Had a nice ride home last night and used my bike to get to work again today - although my bum cheeks are feeling slightly bruised from the shaped "polished marble" that is my saddle. Ouch. I wonder if i can get the wife to massage it better later tonight?
I also realised that i forgot 2 places that i go past on my journey to work that remind me of my youth.
- "The Boat" or "Mumfords" was a kiddies play area which also doubled as an adventure playground, a BMX track and a community center. There was a large 70s style concrete building in the middle which was covered in large metal tubing and even had what i remember to be funnels on top. Hence the name "The Boat". Mumford was the name of the man that ran the place. My best memory from there was when Mumford used to roll in with his tipper lorry and all the kids would pile in the back and he would slowly tip it up until we all fell out. I can still remember hanging on for dear life to the top, legs dangling and seeing other kids fall. I bet he would get sued or arrested now!
During the BMX craze of the early 80s the place was turned into a BMX race track complete with a proper starting gate made from scaffolding, tabletop jumps, launch ramps and quarter pipes. I was total crap at it, but watching BMX Bandits always inspired me to ride better. I have also just remembered how we used to make ramps from a piece of wood and 2 bricks, get our mates to lie down in a line and jump over them! Madness!
- The other place i cycle through is an underpass next to "The Boat" which my friend James would not go through because of the risk of Bullies. He lived one side and i lived on the other and the underpass was avoided. Then again, he was ginger and had a slightly white puffy "dead person found in a river after 3 days" complexion. So maybe his fears were real! These days the underpass is a haven for broken glass and graffiti. Just like any other in Milton Keynes then! In fact "Bullies in the underpass" is still a common saying with my parents and relates to this story! So James, where ever you are now... your legacy lives on!
It was spotting with rain on my way in - but now the sun is shining and i remembered to bring my shorts to go home in! Yay!
Also, a quick thanks to Mr "Angry Ravioli Revenge Attack" (Andy) for my pair of £2 cycling glasses i won in the last Curry Night raffle. They saved me from certain death when a bug decided to kamakazie into my line of sight.
Friday, June 03, 2005
Bullies and Bandits
Had a nice ride home last night and used my bike to get to work again today - although my bum cheeks are feeling slightly bruised from the shaped "polished marble" that is my saddle. Ouch. I wonder if i can get the wife to massage it better later tonight?
I also realised that i forgot 2 places that i go past on my journey to work that remind me of my youth.
- "The Boat" or "Mumfords" was a kiddies play area which also doubled as an adventure playground, a BMX track and a community center. There was a large 70s style concrete building in the middle which was covered in large metal tubing and even had what i remember to be funnels on top. Hence the name "The Boat". Mumford was the name of the man that ran the place. My best memory from there was when Mumford used to roll in with his tipper lorry and all the kids would pile in the back and he would slowly tip it up until we all fell out. I can still remember hanging on for dear life to the top, legs dangling and seeing other kids fall. I bet he would get sued or arrested now!
During the BMX craze of the early 80s the place was turned into a BMX race track complete with a proper starting gate made from scaffolding, tabletop jumps, launch ramps and quarter pipes. I was total crap at it, but watching BMX Bandits always inspired me to ride better. I have also just remembered how we used to make ramps from a piece of wood and 2 bricks, get our mates to lie down in a line and jump over them! Madness!
- The other place i cycle through is an underpass next to "The Boat" which my friend James would not go through because of the risk of Bullies. He lived one side and i lived on the other and the underpass was avoided. Then again, he was ginger and had a slightly white puffy "dead person found in a river after 3 days" complexion. So maybe his fears were real! These days the underpass is a haven for broken glass and graffiti. Just like any other in Milton Keynes then! In fact "Bullies in the underpass" is still a common saying with my parents and relates to this story! So James, where ever you are now... your legacy lives on!
It was spotting with rain on my way in - but now the sun is shining and i remembered to bring my shorts to go home in! Yay!
Also, a quick thanks to Mr "Angry Ravioli Revenge Attack" (Andy) for my pair of £2 cycling glasses i won in the last Curry Night raffle. They saved me from certain death when a bug decided to kamakazie into my line of sight.
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2 comments:
Ahh bliss. Another convert to the cycle, who's commute has transformed from a dull, lifeless, no brain journey in a car, to a meaningfull thought provoking/re enacting experience that actually becomes far more interesting, than your working day. My mission is nearly complete. Oh yes, buy some proper cycle shorts, baggy ones. Look cool, keep's bum in top shape. But don't tell the wife that!
I remember that play centre place. It's next to that road you could drive down, then you couldn't and now you can again. My only memories of it was poking a wasps nest reapetedly with a stick and then getting stung in the eye. I think I learned a lesson there.
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