vintage tweed ride #4

You know a good time was had when there are few pics to tell the tale!

Today's Vintage Tweed Bike Ride was, as always, utterly magnificent. This year Vicki handed over the reins (or handlebars) to her daughter Jess - and what an organiser Jess is. The ride was brimming with people all decked out in their Sunday best tweed (except me, who, as always rebelled - blue floral frock and red cape in case you're wondering).

The array of bikes was breathtaking, so many original vintage lovelies in glorious colours. Check out this one above which is like a clotted cream with a little lemon curd swirled through.

Delicious.

Excuse me, would you have a look at that sky! And the peeps on parade. Seriously, everyone just looked so darned spiffing. Can we make it a law for people to dress up more often? I will put up my hand to police it! In the nicest possible way of course!

We rode the usual route, through Islington, along the creek, then the harbour until we reached Nobbys. Delightfully, the sweet peeps from The Commons had a wee coffee wagon set up with delightful cakes such as rhubarb and nutmeg (that had my name on it) lemon myrtle and yoghurt and authentic-looking shortbread.

And all funds raised from coffee and cake went to a fabulous thing called Bike Pirates a community bike shed and hangout space. Sweet huh!

Now, I felt VERY IMPORTANT as Jess asked if I'd help her judge the prizes. What an honour! Now, I am a bit of a crap judge as I am VERY Hot Chocolate (as in, Everyone's A Winner Baby That's The Truth) and it was very, very, very hard to choose. But choose we did: best dressed woman, best dressed man, best picnic, best kid, rarest beast (this went to a woman in a fur, with a cigarette in a long holder, riding a unicyle with a wheel the size of a penny farthing!) ...

And best restoration was totally in the bag until I walked past this guy.

Now, I'd seen his bike at the start of the ride and it was so shiny and new I just assumed it was shiny and new. So as Jess and I wandered to confirm out Best Dressed Man award (penny farthing socks and leather pant protectors sealed that deal) I said to this guy "Love the colour of your bike!" and he said "Thanks, it's a match to the original,"

Well, that stopped me in my tracks. So I had to learn more.

Then I heard the tale.

This 1967 Malvern Star was found on the tip, and he's spent the past two years painstakingly restoring it. Right down to re-chroming nuts and original handlebars. Hunting down original stickers. Seriously, it's breathtaking.

AND.

Today was its first-ever ride.

And we had our winner.

What a day. Jess, thank you. Vicki, thank you. And every single person who participated, or who smiled at us along the way, thank you!

I love this city.