Montys inclusive day out

Monty's Big Day Out

It happened! We managed to take part in the relay your way, it was a massive adventure for our Monty. We received a free e-bike hire from Forth Environmental Link (FEL) Travel Hub. The wonderful team delivered the bike to the hub and provided Monty's carer, Kenny, with instructions on how to strap Monty in and keep him safe. This included a helmet that unfortunately didn’t fit, as well as guidance on how the electric bikes (or power assist bikes) work, since Monty's carer had never ridden one before.

Kenny is a keen cyclist and has completed countless cycling adventures worldwide. In the UK alone, he has done Land's End to John O'Groats, two Coast to Coast rides, A reverse Ride to the Sun C2C for last years relay, the Hebridean Way, and the UK's longest cycle route, the NCN1, from Skaw Beach on Unst to Dover—all under his own power. This was a first for him, being a carer for a bear on an e-bike.

Monty's apron had coffee stains on it, and while we don't live in - blame culture, (mistakes happen) we suspect that it was one of his carers—who has a beard that regularly drips coffee—who inadvertently got him dirty. while recieving bear therapy, Monty has been wearing this apron since December, except for a brief period when he wore his Santa outfit. So it wasn't just that his apron needed cleaning; (stellas took it away for a wash she made it for him) Monty needed a change of outfit!

Thankfully, the wonderful Sewing with Stella group are experts at making clothes for bears. Anne Hannah had gifted Monty a T-shirt for the Great Get-Together event happening here at the hub on June 22nd. Super sewer Stella quickly whipped up a fantastic running vest that was clean and featured the Great Get-Together logo on the front. Monty wore this during the relay, and we must say, it looked fantastic! However, Monty didn’t have any flyers to promote the event, and we don't think anyone else noticed that his new running vest was actually a clever piece of advertising for his next event, where he will be the host of the Teddy Bear's Picnic.

After a quick trial run of the cargo bike, the double act of monty and his carer cycled off to Polmont Station, where they joined the canal. The sun was shining at first, but thankfully, they had plenty of equipment as showers were predicted. Monty's carer was impressed with how easy the e-bike was to use, but navigating the longer cargo bike felt a bit strange at first. Monty, being brave as ever, didn’t say much as they went through a long, dark tunnel. We are reasonably certain he could feel the tension and nervousness of his carer on the narrow path, and it felt a little bit out of control for both of them. Monty never complains, but it seemed he was glad to get out of that tunnel. The next tunnel was shorter, better lit, and had a wider path. However, just before reaching this tunnel, the rain began. Monty's carer had to fashion a jacket instead of using a hat or poncho since Monty’s head is a bit large for most equipment. Thankfully, his snout was facing away from the rain, and this combination of jacket and cargo hood kept him dry as they passed the famous Falkirk Wheel and headed to meet the relay baton in Bonnybridge. They arrived with plenty of time to spare.

While looking at the live tracker on Monty's phone, they noticed something was wrong; the team coming with the baton from Cumbernauld had stopped moving! Monty's carer is a dot watcher and knew this indicated trouble. He recalled watching a tragic live event when Mike Hall (#bemoremike), the legendary cyclist, his dot stopped moving due to a tragic road traffic accident. As the rain became heavier, they waited worriedly for over 40 minutes until the baton finally arrived. Rohan from the Relay Your Way team had experienced a crash that caused the delay, and he showed up with a bad burst on his nose. They helped fix him up as best they could before setting off again.

They decided to cycle down the canal path, retracing their route past the wheel and then making their way to Grangemouth to see the Kelpies. Upon arrival, they encountered Cycle Without Barriers and Cycle Without Age, who were there with their trikes. They took a group photo, exchanged greetings, encouraged them to join next year, and then set off again. Next, they cycled straight into Grangemouth Stadium, where Sport Scotland was holding a disabled children's sports event. They received a great reception from the gathered children, who adored Monty, many of whom took photos with him. The relay baton was passed around the stadium for the children’s own mini relay, and Monty and his carer enjoyed cycling alongside them. A big photo was taken for the Falkirk Herald.

Monty then took the baton to Bo'ness Foreshore, where it was handed over to continue its journey into West Lothian and Edinburgh. this was Monty's first-ever relay experience! and perhaps many of his firsts? like visiting a beer garden! His carer wanted to enjoy a beer in the beer garden at the wonderful Corbie Inn, known for having one of the best (if not the best)beer gardens in the district. He limited himself to just one pint, as he needed to take care of our bear for the cycle back to the hub, which would take them past Kinneil Estate and along the main road. They received lots of happy waves, smiles, and even the occasional honk from car horns. Everyone loved seeing the big bear out for a day trip. At one point, a big double-decker bus slowed down, with the driver, adults, and children all smiling and waving at Monty. Monty brought joy to everyone who saw him in the cargo bike, It was a fun day was had by all.

.On a more serious note, Monty's carer was tasked by the relay crew with reporting any accessibility issues regarding the roads and pathways they used. It is essential that sports and outdoor activities are inclusive for everyone, including individuals with disabilities and the elderly. There were a couple of issues with some gates, and feedback will be provided regarding these concerns. We are already aware of the accessibility issues at our hub, as we have numerous elderly individuals and people with mobility challenges attending. This number is likely to increase with the top toes clinic, and the groups currently using this center are not getting any younger. Although we have two sets of ramps at both our entrances and the fire escapes are equipped with ramps, we recognize that this is only a partial solution for wheelchair users and those needing to access disabled toilets. We are planning to upgrade our door entry system, because getting Monty and the cargo bike easily entered and exited in and out the various routes we’ve visited over the past two days. We have realized that we must install push-button electronic door openers, and we will provide this feedback to the architects for our retrofitting. The team is feel from what they have witnessed, that Falkirk District's road designers are prioritizing car users over pedestrians and cyclists. This trend is evident throughout the entire local network, as the planning department seems to be designing for cars rather than for people.