Bestselling author Robert Penn will be the guest speaker for the latest lecture in the Manx National Heritage winter event programme, which will be held at the Manx Museum Lecture Theatre on Friday 25th November, at 7.30pm. In this special presentation, Rob will present his talk entitled, ‘It’s All about the Bike – the Pursuit of Happiness on Two Wheels’. Manxman Robert Penn has spent most of his adult life riding a bicycle, riding in over forty countries on five continents, pedaling 40,000km around the world. The bicycle is one of mankind’s greatest inventions and the most popular form of transport in history. As the great 20th century love affair with the automobile shifts down a gear into an era of estrangement, take a journey with Rob Penn as he ushers in a new golden age of cycling. ‘It’s All About the Bike’ is the story of Robert’s journey to design and build his dream bike, one that he can grow old with. From Stoke-on-Trent to California, Coventry to Milan, Robert has travelled the world seeking out the perfect wheel, saddle, frame and gears – parts that are rich in tradition and that set the standard in craftsmanship and beauty. His journey round the world is now a bestselling book and documentary. During the presentation Rob explores the culture and science of the bicycle, and how it has changed the course of human history – from the invention of the ‘people’s nag’ to its role in the emancipation of women. It’s the story of why we ride, and why this simple machine remains central to humanity today. Robert Penn rides a bicycle to get to work, sometimes for work, to keep fit, to bathe in air and sunshine, to travel, to go shopping, to stay sane, for fun, occasionally to impress someone, to scare himself and to hear his boy laugh. As a journalist, Robert writes for the Financial Times, Observer and Conde Nast Traveller, as well as a host of cycling publications. Robert lives in the Black Mountains, South Wales with his wife and three children and commutes to work across a heather moor on a mountain bike. ‘It’s All about the Bike’ will take place at the Manx Museum Lecture Theatre on Friday 25th November 2011. Doors open 7pm for a 7.30pm start. Tickets ?5 (?2.50 to the Friends of Manx National Heritage and children) available now from the Manx Museum Heritage Shop or at www.manxheritageshop.com. ENDS