Peter has two artificial hips and various bits of bone floating about – but that doesn’t stop him from getting out and exercising. There’s always a way if you put your mind to it. I took the opportunity to try the trike and see if chi-cycling technique was possible. There is a bit of limitation on how much you can rotate the spine due to the seat – but you can still move enough to re-align the leg correctly during the push (simultaneously pulling back the hip). It’s probably even more important for Peter to learn this than for most people. Due to his permanent condition and current muscular weakness it’s likely that good, conscious alignment will make an even bigger perceived difference than normal. 
After three weeks of horrible work on my flat and practically no time for exercise it was great to get out in the fresh air for a workout – and to have the lucky opportunity to arrive in Glencoe during a break in the interminable rain. Even the midges didn’t bother me – perhaps they didn’t recognise my odour yet or they thought I was French and might have eaten garlic. One blast around Loch Leven (Peter’s usual workout) was enough to blow away the cobwebs and get me back in touch with my body and mind.
