Batch Of Brommies Bring A Little Bit Of Magic

Maybe it’s the residue of all the macabre atmosphere of Halloween or some other mystique, but the past couple of days have been a bit enchanting. Rather than fall for all the made-up poppycock, I reckon the magical feeling probably stems from my Brompton bike.

The bicycle that really got me into cycling has sent most of he past few years gathering dust, but when it gets rolled out, there’s something truly special.

Yesterday, I got our and headed down on my Brommie to Tokyo Tower for a morning meeting. It was a great ride, if a little chilly, as well as somewhat chilling with drivers on the busy road coming too close for comfort too many times.

The ride ushered in a wonderful day of views, even though my work performance needs to improve. I must lift my game, take some time, follow guidance and advice and produce the goods required of me.

When work was over, I was in for a real treat! A couple of mates from Adelaide are in town and we went on a wonderful ride around central Tokyo with a focus on Odaiba.

The nighttime views of the Tokyo area were simply sublime, and we took them in deeply courtesy of the sedate pace we adopted on our Bromptons.

My mates run a Brompton club in their home city, as well as the awesome Bromptoneering or Bust website, and are core members of the global Brompton community.

That’s where the Brompton magic comes into play. Owning the bike seems to almost come with membership of a clan bound by their ties to the bike.

Even though the Brommie has basically been a utilitarian presence in my life since I took ownership over a decade ago, it has still opened the door to some amazing and enduring friendships.

We had a great time rounding the island, following the coastline down to Toyosu and then taking the back streets of central Tokyo to return to my mates’ hotel.

Despite an irregularly late night, I rose well before dawn as always and was blessed again. This time, I got to see the most amazing moon of my life. Fortunately, it was a cloudy night, so the lunar view was even more mystical than it would have been on a clear night, and it also gave the moon some shape in photos.

The ride itself was a little bit lousy as it was cold and I still haven’t adjusted my attire to the rapidly cooling late autumn mornings, but it was time on the bike, nonetheless, and better than vegging out watching YouTube.

I got home and looked after the lawn, hoping beyond hope that we’ll get a layer of green carpet all too soon. A Starling was helping itself to some of the seed before I went outside, so I may be expecting a bit much. Another bird gave me great delight! Dino, who has been wearing a ruffle for months to stop herself from biting her infected bum, found another use for her binds, tearing strips of paper off any scraps she can find and stuffing them into the collar for storage. Unfortunately, this is a sign of hormonal activity, which isn’t good for our ailing bird. She has a visit to the Yokohama Bird Clinic planned for this afternoon, and I fear she’ll be getting a shot to stabilise her condition.

What a shame the Brommie magic and other miracles that have touched my life have not worked quite as hoped with Dino. Our beloved rosy faced dinosaur will never recover fully, but is truly throwing herself at life with zest. Mrs. Kangaeroo has pulled off more than magic to give Dino that chance, though. And I am deeply grateful to her for that, too (as well as the countless other reasons).