A sad hello to the list- Ian Hibell was a hero of mine when I was teenager in the early 1970's. I was first impressed by his Bicycling magazine cover shot of his walking his bike through the wind swept and sandy Sahara. I consumed every word and detail. Many years later another article in a bike mag (Bicycling?) about a woman who paired up with Ian to cross the Andes west to east, another adventure touring pot of gold in print. I still mention his having to hang from under a train trestle, holding his heavily laden bike, while the train passed over head. This was in the middle of some Brazilian (?) swamp and the train trestle was to have saved many miles compared to circumnavigating the swamp. He really was a strong influence to my initial touring, not that I have ever evaded a train or pushed my bike through a desert.
My late wife was my real touring partner but Ian was there in spirit over the years. Right now he's riding along side her on the road of tomorrow. They both died doing what they loved most, may we have the same fate when our time is up.
Andy Stewart
Raleigh, NC
>
> Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 13:40:18 +0100
> From: "Nic Henderson" <nic.henderson@btinternet.com>
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Subject: [CR]Ian Hibell, sad news.
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> Chaps, On hearing about Norman Taylor's death (I am a proud Taylor
> owner) I have to report some more sad news form the UK even though I am
> still in a state of shock. Ian Hibell, Britain's most accomplished
> touring cyclist, has been killed whilst on tour in a cycling accident
> near Athens, Greece. Ian stubbornly refused to modernise and rode his
> on-topic bikes thousands of miles to the very end. You can see more of
> Ian and his bikes here.... http://www.bikebrothers.co.uk/
>
> Nic Henderson
> Cwmbran
> UK