I've had a lovely day

[shouldbeinbed]

Glorious Sunshine, just enough of a breeze to keep me cool, I've been part of the Greater Manchester Cycle Campaign contingent, all sorts of bikes and riders, at the Manchester Day parade (*), unselfconsciously riding round in front of thousands of people with a wicker basket on the bike and a knotted hanky on my head, then riding home through Daisy Nook country park which looks and smells absoulutely beautiful in tranquil dappled sunlight.

now I have Guinness and the house to myself for a bit. Bliss.

* excellent organisation by Mike W, thank you. The giant bike looked fantastic and worked brilliantly.

 

[Night Train]

Fantastic!
Arch and I were there at the start watching you all set off.
She might have a photo of you. I will have video but it will be a huge file. I'll see if I can upload it on PhotoBucket.

We had a great time the Parade was excellent and all the cultural elements were so multicultural too. We saw the parade from the outside corner of start line and then went down to MOSI for a tea just in time to watch the parade return and to congratulate and thank the paraders.

 

[Arch]

We saw you!

Well, we must have done, although I didn't consciously spot a hanky and wicker basket. The giant bike was fabulous!

We arrived at the first corner about 5 to 2, and saw everything go by, right down to the costumed Street sweeping machines at the end!

Then we mosi-d down to MOSI to get a cuppa, and back to the road to watch the returning paraders, all looking a bit more tired after 2 hours of walking! But so many were still waving and grinning and playing their instruments.

So many fabulous floats and costumes, I can't begin to choose a favorite. But the dragon was cool:

and Carmen Miranda:

The Roller Coaster was funny!

And the train of trailer-trikes was pedalled by some very happy people:

Absolutely brilliant afternoon to watch.

One of the best things, was the woman standing behind me as we watched it all pass, talking to her friend - a constant stream of "Oh, look, that's wonderful! Oh, they've made so much effort! look! Look at that one! That's brilliant!..." etc.

We're quite keen to take part - maybe we should join the cycle campaign!

And one more great thing. Apart from a vintage bus, a fire engine and a police car, it was all human powdered - floats were pushed, or pulled, or pedalled, many made from frames built on bike wheels. So no fumes, or engine noise. Fabulous!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

cracking pics, I was ahead of the big bike, right behind the police car at the start, minus the hanky until about half way down Deansgate.

You're right on the human power too, it was lovely being so car free, even the cop car peeled off half way round and left us to it. there was such a chilled out feeling as I rode back through town on the still closed roads as well, with people just milling about and enjoying the space, we should close the roads more often.

If you would like to join GMCC please do, £8 a year, discounts at a number of bike shops in the Greater Manchester area when you're around, A nice quarterly Magazine that is taking off again, monthly meetings in the city centre with a drink afterwards. http://www.gmcc.org.uk/ (but the server seems to be playing up right now)

The guy that built the giant bike is also responsible for putting a few of the other frames together too, a lot of them get stored by groups and reused year after year just with different decorations on top.

 

[Night Train]

If you would like to join GMCC please do, £8 a year, discounts at a number of bike shops in the Greater Manchester area when you're around, A nice quarterly Magazine that is taking off again, monthly meetings in the city centre with a drink afterwards. http://www.gmcc.org.uk/ (but the server seems to be playing up right now)

We may just do that.

The guy that built the giant bike is also responsible for putting a few of the other frames together too, a lot of them get stored by groups and reused year after year just with different decorations on top.

I was just saying to Arch that it would be great to be involved. I'd love to building stuff like that, all pedal powered and unorthodox as well as being a part of the parade.

 

[Night Train]

I'm hoping these work...

Two short videos from the end of the parade start point. The long video of the beginning won't upload at the moment.

 

[Arch]

Well, it's taken a few hours of uploading, and then some more of trying to edit in YouTube and seemingly it not working, so here's the long video (11mins) that NT took. The cyclist - with Shouldbeinbed in the lead! - are from 3 minutes in.

If Youtube get their act together, this video may still cut down to 4 minutes or so...

 

[Leaway2]

Damn, OH was working yesterday, I would of gone and taken a look at that. I went to Warrington instead

 

[Night Train]

It was really good, I am looking forward to next year, maybe Arch and I will be involved.