Sunday, November 21, 2010

A very Full Weekend with my Dad Jack

This is my Dad, looking very Leonard Cohen - we are wearing the T-shirts of  Mitch and Andrew's (my sons) band, IN Tongues".  Jack is 89 now - what a cool looking Dude, huh!
He still loves riding his bike - Me too.
Jack spent the weekend with us while the apartment he lives in was being painted.
Jack lives on the other side of Melbourne so it was like having a tourist stay with us. I took him to my little coffee spot, bike shop where he met all my cycling friends and I think he was more popular than me. He was amazed of the amount of cyclists on Beach road - maybe 7000 over the weekend.
After coffee we took drove down to the suburb a few kilometres down the road.
Mordialloc in my Father's day was a holiday resort. It brought back many memories for him when as a young lad he would go training on his bike down this way.
Mordialloc pier - Father and Son walking in the afternoon sun and enjoying the views.

Later in the afternoon after a cool beer with a cloudless sky, the light planes flew overhead above our backyard. I said to Jack, "do you want to go and have a look at the airport".

There's a museum at the airport - first time I'd been there. Jack and I wandered around for some time just taking in the sights of aeronautical history.


TAA and Ansett were our two competing airlines - Don't know if I'd like to fly in those days but their safety record was excellent.
My Dad is a bit of a cycling tragic and loves to watch bike racing so I took him to the Sunday racing and I foolishly decided to enter as well. He had a great day with many people saying hello. He's a bit of a legend.
I was pleased to ride in front of Jack although I did finish at the rear of the field (well I am 60!!!)
Racing is on a one kilometre circuit and there are usually 250 starters over 5 levels of racing.
The big boys average 45 kph over the 1 hour of racing - last weekend Simon Gerrans, an Australian Euro pro joined in while in his off-season back in OZ.

And that was my weekend with my Dad Jack - one to remember for both of us.

7 comments:

  1. What a wonderful day out. It is great that your father is still cycling. I have not been on my bike since our return. Too cold and dismal and too much else has been going on! Diane

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  2. Your dad looks in great shape for his age, fancy still riding at his age !!
    How lovely for you to have such a fun day out with him - and I do envy those wonderful blue skies and sunshine. It's so grey and dismal here now.

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  3. Wow, What a great treat for your father. I bet he enjoyed it!! And how kind of you to give him such a good time. Martine

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  4. It was a special weekend and Jack on his return to his newly painted apartment agreed it was special for him too. He enjoyed spending time with his two grown up grand children and Sue.
    I hope I can follow in his footsteps.
    Thanks for your nice comments.

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  5. Your Dad must be a great inspiration to you :)

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  6. LLM,
    Yes, he's a great old fella - hoping I can make his age at his fitness.

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