Ride in Reverse!

Have you checked out Reverse Garbage? It amazes me that some people still haven't heard of the ultimate craft destination for Sydneysiders! I have decorated bikes and share houses from the treasures found within. It's like a magical mystery tour bike ride. This is because Reverse Garbage receive different stuff each week - off cuts from various factories and donations. You never know what you might find, hence the mystery!

Where bikes go to get re-bicycled...

There is a book cave, a record cave and a costume cave as well as sculptures from local artists...

Now don't forget to visit The Bower which is right across the car park. Here you will find old furniture, typewriters and more bike treasures...

Come prepared and bring your own bags, find your own treasure or at least something you can make a treasure out of. Just add imagination!


Pish Tosh xx

More First Wheels

Following on from the previous post...

My cousin's pretty purple bike. She lives out on a property in country NSW where the land is super flat and she has almost unlimited acres to roll through...

j.xoxo

First Wheels

Unlike K-star I don't have a fantastic picture of me on my first bike (Unless you count, uh, the rest of this blog- 'cause, you know, Florence is close enough to being my first bike...) Anyway, while digging through old photos I came across this fantastic picture of my mum, my aunty, their cousin, and their superb bike and scooters.

From a time before the "slip-slop-slap" rap...

I was once told by my mum of a time when the three kids decided to take the bike, a scooter, and a billie cart up to the top of the massive hill their street was on. They tied the three vehicles together with a bungee cord and took off down the hill. The billie cart, without brakes, soon flew ahead of the scooter and bike, and managed to overturn- onto the rough gravel road! Somehow they escaped with their skins intact...

Do you remember adventures on your first bike? Were you reckless and fearless? Have any accidents? Did you live at the top of a hill and feel tempted to race down? Share your photos and stories, we'd love to hear them...

j.xoxo

Why would you?

Last week on Thursday I took the car to work. Yep, I left my bicycle behind and drove. I battled the scary drivers that seem to frequent Cleveland Street through Surry Hills to work. Was it easier, quicker, more enjoyable? Will I be driving more in the future?

More cars made of cake.. I say!

No, and the most simplest reason is time. I assumed like a lot of people driving in a car do... that I was going to get there quicker. Well i did but it was only 5 minutes quicker. Yep 5 minutes. So what is that 5 minutes worth to me?

Well if I was riding my bicycle, those 5 minutes would mean:

I was getting exercise that was fun and meaningful.
I felt alive and part of the world.
I could see the leaves falling from trees and the colours of the sky.
I could smile and engage with others.

In a car those 5 minutes were nothing as I waited at traffic lights looking longingly at others riding through the intersections. And to top it off when I stopped at my cafe for my morning coffee (my regular treat even when riding), I couldn't find a park. So any time gained was lost.

Found a quote to ponder for anyone thinking about that car/bike choice...

"Why should anyone steal a watch when he could steal a bicycle?" ~ Flann O'Brien

Pish Tosh xx

Oh and I forgot to mention that my drive home took 40min. Bikes win against Sydney traffic!!

How much can you carry on your bike?

So now we have been relying on our bikes more for everyday chores, as well as bikeling to work (we have a car - but are lucky to use it once a week), and it truly is amazing how much you can fit on your bike with a bit of artful arranging!

L-Pop is a prime example of this. Her basket strains under the weight of her enormous bag, but it's all functional!

Not to mention how on a recent bike ride, spontaneous purchases (read absolute bargains - that you can't leave behind), were simply loaded on and actually made life easier then just walking home with said purchases...

Grocery shopping... No problemo! Just make sure you are balanced...

And the bicycle comes in handy, even for the most simplest of chores... S-boy likes to ride the rubbish to the bin (we live in an apartment block) on his way out. Bikes make chores FUN!

Even going to the ATM is easier. Imagine having to find a carpark just to do this!

So next time you need to tackle a chore, go at it on a bike and find yourself smiling with smug satisfaction (as seen below...).

Rainy Days

I don't know if you've all realised, but it's been a cold, windy and rainy winter so far, and it doesn't look like it's going to let up any time soon. Winter picnics have been few and far between unlike last winter. Instead we've been battling the elements riding around Sydney- but of course, trying to do it in style...

Because we will ride our bikes in all weather, rain, hail, or shine (except hail, perhaps- and preferably shine...), we've put together a quick guide to help you in this inclement weather we've been experiencing.

First up. Don't ruin you beautiful shoes with splashes of dirty gutter water. Gumboots are your friend. Whether they are traditional, colourful, or stylish like these:

Gloves are essential on dark winter mornings to stop you suffering frostbite while the mercury struggles to get above freezing!

Rain coats don't have to be garish. There are some really nice non-seven-year-old-on-their-way-to-school raincoats out there.

Capes! How stylish! How elegant! How functional! There are heaps of capes around at the moment. Some vintage, some brand spanking new, We love them all.

Check out CycleStyle, a lovely Melbourne based online store for cycling paraphernalia. Not only do they have made-to-order capes, but they also provide a Lumatwill option. (Please excuse me while I have a fabric-nerd moment) Lumatwill is a superb fabric that includes luminous yarns in the weaving stage of the fabric's production, so anything made is hi-vis, but made of Saville Row quality wools and tweeds. No need to add stripes of 3M reflective tape to those works of tailored art!

CycleStyles "Jenny" Cape

Dashing Tweed's Lumatwill Cape

CycleStyle also stock “oilskin” pannier and rack/basket friendly bags in bright colours for waterproof portaging... handy!

Lastly, if you're sewing inclined yourself there are some nice sewing patterns for capes from the 50's 60's and 70's floating around on places like Etsy and eBay. They make a nice weekend project while the rain hammers against the windows. My favourites are:

So, don that urban armour against the elements and don't be afraid to get a little damp, it's only water after all...

j.xoxo