A cycling legend: An 80 mile bike ride for an 80th birthday.

Peter Hayman, who has long been an active and effective GoBike campaigner, is a true cycling legend. Today, the 28th of March, he turns 80, and to celebrate his birthday, he is planning a hefty 80 mile cycle ride. For this adventure (and Peter is no stranger to adventures), he hopes to cycle to the coast via his previous homes in the West of Scotland and through the home town of his adopted football club, Kilmarnock FC, before returning to Glasgow.

Peter originally hailed from England, where he was born in Long Melford, Suffolk during World War Two and was then brought up in London after the war. He moved to Scotland in the 1970s and worked for Glacier Metal in Kilmarnock as an Industrial Designer, before setting up business on his own. When living in Fenwick his already keen interest in cycling became serious. This was, in part, owing to a cricket match that was organised between High Fenwick and Low Fenwick, in which Peter and two of his sons played for Low Fenwick. Although Peter found he could wield his bat and hit the ball well enough, running the distance between the wickets felt a bit of a struggle. His solution was to turn to his bike, and he began to cycle commute to work, building up his fitness and strength. This effected his interest in cycling to grow so much so, that he took up membership with the Cyclists' Touring Club or CTC (now called Cycling UK).

When Peter and his wife, Anne, later moved to Glasgow, Peter joined GoBike and became one of the small band of people who kept the campaign going through its leaner years. Peter was one of the campaigners instrumental in having the segregated cycle path installed beside the A77, a route that continues to be heavily used by people on bikes every single day. Peter's enthusiasm for cycling knows no bounds and has been a massive part of his life for decades. It was this, allied with his work as an Industrial Designer, that encouraged him to enter a design competition, with an innovative bike design, many years ago, becoming one of the finalists.

Peter responds very positively to anyone who shares his interest in cycling, and his youngest grandchild, still at primary school in New Zealand, is very fortunate in this regard, since she is very keen on her bike. He has been such a good influence that his three older grandchildren have followed a similar choice of career to their grandfather and have studied art and design at university.

In addition to campaigning with GoBike and Cycling UK, Peter also advocates for safe cycling provision in Glasgow through his membership of the Merchant City & Trongate Community Council. He is a well known figure among people who cycle in Glasgow and we all thank him for everything he does.

Peter, who is fit and healthy and a shining example to us all to keep active, is now in training for his 80 miler. So if you see him, either practising for the return of fans to football stadiums on his standard cycle trip to Kilmarnock, heading over the Cathkin Braes and Fenwick Moor, or even pootling out to get his messages, do give him a wave!

Here is the 80 for 80 route that Peter will be undertaking, if you wish to check your own cycling prowess in honour of our Mr Hayman: https://www.plotaroute.com/route/1440288

Wishing you a great big Happy 80th Birthday Peter!

This blog would not have been possible without the help of Alasdair, Andy, Anne, Bob, Garry and Iona.