Specialeyes
Guru
- Location
- Essex
It's a luvverly sunny day on the Thames Riviera so I thought I'd take the Hetchins out for a ride.
Finding myself at the far end of Southend Sea Front, I thought I'd head up to Hamstel Road and visit the old Hetchins shop. It's changed hands twice at least since I used to live round the corner in the 90s, but was at least still a bike shop, or so I thought.
Here it is in around 1980 judging by the MkI Fiesta parked outside.
Here it is today, with my curly Vade Mecum parked outside and isn't even a bike shop any more. It was like coming home from college to find your parents have moved!
In good news, the bike shop that was there is still going, just a hundred yards down the road, and the bike behaved impeccably. Still, feeling slightly melancholy I rode on to Southchurch Park and back to the seafront to cheer myself up.
So, that notwithstanding, I can recommend a good long spin on a vintage lightweight on a sunny day to cure melancholia!
Finding myself at the far end of Southend Sea Front, I thought I'd head up to Hamstel Road and visit the old Hetchins shop. It's changed hands twice at least since I used to live round the corner in the 90s, but was at least still a bike shop, or so I thought.
Here it is in around 1980 judging by the MkI Fiesta parked outside.
Here it is today, with my curly Vade Mecum parked outside and isn't even a bike shop any more. It was like coming home from college to find your parents have moved!
In good news, the bike shop that was there is still going, just a hundred yards down the road, and the bike behaved impeccably. Still, feeling slightly melancholy I rode on to Southchurch Park and back to the seafront to cheer myself up.
So, that notwithstanding, I can recommend a good long spin on a vintage lightweight on a sunny day to cure melancholia!
