Sandra Mallatrat had her "Cheeky Sunset" placed on hold for Michael's birthday. Marion, as ever, was just "cheeky" enough to decide her beloved husband deserved a beautiful mixed-media work of a lady's bottom as her present to him.

As ever the East End Gallery bustled with comings and goings. I was so busy that I didn't have time to attend the awards ceremony which signals the finish of the Beverley Heroic. However, thanks to my darling Michael and images from the Heroic Facebook page, I have been able to provide a snapshot of a truly Heroic weekend.

Until next year!