TT(O)M

Paul   Attard   would not ring a bell with many bicycle enthusiasts but iċ-Ċinelli would. He got his nickname  from a damaged bicycle he purchased from a British armed forces person stationed here in Malta in the  1950s. He paid the owner more than the asking price. I got to know iċ-Ċinelli quite late in life after taking up cycling. After a bike ride on Saturday or Sunday, I would pit stop at his club in Qormi for an apple and an old-fashioned loose-leaf tea in a transparent long glass. The club was, years before, an old-fashioned bar serving cycling enthusiasts and local pundits.  Being a slow cyclist, I tended to pop over when everyone had left. He could spend hours storytelling about the various bikes he owned, how he used to ride with British military personnel, his childhood and upbringing. He particularly enjoyed going over to Sicily with a small group of cyclists a couple of times a year. Sicily was special for him because he had lived the...

Personal Best (Distance) The Corona Virus has resulted in restaurant shutdown and people going out visibly less than normal (even though there is no official lockdown).  At the start of the ride there was little traffic but towards the noon families with children of all ages were strolling.