‘The Greg’ Journal, Day 2
Monday 25th July, Day 2
A cheeky start to the day, with three central London visits in quick succession. Riding a motorbike in London may be quicker through the traffic, but I can assure you that when it comes to finding a parking space, it’s just as painful as driving a car! This probably explains the extent of the public transport network, but ‘The Greg’ will not succumb to the comforts of double decker buses and air-conditioned black cabs.
The first stop of the day was with Tereza Urbankova at Amec and then straight down to Louise Walton at Barclays Wealth.
'The Greg' and Louise from Barclays Wealth
Timings slipped slightly after an altercation with a speed camera caused ‘The Greg’ to rethink his ‘speed, distance, time’ calculations, but after Katy Cash at Deutshe Bank (great name for someone who works in financial sector!), delayed her lunchbreak to see me, I was able to make it out of Town….well, almost!
'The Greg' and Katy Cash, from Deutsche
First stop, after grabbing a quick bite to eat on the road (quite tricky for mere mortals when one hand does the throttle and one does clutch – rather simple for ‘The Greg’ however) was Staines, where Deborah at Centrica was kindly able to fit me in, despite having a day full of meetings! Great progress being made now – quite literally cooking on gas.
'The Greg' with Deborah from Centrica
However, now the pressure was really on, two more stops (both near Reigate) to go, and it was already gone 3pm. Time to wind back the throttle…were it not for the M25 and its ‘make it up as they go along’ speed limits, but despite the heatwave ‘The Greg’ was keeping his cool.
Fortunately, I was able to make up this time once I came off the motorway and hit the country lanes. My advanced motorbike training and fearless approach were put into action and I ‘made progress’ towards my next stop (Erika Redding @ Pfizer), waving to the brave servicemen and women at Headley Court, as I passed. After meeting the lovely Erika it was back on the bike and time to turn and burn for one last time.
The final visit was to Stuart Lawton-Davies at Kimberly-Clark, just after 5pm, where Stuart showed me some very impressive results from his case study, as well as a very impressive reception wall!
'The Greg' and Stuart at Kimberly Clark
A very successful day by all accounts, with one notable exception. My return journey to London was plagued by dodgy throttle response and a mis-firing engine. Once home, I stripped the bike down, first suspecting fueling issues, then air suction valve problems. In actual fact, I had blown a gasket!
So, as I write this, the search is on for a super-quick mechanic and an alternative means of transport, but fear not all contributing authours, ‘The Greg’ will not let that stand in his way. That extensive London public transport may come in handy afterall! This is ‘The Greg,’ once again signing off….
READ MORE
‘The Greg’ Journal, Day 1
Friday 22nd July, Day 1
Early start to check the bike was ready for a full-on week – petrol, oil, water, drive chain, electrics, rubber. Then, having established that the tank was empty & the tyres needed air, the first stop was the local BP!
Beautiful morning ride to Swindon, with the wind in my face and the sun on my back, to pick up the iPad from our first volunteer – Kate Shaw at Nationwide. Note to self, leathers are tight and lack serious ventilation in baking sun.
'The Greg' making his first collection from Kate at Nationwide. His identity mustn't be revealed!
On the way back, I took the scenic route via Hungerford & Newbury, while waiting for Mission Control to hook me up with the next appointment. Soon enough, the message came through & I was on my way to central London to visit Samantha Children at QBE and Sarah Pellegrini at Rexam Plc, then back to the office for cocktails and debrief.
Day one complete, some excellent additions to the book, spirits are high. This is ‘The Greg,’ signing off….
READ MORE
‘The Greg’ is Ready
Yes, he’s ready, revving and able. We’re just finalising all the details for ‘The Greg’s’ UK road trip so that he can start collecting all the fantastic employee engagement stories people are contributing to our book.
If you’ve signed up to get involved, expect a call from Mission Control (Eoin) very soon. In the meantime, watch this space…..
READ MORE
