Monday, October 10, 2011

A Little More Than Co-incidence


Our Tour of Tasmania ride was covered on Annie Warburton's eveneing program just before flying, so I won't recount the tales of rain, punctures, more rain, excellent Latrobe bakery, heavier rain, more punctures, 1 minute of fame on the evening television news and a flying tail wind for the home run on the midlands...



A big thankyou to John and Faye Bloomfield again for giving up a Saturday afternoon to assist in supporting us along the coast, it was very reassuring to know that you were there along the road if we needed you, and for looking after Caity also.


The story of that ride though is really with another elderly gentelman, 82 year old 'Barney' Dunham.  Barney had secured my number through the RACT and called, hoping to learn a little more about the Aero bike - one of our trio of machines and ridden ably by Gav.  Barney explained that his father cycled and made frames in the 30's and that he had a picture of one of the bikes with the lettering Aero-Star painted on the down tube.


Some co-incidence ?


Barney offered to mail photograpghs to me, but fearing that they may get lost or damaged, I asked where he lived.  Ulverstone on the coast road to Penguin.  Would you believe that our Tour of Tasmania route would take us almost literally past his front door just four days later ?


Standing dripping wet in his carport in a momentary patch of sunshine was a really nice moment as we chatted quietly and with smiles, enjoying the three images spread out on a towel on the boot of Barney' car.  We had declined going inside as we were wet through and would have made a terrible mess in his kitchen or lounge.


Peering out of the small black and white grainy prints was a cheerful, lively looking fellow in his thirties, one astride his own racing bike, another alongside a coached rider behind the track racer with the similar name.  Although tiny, it was possible to read the Aero name, and the font ( probably typically fashionable at the time ) seemed very similar to the remaining lettering on Gav's mount. 


Barney nervously agreed to be photographed with our Aero, and I'd like to think that, for a few minutes, he held in his hand - a bike made by his father at a time when he was a small child and his father an active and industious young man.  Barney was very young when his father died, and so had no real memories of him other than those held and treasured in the photographs before us.


Thank you for calling Barney, it was a real pleasure to spend a few minutes with you.

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