David Goulbourn 1944 - 2021
From the age of around 16, when he got his first proper bike, cycling quickly became a big part of his life. Realising that it could open the doors to travel and discovery, he soon joined the Liverpool section of the Cyclist’s Touring Club and became a regular on Sunday club runs – catching the early ferry across the Mersey and then out to the hills of North Wales. He’d caught the bug, and it wasn’t long before he was exploring further afield on Youth Hostelling weekends and longer trips away touring England, Scotland and Ireland with Dave Martindale and other clubroom friends.
When Joyce and a young family came along it wasn’t too long before he was taking his two young sons out for short rides which would eventually encourage them to join the same local club and follow in his footsteps. Later on he encouraged wife Joyce to get involved, and they ended up enjoying a number of rides and cycle holidays together on a bicycle made for two.
After Dave retired from work, as well as Sunday rides he was also able to spend more time with his clubmates on the midweek ‘Wednesday rides’, which he enjoyed immensely. In later years, after his cancer diagnosis, he was determined to continue cycling and he did so as best he could, right up until a few months before his death when he was making the journey to hospital by bike for some of his regular blood test appointments.
His dedication to his hobby for over 60 years gave him much enjoyment and many friends, and also served him well as he drew on his reserves of physical and mental strength to battle his illness so bravely for so long.
On the day of his funeral, club members past and present arrived on their bikes to pay their respects and expressed their sadness at the loss of such a well-liked and well-respected friend.
Dave was seen as a true gent, and will be remembered for his warmth, gentle wit, and dedication to cycling through the club he was a member of for most of his life.
