“I could bike that” said Jimmy as we walked round a bit of the Greenock cut a wee while back.
The hospital appointment was already on the calendar for his second titanium knee, so I didn’t let this one go.
We set a date and off we went with a plan which relied on faither getting right round. This is the man who used to race the bus to get to his work and back in Bathgate from home in Glasgow back in the 60’s so I’m not doubting his underlying fitness or his application, but he insists on riding his 70 year old Flying Scot road bike and he’s 86.
We got parked okay at Overton and hit the trail straight into the first gate. After that he was off and I was pushing to keep on his tail at times. Those wee skinny vintage wheels gave me the fear but he found his line and didn’t miss a beat.
I pulled him up at some history stuff worth looking over, part of why we were here was so he could see the industrial archaeology. We pointed, looked, chatted and he was off again.
It was bright and the sun was warm, the breeze was cool though and I had to horse on to catch him after I hung back to take some photies.
I managed to persuade him to get a cuppa and a croissant (made by mother who was pacing up and down with her phone in her hand the whole time we were away) at one of the sluice gates. We sat in the sun and had smiles and banter.
Jimmy’s posture improves when we do stuff, he straightens up and he walks better. He was biking to camps in the mountains through the 60s and I can see how doing stuff, just being places works a bit of magic. It’s a lesson for me to see and one to remember for myself. I’m getting no younger either and I hope Jimmy’s DNA is strong in the mix of mine.
About mid way we switched to walking, it was too rough for those skinny tires but it was still fine with views and artifacts here and there to discuss. We were on and off the saddles until suddenly we were at the visitor centre with a job well done.
The museum was open and we spend some time there before we grabbed an outside table at the cafe and sat in the sun eating chips and cheese.
When I was young faither took me all over the place to see things, also to stand on them, touch them and smell them, I was always getting home with oil, soot and mud on me. How many people my age stood on the footplate of a steam loco in a colliery when it was still working for real?
My head is full of precious memories and this is me paying Jimmy back just a little for all of that, there’s such a joy in me getting to say “Come and see this” after I heard it so many times in the 70s.
I left napping Jimmy in the sun and scooted over the pass to get the motor. A relieved mother put the kettle on as we shared photies and stories when we got in.
What a magic day.
