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Monday, July 03, 2006

As I went riding on a cool winter's morning, hi diddle i di ho...

I was overtaken on the bike path by one of these, diddle i ho di hi:



A very, very tall bike (without the biblical fire play). Nonchalantly riding to work, soaking up the smiles and cries of wonder, was a fellow who kept biffing his bike helmet on the overhanging trees. At the lights (he had to cling onto the traffic light pole to stay upright) I asked if he was the same fellow I see riding a unicycle down the roadside bike paths, and he replied that he wasn't, but that fellow was probably a member of his group, the exotic sounding Rat Patrol. Apparently they take old bikes and make them into strange and wonderful new mutants hybrids.

A bit further down the bike path there was an Asian student tripping along on very odd wedge heels that made her look like she was about to fall on her face. She just happened to have her camera out, and struggled mightily to take a photo and stay upright, with a very cross expression on her face. It's moments like these that make freezing your nose off worthwhile. Of course, I didn't have my camera with me. But I have the website now, and that will keep me amused for ooooh, five minutes.

If you like weird and wonderful bikes, or even if you just like tinkering with machines, check out the Rat Patrol. It's a US site, but if you follow the links, there's an Australian chapter with a Canberra branch. Steev, if you're reading, they also have a section of photos of dead bikes, right up your cycle-of-death alley.

5 comments:

Rach said...

Are they jousting with flaming poles, or is that my imagination?

Ampersand Duck said...

No, I think your imagination is fine. These are wacky people having a lot of fun, by the looks of it.

Mummy/Crit said...

Mal Webb was suitably impressed with them when they were at the folk club a few weeks ago. i didn't realise that it was a worlwide phenomenon though.

Ampersand Duck said...

I missed Mal? Bugger. He's ace.

Mummy/Crit said...

Yeah a while ago, on a Sunday I think.He rocked. You gotta get yourself on the email list so you don't miss stuff!