March 2018| 29
Cycling UK Member Still Married
and Still Cycling More than 60 Years
Aft er Meeting His Wife on a Ride
With a shared love of cycling, Pamela and John White prove that simply heading out together
on bicycles can be the start of something very special.
Pamela and Jack have also seen cycling change
completely over the decades.
“Th e bikes, the equipment, the clothing,
everything!” Pamela says. “Hostelling has changed
too; you used to have to get there under your
own steam and now almost everyone uses cars.
I think it’s changed for the worse, but that’s
probably just a sign of growing older!”
Along with two daughters, Pamela and Jack
now have four grandchildren and two great
grandchildren. Four-year-old Issa, Pamela’s
‘shining light’, can already peddle ten miles.
Pamela says it’s in his blood. “It’s lovely to think it’s
carrying on.”
Pamela and John, known as Jack, met in 1953 at the tender ages of 19 and 22. Th ey came
together through a cycling club, with Pamela’s sister introducing them. Jack was quick to
persuade Pamela to join him on some cycling days out, and the rest, as they say, is history. Th e
pair married a year later, and stayed as members of the South Bucks District Association, a
Cycling UK member group, and had children.
Today Pamela and Jack live in Ludlow, Shropshire,
where they try and keep up their mileage. Jack is a
life member of Cycling UK – and showing no sign
of slowing down just yet.
“We were so lucky in the South Bucks DA,” says Pamela. “It was like one great big family. It was
full of young couples like us, and lots of children. It had a lovely family section.
“Our two daughters, they had no other option. We went through the usual stages of a tandem,
a sidecar, seats on the back of bikes.
“Th en Jack bought a triplet, him on the front, the youngest, Carolyn, in the middle and Susan
on the back. We even toured and hostelled with it on the Isle of Wight, taking it down to
Portsmouth on the train. Th at was an adventure in itself!
“Th at week we became notorious on the island with that triplet, with motorists tooting their
horns and waving. We had to stop and build sandcastles of course to keep the children happy.”
Cycling created so many happy memories and continued to be a central part of Pamela and
Jack’s lives – although sometimes for very diff erent reasons.
“He’s done timetrailling, everything. He’s cycled over 250,000 miles,” says Pamela. “But for me
it’s the social side of it. He’s been racing, I’ve been marshalling, and making the cakes and teas.
I’ve never been competitive!
“I do think it’s been incredibly benefi cial; all the
cycling we’ve done in the past has defi nitely
paid off now in our general health,” says Pamela.
“I’ve heard it said that cyclists appear ten years
younger than someone of a similar age.”
Jack cycled Mont Ventoux aged 73, and then
went back and did it again at 83. Pamela secretly
thinks he’s a bit mad, but perhaps their secret
to happiness is that litt le bit time apart. Now
on their continental holidays, they have cycling
days together, and then days apart with Pamela
pott ering around the local village whilst Jack goes
on more strenuous rides.
Now, as they approach their 64th wedding
anniversary in July, Pamela says what I’m sure
lots of our Cycling UK couples hope to one day:
“We’re still married and we’re still cycling.”
Cycling UK, the national cycling charity,
inspires and helps people to cycle and
keep cycling, whatever kind of cycling they
do or would like to do. Over a century’s
experience tells us that cycling is more than
useful transport; it makes you feel good,
gives you a sense of freedom and creates a
bett er environment for everyone.
www.cyclinguk.org