Hi Thumperteers
I went to the Stafford Show yesterday and thought it was............crap. Autojumble stalls selling scrap metal for gold prices or dusters and pain free remedies for every ill known to man (snake oil basically), halls full of over polished show ponies, old blokes with battering ram rucksacks on their backs and food priced at a level that a 3 star Michelin chef would be embarassed by. Other than one or two nice, oily rag bikes I didn't see anything remotely interesting. I left very disappointed.
Then on the way home, after a nice cuppa at a bike cafe near Stafford, I realised I was the problem, I don't fit into the modern old bike scene. I remember going to autojumbles to buy bits for my A10 and having conversations like 'how much for the Amal?' 'Couple of quid will do'. Not looking at a knackered monobloc float bowl that is just chucked in a plie of other knackered float bowls for £20. I remember when old bikes looked old because their owners bought them to ride not to polish. In that moment I realised I hanker after a world that has gone and don't like the one that has replaced it.
So I will leave shows alone in future and just keep gathering miles and dirt on my Enfield and we will all be happier I'm sure.
Grumpy of Notts
