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As we get closer to episode 900 (not bad for something that was going to be a blog?)it's time to ask readers how much longer they want me to continue, assuming our gracious web mistress is happy for that to happen. The plot lines keep coming and the characters keep doing their bit, so unless you think it's getting stale or old hat, it could go on a bit longer.
So pull your fingers out and get typing and tell me.
Angharad.
PS Please note that we draw ever closer to 9 million visitors, so congratulations to Erin and her team of helpers. Special hugs to the Boss lady and her team of elves.
Comments
900 plus
Angharad,
I think it was Bike that kept me coming back to BCTS, registering as a user and eventually being inspired to become an author. For that, I thank you.
I don't believe that Bike has run its course, you are developing new plotlines constantly and this alone keeps it interesting, You also manage to regularly get the highest number of comments on any given day. Bike certainly has an attentive readership judging by many of the comments.
That said, I'm not sure that your question is about the readers, more about you.
Topsy
Mostly Harmless
More Bike? Yes please!
I would be delighted to see “Bike†continue for as long as you and Bonzi are able.
The plot-lines are exciting and topical; the series is very well-written, and along with a liberal sprinkling of cliffhangers, keep me coming back day-after-day.
In terms of popularity, I look at how many votes this series is getting on a daily basis, and it’s up there with the best stories on BCTS.
So, thank you Angharad and Bonzi for sharing the lives of Cathy et al. with us. A good dose of “Bike†certainly makes my day. That we’re just about to hit Part 900 (aka 75 dozen) is a testament to your tremendous efforts and literary skills. Long may it continue.
Please Sustain
Bike Resources
How long should it continue?
As long as you and Bonzi are happy to continue writing it.
It's always the highlight of my day to come home from work and see a new episode posted. I'll continue reading them as long as you continue writing them.
One of the few who "Get It".
Bike has been a great encouragement to me, and has been one of the inspirations for me to just get on with life. Once I had the cutterectomy, it made me just want to be a WOMAN and to not be T the rest of my life. I had to do that or it would have been pointless to me considering the heavy price I paid for this bit of insanity.
I know that perhaps most of us are unable for various very good reasons to do that and believe me girls, you are at the top of the food chain for me. Your courage and steadfastness in the face of a need as strong as GID is truly amazing to me. :)
Ma Salaama
Khadijah Gwen
Please do continue...
Angaharad,
I consider my daily dose of bike to be one of the things I look forward to on a daily basis. I can understand and appreciate how much effort goes into writing this and I for one would miss my daily dose. But it is up to you as to whether or not you choose to continue with such a tale and I am astonished that you can find time.
Yours in hope - Jay
That which does not kill me only serves to delay the inevitable. My blog => http://jaym.angelblogs.co.uk/
That which does not kill me only serves to delay the inevitable. My blog => http://jaynemorose.wordpress.com/ <= note new address
Blke
Bike is one of my favorite stories. I put aside time every Saturday to get caught up with the story. I will continue to be a faithful and avid reader for as long as you continue to write.
Your Choice
I’ve enjoyed Bike every since I undertook the daunting task of going back to the beginning to catch up. I believe that was over a year ago. I have to check in every night for my nightly fix of your thoroughly enjoyable story. It is amazing how you’ve been able to continually expand the plot line and characters to keep the story fresh.
With all the good reasons for continuing Bike, I have to ask what you (and Bonzi) wish. You have a number of other stories where progress has been rather slow and I suspect your muse / Bonzi may have many more waiting in the wings.
Perhaps the answer is for Bike to become a less than daily offering to allow you to work on other things in your life, either other stories or “god forbid†real life issues.
What ever you decide, I’m sure your loyal following will ultimately support your decision and eagerly await the next posting of whatever story it happens to be.
Thank you so much for all you’ve already given to us.
Michelle
Michelle B
more bike
more bike please. I look forward to reading it everyday.
Hugs,
Jenna From FL
Moderator/Editor
TopShelf BigCloset
Hugs,
Jenna From FL
Moderator/Editor
TopShelf BigCloset
It is a long road ahead but I will finally become who I should be.
Bike future.
I have Bike assembled in roughly 300 page "Books" for ease of handling. So far I have 10 of those on file, and 120 plus pages in "Book" 11. There is always some new twist and turn, even if you can get lucky and guess at what might happen next. I make it a habit to check daily until the new chapter appears. In short, if you choose to keep on writing, I'll be happy to keep on reading.
