© irene waters 2014
© irene waters 2014
I can understand Lisa’s choice of prompt as Yorkshire sees the start of the Tour de France. We watched it on the television stunned at the number of people turned out for the occasion. Over a million we were told. That is almost a quarter of the population of our largest city, Sydney. It makes me claustrophobic just thinking about it.
Nevertheless it does start you thinking about cycling. Not a pursuit that I have had much success at. I imagine at one point I had a tricycle. Most kids seem to have one of these but I did not have a bike in my childhood past this. I don’t know why. I’m sure I begged for one but it was never forthcoming. My brother on the other hand had the tricycle, followed by a larger three wheel version and then his pride and joy a two-wheeler. From that time on his cycling was constant. He rode to school, then uni then off to work. He even left for his honeymoon on a couple of fold up bikes. His bike has caused him numerous injuries as it seems that a prerequisite to riding is that you will at times take a tumble – or perhaps that is just the risks he takes in riding.
© irene waters 2014
I owned my first bike when I was doing my nursing training. It is a trifle embarrassing looking back on it. What a nerd I was………..
© irene waters 2014
BITE SIZE
The Bay City Rollers were visiting Australia when we purchased our bikes and though the music didn’t appeal, their attire did. We practiced around the nurses home before venturing out on the road. We felt we were free, neither of us having at this stage any other form of transport. On the first occasion we could correspond our off duty days we decided to ride from the hospital at St Leonards to Gosford, a trip of 75 kms. This turned into the longest walking trip of my life as a bike without gears just couldn’t make it up the hills. We walked up them and after discovering my inability to stop the machine with its back pedal brake I also walked down. On the odd bit of flat road I rode. My friend, having more courage than I, rode some hills but for the mostly we walked and did what girls do best – talk.
That was my last attempt at bike riding until we moved to Noosa. Everyone rides in Noosa and I was not going to be the exception. Prior to purchasing a bike I saw someone with a tricycle and decided that was definitely the way an ageing person with not good balance should go. Three wheels just couldn’t fall over I surmised. My lovely husband duly gave me for Christmas the wanted trike. Putting it together wasn’t easy but finally done I went for a ride. I was terrified. Due to the amount of rain that we get here our road is high in the middle with a noticeable fall to the gutters on the side. To ride a three wheel on this I felt as though I was constantly going to tip over. I don’t have a lot of perseverance when I’m scared and after three attempts it sat idle in the garage. Recently I sold it to the man across the road who put in seats for his twin toddlers at the back. The entire family happily ride it and I watch on pleased that it is no longer rotting in our garage.
I am happy to say I know that my cycling days which never really began are now officially over.
http://sharingthestoryblog.wordpress.com/2014/07/04/bite-size-memoir-no-9-cycling/
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
But it’s sad, all the same, Irene, to reach the point where you admit that something or other is gone from your life for good, doncha think ?
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Most definitely M-R but cycling was never really in it. The day I have to stop dancing is the day I’ll be sitting on the floor sobbing. No I won’t because I wouldn’t be able to get up again. I’d lean against the kitchen bench.
Seriously though I agree with you some things about getting older are just not a lot of fun and with your back you know that better than me.
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Ah yes – I forgot temporarily about you and dancing. 🙂
Long time left for that, m’dear !
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I hope so. I’ll be the size of a goodyear blimp when that goes. XD
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You’ve put a secret camera somewhere in my flat !!!!
😉
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You are giving things away here M-R. I don’t need a spy camera I’ve got you. 🙂
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Cycling isn’t for everyone, but at least you gave it several tries. Love the striped socks in your bike photo!
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I shudder at my total lack of taste.
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Great post Irene and sometimes we stop doing things, as we might have done much more in another time of our life. Evolution 🙂
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Yes there is a time and a place for everything I guess we evolve as we go on.
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Great story. Love the old photos. 😀
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Thanks Raewyn. I like the old photos as well. 🙂
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When I saw the photo of you before I read on I thought ‘ now that is the cheesiest nurse’s uniform ever’. And then the Bay city rollers. You and Lisa share a common lack of taste clearly! Shame it didn’t agree with you but dancing… What sort? For me it’s Latin and ballroom. You?
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For me also it is Latin and Ballroom. Favourite Latin is rumba, ballroom I’d be hard pressed between waltz, quick step and foxtrot, new vogue La Bomba and all the waltz ones like twilight and serenade. I’ve also recently taken a liking to Argentine Stroll.
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Ah and just tonight we have been learning the Argentinian Tango. I need to have spent a day on Charli’s Ranch to get up the necessary sweat and then find a smoke filled bar… I don’t know La Bomba or twilight or serenade. I love the floor sweeping dances such as foxtrot or quickstep so with you tere but for me the cha cha cha is my fav Latin with a samba second.
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Ah.. I see jive as having fun friendship cha,cha,cha as the flirtation and rumba as the dance of love. Samba I feel a bit silly but yes they’re all good. The smoky bar sound the ideal place for it.
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Having read my posts are you surprised that I like the Samba!?
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Plenty in here about cycling despite the relative absence from your life. I thought you were going to say you didn’t have one after all the nausea problems just standing up – it might have seemed like a risky investment to your parents at the time!
Those socks are incredible but you’re both wearing them! Were they uniform? and LOL at the goodyear blimp! Keep dancing.
Meanwhile Geoff – I hasten to add that the Bay City Rollers phase was whilst I was still in a vest and there were two gangs in my village – those who liked the Bay City Rollers and those who liked the Osmonds. As Irene points out the Tartan was way cooler – at least then! Les McEwan looked fab on my vest and Monday’s pants!
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Perhaps you have answered the question as to why I didn’t have a bike growing up. Soooo embarrassing. It was our cycling uniform. Why we both liked it at the time. Cringe
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Oh Irene, I do LOVE this post and that photo of you and your brother at the top is so cute! You know, I tried several times to ride my Granny’s trike and I found it really hard. She rode hers for years but as you know, in her later years, she fell of a few times. I’m amazed worse didn’t happen. My poor mum worried herself sick over it but Granny insisted on keeping riding through the streets of Chichester. She used to carry a hoover on the back, wrapped up in plastic, as she had a little cleaning job. I used to tell her it looked like a dead body! She used to sit me in her front basket and give me rides when I was little, I loved that!
I detested the Bay City Rollers but guess what? I had red, white and blue striped socks too!! Haha! You don’t look like a nerd, you were dressed for the times, such as they were! Wonderful reading about your cycling memories and your brother’s too. Cycling isn’t for everyone, that’s for sure! Lovely for the family to enjoy your trike, great post, thanks my friend for the wonderful share 🙂
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Thanks Sherri. We were quite good at looking cute as youngsters. I didn’t like the music but it became all the rage to dress this way and you’re right – we just followed suit. Hope you are having a good week my friend. Cheers Irene 🙂
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So cute… 😉
Thanks Irene, a bit of a crazy week and I’m way behind on my normal posts (had to forgo Charli’s flash, couldn’t meet the deadline) but hoping to catch up from today…trying to get my long-overdue awards post out…
Hope your week is going well. About time we took that walk isn’t it? 😀
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It sure is. I have three award posts that I have to catch up on. I love them but they are so time consuming it becomes difficult. Yes that walk sounds good. 🙂
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Yes…that’s where I am now…come on, get your walking shoes on and let’s get out of here 😉
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Glad of the diversion. XD
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