Ness Likes to Review Things

As promised, I should really properly update about Tweed Run this weekend which was awesome in so many ways!

Here is a link to the dismantle site and blog where you can check out the winners and eventually some shots from the day http://dismantle.org.au/

In short, Gianni came round our place in the morning and we got dressed and headed over to South Beach in Fremantle doing the right thing and talking about brick weilding zombies all the way. The ride through Fremantle to South Beach left a little to be desired by me. It was hot and uphill and I was in heels, but I made it and was blown away by the amount of vintage and tweed that were awaiting us on the grass down there. So many amazing outfits and bikes, so many picnics and so many happy people. Everyone more or less was talking in a toffy accent and saying hilarious things in the spirit of the day... and pretending to smoke vintage pipes. Mark debated getting a coffee for a good half hour while we took photos, looked at bikes and registered, which was awesome because they basically spray painted you a number as you came up. I believe in all there were about 200 odd people there, a little more, so it was a fantastic turn out.



Once the group shots had been taken we all mounted our steeds and headed out over grass, paths, tracks and roads to Fremantle Esplanade ringing bells emphatically and watching the escapades of the tandem bike which was ridden by a couple of very entertaining individuals who did things like try to ride through train gates and yell "COMMIT!" really loudly. Once in the grassed park we moved over and waited for others before riding into the Norfolk lanes festival. Jolly good show.









We were made to pose for various pictures and locked up our bikes and sat around in X-Wray eating great burgers, drinking coffee and making merry, at times with goggles. After this we tried to find out who won, watched people skateboard, I bought a leather vintage sachel for my notebook and we headed over to Little Creatures for drinks, chips and shooting the breeze. Caught up with Ricky there and after a couple of hours headed back to pick up the bikes and see what was going on. There were still many tweedsters around and interesting bikes to be seen. A really cool puff blue one with my pedals on it, which I wish I met the owner of because I want another pair, a guy who handcuffs his bike as a locking mechanism and various cool baskets and trolly's. We unlocked and ran into a bunch of our mates who were ready to see our mates band Carl Fox play over on the main stage. We thought it would be a riot to sit on our bikes up the back and watch the show but weren't allowed and so had to lock them up elsewhere.





The show was really fun and after it finished Mark and I said goodbye to the peoples and headed home on bikes and trains to entertain some more people at home with Hugh Sheridan, Carbo, Gibbo and Supernatural. Goodtimes had by all I say. Chaps.

Allergies are really bad today. I'm so tired from sneezing I can barely keep awake.

I wore my riding cape this morning for the first time, classic and exactly what you need on a day with a chilly breeze but warm sun. Haven't sewn the top buckle on yet so I secured it with a little gold kitten broch and it looked fantastic.

Took the bikes on a bit of a jaunt around the city yesterday, Ezra Pound after work for some goodbye drinks, home and then back out to Sparrow for dinner. On the way home the first time I saw another skateboarder a good way ahead of me and just had to race. What is it about skateboarders and me needing to beat them? Anyway, I caught him in the end, but it was tricky. I was impressed with my speed and stamina; Mark was amused.

Tonight I will take it out to Pigeon Hole Vintage for Anneke's exhibition which will be fun.

At the moment, some people at work are trying to convince me to do the ride in style. There will be people making a documentary as well. It's too early in the morning, and we are going to have friends staying with us. Nope, I don't think I am going to do it.

Also this morning, I was thinking, when I wear dresses and skirts and I am sneezy I don't have easy access to my tissues, and when I get into work I can't get easy access to my access card to get into the car park... and as I was thinking this I saw a little pink drawstring bag from my new necklace and became very impressed by the fact that it was perfect. So I rode in today with a pack of tissues and my card in a little bag dangling from my handle bars. I'm all about the usefullness of things.

Apparently I was not good enough to win anything from the challenge, prizes of which were announced today. This makes me sad... and a little angry.

But moving on to more interesting news, I bought some steampunk goggles to ride in so bugs and pollen don't get in my eyes. I was very tempted to get a gas mask but most people would think that this was strange. Very useful though. Bloomers arrived and are exceptionally good. The make me comfortable and confident that I'm not about to do an unco-Marylin-Monroe down the cycle path. It's goodtimes. Soon the cape with arrive as well, right in time for the worst and warmest riding weather ever. I keep telling Mark I can't ride anymore. Once it gets to inhaling flies season (and honestly it's nearly upon us) I can't ride sans something that is almost a gas mask (I totally should have gotten the gas mask). I wonder if I can get a hat with corks dangling off it or something. I am also seeing about getting new pedals which are going to be sweet as.

My wisdom teeth are playing up currently which basically means a lot of pain and soon to be exploding bank accounts.

I also intend to stitch some paper cranes into my basket at some point. I think that could be cool.

Just quickly, the cape talk got me going. I was looking at this one yesterday when I suggested looking for riding capes on Etsy to Jo. And now, between her getting that super cool one and wanting this one... well, one thing lead to another and I ended up buying it.

What to say today? The challenge is over, life seems pointless, all of those powerful things.

This isn't entirely true; the challenge is over yes, but life does not seem pointless because of that.

The rest of Saturday was quite good, dinner with Mark's brother and girlfriend and after they left, a jaunt down to the Amplifier to see The Bullet Holes play. Very good boys - they are a bunch of my friends - but towards the end I started to feel tired and ill and so we left pretty soon after they played. I couldn't tell you if it was a mystery illness, gas or the many hideous outfits that were spilling into the streets or the awful comments many of said people were making generally. Nonetheless getting home was of great solace to me.

Sunday involved a sleep in and a number of chores that were made more bareable by the consumption of homemade pancakes dressed with a stolen lemon. I then got into my most girlie, sping time, handmade frock and we took off for Fremantle on our bikes. I have to say, for someone claiming to be the least girlie of girls, and watching Iron Man 2 in front of him, Mark's brother really must think I am insane because I wore two of the girliest dresses I own in front of him. Not the point.

We took the bikes to the train station and headed to Fremantle. I was going to the super awesome vintage market that was on that afternoon. That was my aim. Mark came for a very short amount of time and then went to see his bro. I don't blame him. I blame him a little. Well, it was his loss because there were some amazing shirts and sportscoats that I found later that he missed out on. For myself, I was a little bummed because I didn't get a handbag I wanted while trying to get money out, and a dress I wanted looked a bit wonky on me. I did in the end though, chat to some awesome girls and pick up a couple of sweet dresses and a belt and scarf.

Had dinner at Little Creatures, trained back to Perth and rode home. On the way there was a girl taking photos of a wall (I am not saying anything) who then freaked out when she saw me in my dress on my bike and took a photo of me. It's a strange felling.

It's now Wednesday, my law man duties are over and I am back working just for the Man. I have been riding in consistently and now it's raining we're going to have to reassess the business of getting home. Bike is still clicking like mad, but Mark suggested maybe getting new pedals so more on that when I make a decision.

In other bike news though, I found a video of a bicycle ballerina. It blew my mind so give that a google/youtube search - if I remember I will post the link here.

I also found out about the fremantle Tweed ride http://dismantle.org.au/ We are thinking of doing it. It looks pretty cool and we get to get frocked up for it. I think around that time there is also a vintage market on in Clarmont which I can post about here later. Ties in quite well. Bianca better get a prize for her awesome retro-ness. I got nothing in the sweeps for this challenge thing. Nothing! And now they are asking for blogs for their page? No. They won't even read them I bet.

Nothing in the way of Star Pin ups for a while until I get to the point of uploading the others to the previous posts. I have less time to do this stuff than I would like, but I shall persist.