30 years since my last ride!

As you know, Jon rides a bike for work, but also for pleasure. Of course the boys both have it in their genes from both sides, so it was only natural they would also want to ride. When we were young (pre kids) Jon had bikes and I used to ride pillion. But I'll let you into a secret. Even before that, when I was just 18, I didn't want to learn to drive a car, and persuaded Dad to show me how to ride a motorbike. It was the early 1980s.

So dad bought me a Honda 125 for £100, took me to the Sainsburys car park in Hoddesdon, and spent a couple of hours teaching me to ride it. That was it!! I was left to ride the roads of Hoddesdon without any formal instruction.

I don't remember riding it much, other than the last time. Probably that same year. I went out, round ‘the block’ and as I rode down Whitley Road towards Stanstead Road I had to stop at the end of the road, then as I pulled out, and I know I did it slowly, I couldn't (or didn't ) turn the handle bars and went straight into a wall. The bike was heavy, I picked it up and wheeled it home, just a few minutes walk.

I got a big bruise on my leg. I never rode it or any other bike again. It put me off!! Eventually a good few years later, I bought that bike off Dad and gave it to Jon. He had had a bike when he was younger, and it got back riding. He proceeded to have various other bikes using them to ride to college in Enfield from our home in Chatteris. That was the last time I rode with him. We went into London one time. That was a long ride.

Today, we rode to Cley where we had coffee and scones with cream. That was treat. I was apprehensive, had a bit of a job getting my once very flexible, but not so now, leg, over the bike. Once on, and we were off, I relaxed and enjoyed it.

Who knows what the future holds. I'd love to be able to ride one of dad’s vintage bikes - even though none are actually running at the moment, but Henry is working hard on the BSA C11, so I have time to learn!!!

Spent a couple of hours when we got back, cleaning mums patio with the karcher then went to the allotment. My beans had collapsed so I had to tie them up, but I picked a few. There was another self grown potato that gave me 5 big potatoes and I also picked French beans. So expect a few more beans this year. Really puzzled as to why no courgettes have grown this year. I hope that once I retire I can focus much more on growing to make sure I get it right with everything I plant. I really need to be there daily not weekly.

Cooking dinner now and not thinking about work tomorrow. Need to do some writing - I can't remember when I last did any, but this last week has been so nice I felt I had to do outdoors jobs.

Few pics in extras





Dad t