Meet the Bikes

So now it's time to introduce the poorly neglected second stars of this blog, the Bikes!  Starting a blog about bike travels with my dog at the start of winter probably wasn't the brightest idea, but nether the less, here they are:

1. The limo

The limo is in fact a Lekker.  This drool worthy beast is my go to bike.  I ride it every day, rain, hail, shine and what a joy it is.  Yes it's "heavy", yes there are "only" 5 gears, but it's the weight that makes it such a smooth ride and I can honestly say I've only ever needed two of the gears;  one for going up hills, one for not going up hills.  The skirt guard means I can wear long skirts, coats and scarfs without fear of getting them stuck in the back wheel/ break, and the chain guard keeps my pants safe.

If there's a downside to this bike, it's that you get A LOT of attention on it.  People will point at you, talk about you and to you.  Personally, I don't mind that. I feel like every time I'm riding I'm contributing to a positive bicycle culture, but if you're a private, quite type, best to stay away!

2. The lovely lady

Ahh, my first vintage bike love.  Purchased off eBay  and ridden daily for about a year, this old Malvern Star was my first experience of riding upright-ish (compared to the limo it's not actually that upright but close enough).  It completely changed my thinking about bikes and bike riding. I realised that riding a bike was fun, that it didn't have to be a work out, it's simply a convient way to get around.  Sadly since I've got the limo this little lady doesn't get out much, but I'm still glad she's there.

3. The trusty steed
No photos of this one unfortunately but chances are you've seen a million like it.  It was my first bike as an adult and like most people I was convinced I needed a made in china, million gears, suspension machine.  Like most people, I would change into sports gear before going for a ride and made sure I was "getting a workout."What this meant in reality was that I could hardly be bothered riding it, only using it a couple of times a week and didn't even think about using it to get around outside of the work commute.   I also think this focus on fitness and the riding position of the bike made me an aggressive speed demon! It was me Vs the world!

That being said, I still have this bike and will find it hard to say goodbye   It is a nice, easy ride and I will be forever grateful to it for breaking the bike riding drought.

Stomach Flu

Disclaimer: Ok, I know it's not the nicest topic to talk about but don't worry I won't go into details, promise!

I think it's amazing how animals know when something's not quite right.  Recently I was struck down with a nasty tummy bug.  Living in an apartment and having a dog that refuses to use a balcony pet loo, this meant poor Barky Boy had to hang on a loooong time before he got to go to the toilet.  Did he kick up a fuss?  No, instead he spent the days snuggled up to me (a rarity) with his head on my stomach, occasionally giving it a lick when it gave a particularly noisy groan.

Sorry for the terrible picture, but I was really sick and couldn't be bothered faffing about with a camera!

When the stomach bug finally passed, nurse Barkly took a well deserved rest:

xx

Barks and the Bike now on Instagram!

Just search for barksandthebike and join us on our travels!

Meet the Barks

Just a quick post introducing one of the stars of this blog, the Barks!

Barkly/ The Bark Man/ Barky boy is a 7 year old silky terrier cross god knows what.  He was rescued from the pound when he was 6.

In my view, Barkly is of course, undeniably the best dog in the world!  He's very adaptable and just as happy to go for a two hour hike as he is chilling under my desk at work all day.  Generally though, he's a quiet, relaxed little dude.

However, whilst he is the perfect dog for me...he's not really the perfect dog for anyone BUT me because when Barkly is left alone, he turns into demond dog.

Barkly has separation anxiety.  For those who don't know what it is, a quick google can teach you more about this heartbreaking and stressful condition.  

I won't go into the details in this post about what happens when I leave or what tips and tricks I've tried,  but lets just say he spends a lot of time at doggy daycare!  When he's not there, this is what I come home too:

We've come a long way in a year.  He's a lot more confident around strangers and most of the time he prefers his own space rather than being attached to me all day.  However, being left alone is still stressful for us both.  But hey one look at that litte face and I know it's worth it.

xx

Sunny Saturdays at Gilpin Park

This morning I took Barkly to one of our favourite dog parks, Gilpin Park in Brunswick.

Gilpin Park, Brunswick

Such a glorious sunny morning, it's a shame more people weren't taking advantage of it (yes, I'm a smug early riser!).  As you can see in the pic above it was practically empty!

Gilpin Park is here:

View Gilpin Park in a larger map


It's one of my favourite off lead parks for a couple of reasons.

Firstly there are trees!  Most off lead parks are ovals or random large patches of grass which are taken over by bootcamps and sports clubs at a whim.  Plus, ovals must be so boring for dogs.  Unless there are other dogs to hang out with, there's not much to explore on a flat bit of grass.

The other reason I like Gilpin Park is that there are no fences.  Sounds counter-intuitive, especially as it's between two busy roads, however in my experience the dogs are generally well socialised and listen to their owners, that's why they can be trusted sans leads and fences!


Here's Barkly enjoying the sun, looking like butter wouldn't melt:

...and here's him after his favourite activity, rolling in spores...

xx

Welcome to Barks and the Bike!

Hi all,

Welcome to my new blog, Barks and the Bike.  This blog will chronicle the adventures of my dog and the lovely bicycles he travels in.

xx Clare (and Barkly)