by David, photos by David, Daniel & Steve
Robert riding his new Wilkinson replica, John his long awaited “Xevon” David his Greenspeed and Faye on a recently purchased KHS Westwood folding bike, met for the ride along the bayside bike path to Southbank. There was much oohing and ahing over John’s speed machine showing he had already mastered his technique as he zipped along making it look so damned easy.
Whilst talking to the crowds of curious onlookers at the North Road starting point Steve Nurse arrived on the folding bike he took to Germany in April for the Folding Recumbent Design Contest at the SPEZI "Special Bike Fair Germersheim". We had just set off on the ride when we encountered Damien coming towards us on his very neat Hurricane. As we approached Elwood Daniel on his home built SWB recumbent also joined in with his young son Cale on a snappy multi geared BMX bike!
The weather was sunny and the ride continued along the bay trail until we reached Beacon Cove where John on his home built Greenspeed look-a-like and Emma on her wedgie were waiting to join in. We spent time at Beacon Cove having fun test riding the variety of bikes and shanghaiing innocent bystanders into the riding seats. After a start of what we thought was a ride of four we now found we were a group of eleven cycling to Southbank.
On approaching Southbank Steve Nurse met with a stroke of misfortune as one side of his steering mechanism dropped off. The group stopped at Southbank for lunch before saying goodbye to Steve who pedalled off home on his crippled bike. On the return trip we farewelled Damien at Jeff’s Shed and stopped for cappuccino at Beacon Cove.
As we were heading back to North Road we saw a small group of interesting bikes beside the path. We stopped and talked to the group who had two customised bikes, one a pristine chrome stretched dragster, the other a very low “Darth Vadaar” machine. A bright orange trike with inbuilt ghetto blaster completed the ensemble. Cameras came out, photos were taken, and bikes compared before we continued on our way. Daniel and Aaron left us when we reached their car in Elwood and the original four continued back to North Road before saying goodbye after a most enjoyable day’s ride/social outing.