Started when I was a teenager and wanted a bit of freedom. Growing up as a teenager in a small town miles away from anything meant I had to get transport of my own. Couldnt afford to buy a car (dad was never gonna buy one for me!) and having a Maths schoolteacher who rode an S3C (I'm sure the experts can tell me what the for-runner of the almighty Jota was called) and an English teacher who ran one of the first seventiess 900SS' got me on the way.
Sure i've lost biking friends but what really brought things "home" to me was when in the 6th form one Xmas some mates and I went to Asda'a and the car park was iced ovr. An old boy in a Maxi in front of us couldnt get the car going so we all got out to give him a push. When Simon fell flat on his face it was a great laugh, until we tried to drag the poor guy up onto hisd feet. Apparently he had a "hole in the heart " (dunno what the techie term is) and the strain of pushing this guys car did him in, at 19!
His mum nailed life for me by getting us to promise to enjoy life while you can, no matter what restrictions other people try to impose. So sorry mum, I will be back enjoying the bike this summer, and thank you Mrs Psy for understanding just how much biking, and all the people I've met through it, means to me.
Ride safe, keep it upright, but above all, RIDE!
