I started biking purely to get from A to B without having to walk. I lived in Southampton at the time, was a student, and my first bicycle journey was from my flat in the middle of North Baddesley to the University.
My folks had bought me a bike for my 17th birthday – a no-brand โATBโ that had it been taken off road would have most definitely protested – much like myself at the time.
An exercise was something that I remembered vaguely from school and being made to run round muddy fields and getting caught trying to take a shortcut so having to do it twice.
My bike was like a reflection of my myself at the time – a massive but sturdy machine that worked but kind of took its time to get there and our maiden voyage together was an uphill one.
I lived in the middle of North Baddesley (small and quiet neighborhood). I dragged the steel beast up its pace until we got to the highest top of the route (anyone else here the heavy breathing)?
It was at this point that I felt light, almost airy in fact – I had a whitey, and all the blood had gone from all available organs to my legs hence the strange feeling.
I sat on the steps and slowly recovered, got back on the beast and made it down to university – just.
It got easier each day, and I took to taking jaunts around the city and beyond, exploring all the bits I didnโt know by bike. I got a rack and a pannier bag.
I started loading up the beast with blank pieces of paper and pastels and drawing stuff that looked interesting – at the Docks, building sites on the other side, one day I even went to Winchester.
With more and more miles I got fitter, and I had everything I needed either in my pannier bag or strapped to the bike-utility style.
We went everywhere together, and when the frame broke, I took it down to the sculpture department, and they fixed it back together for me, and we set off on another adventure.
I loved that bike and the time I had it – it was crap really, but I had some great times on it and discovered the city on it.
I liked the fact it was a bit ugly but handy and combined the pleasure of riding a bike with a sense of purpose.
Now I have a fancy bike that cost too much money, has all sorts of dials and settings on it and I tend to just go round in circles on it (when I have the time).
It doesnโt have a set of panniers, and I donโt think there is anything steel on it at all ๐ฅ
Keep it real.
