The good, the mad and the fugly

They were all there on Sunday, giving generously of their time and gifts for the Teddy Run from Century City to Maynardville. We arrived at around 8.30 to watch the parade and there were already a couple of thousand motorcycles waiting.
We weren't allowed to park in the Virgin Active car park, it was already seriously overcrowded with about 17 cars parked there so we commoners parked on the other side.
I am too much of a sissy to ride a motorbike but I do admire them. When Rowland was in the US last year they went through the Harley factory, he had a ball.
By 9.15 there must have been between 4 and 5 thousand bikes, grouped together by club or brand and it took around 25 minutes for them all to exit the carpark. It's not just about bikes, fashion plays a really big part. Some stunning leather jackets, laced down the side like corsets, jeans, jeans and more jeans, some fat, some skinny. Little kids, old kids, mended limbs, limps, beards, crash helmets, stuffed toys. One couple rode off with two hula hoops on the front of the bike. I just wonder where these bikes are hidden the rest of the year.
We had a super time, gazing wistfully at some 8000 people living their dream, way to go folks.
After the bikes we went through to Philadelphia to the crystal shop. Aletta and Maurice aren't just shop owners, they're entertainers and just so very friendly. I bought a good few Christmas gifts and we were there for at least an hour. I was quite taken with the Tibetan singing bowls but couldn't get a sound out of the one I was holding. The love of my life picked one up and in no time it was singing away, beautiful. Needless to say he bought one and gave a virtuoso performance later at home.
Good times.