Blast from the past

[Shebeen]

I remember the traffic police used to stand outside the school bicycle shed at home time (2pm) and fine anyone who did not have a valid license.

 

In the days when schools had bicycle sheds and they were full of bicycles

am actually making headway at getting a bikeshed at my kids' junior school (well we were, but capital budget is moertoe now probably!).at res in stellenbosch 99/2000 we had a fietsloods, I went everywhere by bike and that's where it lived.

 

Probably had space for 40-60 bikes all on hooks, and maybe only 5-10 of us actually using it. it was supposed to be cleaned out every year, but there were some relics that seem to have survived as there was always space so no need to worry.  I'm sure there would have been some awesome bikes there so damn i wish i could have been more forward thinking when they shut our res down. this was before vintage bikes were (mainstream) cool, STIs were becoming cheap and downtube shifters therefore crap.

 

There was one simple abandoned cruiser that i had claimed for myself, i kept the tyres pumped up and everything in basic working order and tucked it away in a corner. this was my "drunk bike". i would often get a lift back to res with okes, but then stil lus for the jag go back out to springboks (the only place open past 2am) on this bike. it got thrown into the bushes without a lock, and would be waiting for me to ride back home (the walk up merriman avenue at 4am felt like everest). I got stopped once for riding this way over the limit, but obviously i didn't have ID on me so the fine went to some oke i made up on the spot (not like kampusbeheer had any real authority on this anyway). 

 

edit: all this is actually a story "according to a friend" he told me once around a braai

Edited May 4, 2020 by Shebeen

[DJR]

..........at res in stellenbosch ............

I only spent my first year in res at Stellies . My neigbour was a blind guy who had a tandem and whenever he wanted to go somewhere quickly, he shouted and one of us piloted for him. He was quite a character and got upset if you pedaled too hard because it was about his only exercise. Was a very verbal stoker that made back seat driving into an art form. Learnt a few things, like looking at life from someone elses perspective. Had to go fetch him one evening to take him to a movie (true story) and when I got to his room it was all dark, so I turned around and only a few seconds later realized that he didn't need to switch the lights on - felt a bit stupid.

[PhilipV]

am.at res in stellenbosch 99/2000 we had a fietsloods, I went everywhere by bike and that's where it lived.

 

 

I forgot my bike in the fiets loods at Irene for a couple of days. There was a pretty 3rd year involved that distracted me enough that I forgot I rode my bike there to visit her. It was still hanging in their shed when I went to fetch it. By far the fanciest, and biggest bike in there. Edited May 5, 2020 by PhilipV