You know my opinion already
I'm not a great fan of serials but Bike isn't really a serial it's soap opera like the Archers. It had a beginning but then just records the ongoing adventures and experiences of Cathy and her friends, enemies and family. You pull our collective metaphorical plonkers from time to time just to check we're still here and I confess I laugh out loud at some of the outrageously improbable violence and plotting. Is that very bad of me?
Keep going and keep pedalling
Robi
Up to you of course.
I don't think it has gone stale, especially with Julie. The are plenty of things that can still happen imho as Cathy is still early in her post-op life and T-life, for what it's worth.
I think a transition point will happen in the series when finally Cathy gets her self-esteem together and then can really make her presence known in the world instead of hiding her *ahem* light under a bushel. Yes, this is an American saying of course. And being relegated to doing such mediocre things until now. :) Yes, I am kidding *groan*.
As far has how far Cathy has come and if you want to use a standard 10 speed racer as an allegory, which gear do you think she is in at this point ?
Well certainly not first, but I don't think she's past 5th yet. I am sure to get a comment about this one.
Kim
could also depend
if there's a single, compact or triple chainset.
Angharad ;)
Angharad
Almost forgot
I hereby sincerely thank the Goddess and Bast ( NEVER FORGET THE CAT ) of Bike for graciously providing me food for thought and insight and in a sense, a family to share.
Kim
If you write it...
The Voice: If you build it, he will come.
Ray Kinsella: What are you grinning at, you ghost?
Shoeless Joe Jackson: If you build it...
[nods toward John Kinsella]
Shoeless Joe Jackson: ... HE will come.
Annie Kinsella: If you build what, who will come?
Ray Kinsella: He didn't say.
Terence Mann: Ray, people will come Ray. They’ll come to Iowa for reasons they can’t even fathom. They’ll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they’re doing it. They’ll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. Of course, we won’t mind if you look around, you’ll say. It’s only $20 per person. They’ll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack. And they’ll walk out to the bleachers; sit in shirtsleeves on a perfect afternoon. They’ll find they have reserved seats somewhere along one of the baselines, where they sat when they were children and cheered their heroes. And they’ll watch the game and it’ll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they’ll have to brush them away from their faces. People will come Ray. The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.
... Angharad, people will come... if you write it. Go the distance.
Pleads Supplicatingly
Bike Resources
BIKE
Angharad; It's your story and I agree with everybody above. If you want to continue were here to read it, and thats for sure! Richard
Richard
Like I think I said before,
Like I think I said before, some time since I started catching up back in November of '08, as long as you keep writing these episodes, I'll keep reading them.
Thanks for all you've put into them,
Bob
Bob
if you write it
i will reread it again like i have three time so far from start to finish like this story as its always interesting whats going to happen next so please give me more to read as i think i would go ito withdrawals with out this story ever day so thank you for all your hard work and your lovely ideas i love it all \
with hugs from sarav
Bike's Future
Angharad
Write on. The only reason to stop is when YOU have tired of the grind. We will read. When and if you decide to end this tale, please wrap it in a bow. I hate incomplete stories. Which comes to the question: When does a TG/TS story become other than a TG/TS story?
Huggles
Chelle_MM
Like everyone else
Angharad, I would like you to carry on for a long time yet, But having said that i realize that ultimately all good things must come to an end, When that will be is of course yours (and Bonzi's) decision to make..... Mind you having said all of that, Is it my imagination or have the amount of comments gone up recently...."Cos" if they have, Maybe that tells you what everybody really wants.
Kirri
The Wonder of Bike
Bike is like a good friend, keeping you company and taking you along for the ride. I for one would like to know what happens to Cathy and the girls, even if that is by way of a spin-off series.
Continue or no?
I don't believe that "Bike" has reached its limits by any means, and like others, I admit to being addicted to the continuing adventures of Cathy, kith and kin. Please continue so long as you wish. I must admit it's kinda like a soap opera, but better.
Thanks for all your efforts.
CaroL
CaroL
I'd be quite happy
to have the option to continue reading a marvelous story. The exploits of Cathy and her family hold me in thrall for a few minutes every day, and when I've missed a couple of days and have some backlogged, its like the difference between a refreshing snack and a satisfying meal.
Ah, In case you're wondering, that's a vote for eternal bike.
That said, when it becomes something you don't want to do anymore, stop. Until then you'll have quite a few of us trundling along behind you hoovering up the literary bagels you leave behind. So beware roving packs of literary Electrolox!(Tries to make vacuuming noises...)
Bike, Bonzi is also a mind reader
Yesterday I was going to write a blog on here saying that although I do my best to comment on the writings of other authors I sometimes feel guilty for not expressing gratitude for the daily "fix" of Bike. This story has become an institution, its an expectation that it will just be there for us. The comments show a continuing loyal following but I don't feel I do enough to stroke Bonzi's fur or scratch behind his ears in appreciation for a tale that is entertaining, at times it is very funny, others poignant and provoking. Angharad, under Bonzi's close supervision has at many times nailed our common experience and she pulls at our heart strings. Not to mention... okay I will, the princess of cliff hangers keeps a large percentage of the salons in busines repairing the damage from the nail biters she dumps in our laps leaving us to stew on it for another 24 hours.
Please, go for an even 1000, then ask again, ok?
In the immortal words of Jimmy Buffet; "If the phone doesn't ring, it's me"
So, if I don't comment... you're still very much appreciated and loved for all you do for the three of us.
Yes, please, but do not endanger your health for us.
If you want to quit, do so, but please let us have closure on some of the strings hanging loose. ( Cathy adopting all six, , and closing out a few enmities ).
If you want to post less often, do so.
You've given so many a lot of your time, blood sweat and tears.
Love ya;
Holly
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
Holly
How long?
I can see three possible reasons for drawing Bike to a close:
a) You and Bonzi get tired or writing it / lose interest in writing it.
b) You run out of plotlines.
c) The readers get bored and desert it.
Scenarios (b) and (c) are very unlikely to happen, as whenever the plot starts to stabilise, you add another subplot to the mix to keep it going - current subplots include the girls' schooling, media storms whenever Cathy uses her blue light healing, the possibility of future media storms when Trish uses her blue light healing, several subplots revolving around Julie (including her blooming relationship with Leon), the boys, the mammal survey, checking up on Portsmouth's dormice (including Spike), TV work, "professional" relationships with Southampton and Sussex, the two houses [1], finding time to actually go cycling with the family - while hoping nobody crashes / encounters the Mafia, Stella & Puddin', and probably several dozen others I've forgotten!
So until such a point as you decide you're sick and tired of writing about the Agnew / Cameron / Watts household, carry on!
BTW Look forward to reading episode 1,000 later in the year :)
--Ben
[1] What's happened to Simon and Stella's old house - the one where the whole story first started? Is it abandoned, rented out to someone, or sold?
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
You keep posting...
we'll keep reading. So far, you've done an amazing job keeping things fresh, introducing new story lines and keeping up the interest. So, as long as you derive some pleasure from writing this saga, please do...
Annette
P.S. I suspect some of your other stories are not happy at being ignored so long though...
Sure why not?
It's like BCTS' soap opera. And soap opera's rock meowe ;D
I know who I am, I am me, and I like me ^^
Bisexual, transsexual, gamer girl, princess, furry that writes horror stories and proud ^^
I know who I am, I am me, and I like me ^^
Transgender, Gamer, Little, Princess, Therian and proud :D
A message from a…
…certain young lady who was horrified at the thought of Bike finishing…
“Please, Please, PLEASE don't finish Bike yet. It's my fave story, apart from Bonkers. When you write part 1000, will that make Cathy kiloWatts?â€
Love,
Hilary (on behalf of Trish)
Maybe, When You Get to Bike 1000…
…you could ask that certain young lady to work out how many KiloWatt-Hours you have consumed writing it?
That'll larn ’er to make ghastly puns.
Gabi.
Gabi.
Please continue! I'll keep
Please continue! I'll keep reading to 1,000 and beyond! :)
Saless
"But it is also tradition that times *must* and always do change, my friend." - Eddie Murphy, Coming To America
Please keep it going
For as long as you are able.
I came across this story about this time last year, and read it from the start, took a while to catch up, and I now read every episode, on it's publishing day, came across this while looking for 900.
This the one story that keeps me coming back to BC.
So please don't just drop it.... I just hate open endings.
Poppykin
Future of Bike
Angharad:
If you have any question about how long "Bike" should go, just look at this link. Apparently "As The World Turns" went for over 13,000 episodes. Girl, your work has only just begun. :)
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/09/arts/television/09soap.html
It is hard for me to fathom that Broadcast Radio has been around for over 90 years.
Khadijah
If Procter & Gambol
paid me a small part of their $7bn advertising spend, I'd happily have a go at matching it. (hint, hint).
Angharad
Angharad