Gorta/ and the Organic Typewriter

Gorta/ and the Organic Typewriter

It is amazing what you can find Pottering around the Charity Shops,and it is amazing what you can carry on a Bike.I was in the City at the Weekend last and Absentmindedly Popped into the Gorta Shop ,which means Hurt it is the Irish Anti Famine Charity.

I spotted this Beauty an Old Mechanical Typewriter from the 1970ties , after some thought and Walking out of the Shop and back in after a few Minutes I bought it after Testing out the Keys.
Two Numbers Keys were a bit sticky and slow to come back up but every other Key was Grand. So I bought it for the Grand Price of € 20 which in GB Pounds would be I suppose about £ 15 so it was for practically nothing. As it was for Charity even if it did not Work properly it was in a good cause.
When I got Home ,I tested it further and the more I typed the more Free the Keys became. So I cleaned it up the best I could, I gave it a Dusting and would not Touch it with Oil of any kind.
I took a few Photo's and went to an Old Typewriter Shop and showed them the Pictures and was able to get Spools with Ribbons. I tried it out in the Machine and had Trouble getting it to Work. The next Day I tried again and after Poking around with it a bit and finding out the Problem was the Attachment under the Spindle needed to be Bent up a Smidgin it eventually started Working Brilliantly. I Weighted it and it was 2 Stone 8 LBS which is 36 Pounds, I had no trouble carrying it Home on the Bikes front Rack. It seems to be a Great Bike for carrying Loads on the front,the Weight seems to be better balanced. I did not need to Change down the Gears from 5 to 2 when going up Hill Home.

So I am delighted with my Organic Typewriter it is totally Mechanical and Pollution Free. I Love anything like this,I get the same Type of Joy I get from Mechanical Watches and Clocks and Steam Engines. It is a German Made Olympia S G 3 Desk Top Typewriter and it is very Quirky , I hope it makes me improve my Spelling as there is no Correction Device on it like Electric Typewriters.

At the Lethal Bus Arus Junction,The City Morgue.

This is the Junction at Bus Arus on Amiens St with Store St and across the Road on Store Street is the Coronors Court and behind that is the City Morgue. At least if you are Knocked down by a Bus or Lorry and Killed they can always Throw you over the Wall into the Morgue,so you wont have far to go.

Nearly getting caught out by the Bus. At Bus Arus ,Amiens St.

We Desperately need Segregated Cycle Lanes in Dublin in Order to prevent Fatalities of Cyclists being Killed. We have mostly very Narrow Cycle Lanes that sometimes End all of a sudden and putting you in Dangerous Situations like this one.

I got knocked off my Bike by a small Builders Truck of about 3 Tonnes and twice by a Taxi and a Car at this spot .Luckily they were only little Nudges and I was able to steady myself,and they did not even know in their haste to get away. There was one line of Traffic and a Gap on the inside so they Rushed through on the inside. This is always happening here with many narrow Escapes.

At Bus Arus,The Main Bus Station

You can get caught here by Traffic overtaking on the inside or Buses turning left into Store Street going to the Bus Station if you are not careful.

Dublins Lethal Cycling Infrastructure

Rush Hour from 5.15 pm -6.30pm at Bus Arus on the way out of Town. The Cycle Lane suddenly Ends and you get Wedged in by the Dangerous Traffic.

Mabef Studio Easel.

I like Painting Pictures not that I will ever be Famous,Probably after I have passed on someone will find them and I will be declared a Great Artist and my Pictures will be worth a lot of Dosh.

Anyway I decided to get a Decent Easel so that I can Draw big Pictures,something that is very Stable and wont wobble around. So I was in the City on Saturday last and seen one in an Art Shop, but did not Buy it as I was not to happy with the Quality. I prefer to Buy European anyway and not Chinese as this was.
So in another Art Shop I saw a Mabef ,Brilliant as you can Rely on the Quality of these knowing that it will be good. But I got a Shock,it was a fair bit of weight I thought it might be better to come back another Day without the Bike.

However I got it and the Man gave me two Metres of String so I could use it as a Handle to Hoist it over my Shoulder to carry it.With Trepidation I got it onto my Back and struggled to get on the Bike and eventually headed off through the City and then Eventually up the Malahide Road. In Dublin unless you are going along the Coast you will eventually have to go Uphill or a Series of Hills. They are not bad Hills unless you are Carrying a Load. I said to myself I will probably have to walk up the Malahide Road with this 9.5 Kilogram or 20 lbs.

But strangely I had no problems at all on my Trip Home just the occasional Chafing of the String on my Right Shoulder,I had to keep Adjusting it every so often. I went up the Hill without Changing Gear from 5th down to 2nd like I normally do if I have a load. There is 8Gears on the Bike and the Cruising Gear is normally 5th or rarely 4th,but I was able to go up the Hill like a Mountain Goat in 5th. All very strange,was it because the Load was on the Centre of Gravity and not on the Rear Rack where the Normal Stuff is carried. It was an awkward Load I had to keep it from swaying from side to side and I took off my Gortex Jacket to stop it being Torn by the String. I eventually got Home after a Distance of 5Kilometre or 3 Miles and I was not even Sweating or Exhausted by the Exertions. It is amazing the Things you can carry by Bicycle.
I was in Town on Sunday and bought some Groceries and put them in the Saddlebags, and I seemed to have a bit more Pressure going up the Hill but did not have to change down. Whether it was just a good Day for me on Saturday and I was feeling Strong or in the Excitment I somehow gained more Strength I do not know.

I have often found when I have a full load on the Front and Rear Carriers /Racks I somehow am able to Cycle better instead of just having the Load on the back. It is better balanced and gives me better Traction if the Road is Slippy.

Then after I opened the Box and Scanned the Instructions and looked at all the Nuts and Bolts ,I went about putting it all together. I took my time and did each stage at a time and everything went Flawlessly, but I had to undo the Top Screw on the Left Spar to Drop the Shelf that Hold the Paint Tubes or Accessories down the Slide. That is the only slight Error I made.

It is working very well,a Tribute to the Italian Mabef Company,in Business for 60 Years near Milan. Wonderful Workmanship made out of Beechwood.

Phoenix Park Bike Hire.

I met some People who run A Bike Hire Service in the Phoenix Park and this is their Logo on their Leaflets and their Web Site is

http //www,phoenixparkbikehire.com

They are situated just inside the Main Gate ,just go through the Pillars of the Park Gate on Pargate Street and Conyngham Road Junction across the Road from the Bus Garage.

To Book a Bike,Tel 086-26 56 258

Open 7 Days a Week Weather Depending. you are not just confined to the Phoenix Park but can Tour the Tourists Sites of the City as well.

I have added their Web Site at the Botton of my Blog Page on the Left,for your convenience if you are interested in them.

Rent a Bike,Phoenix Park Bike Hire,

This is the very Nice People who Run the Phoenix Park Bike for Hire. You can get Single Bikes,Tandems, Bikes with a Caboose attached that you can put a Child in and Cycle in Safety on the Cycle Paths providing you watch out for Traffic at the Junctions and Stop for them, also you can get fancy Carbon Racing Bikes or Mountain Bikes. I have been in this Park only every so often and I normally come and go through the N C R Road Entrance and so I have not seen them before. They are here for two Years now. They are at the Pargate Street Conygham Road Entrance ,across the Road from the Bus Garage just inside the Park Gates in an Old Lodge. They seem to Hire out an awful lot of Bikes,I wish them the very best in their Endeavours.

Rent a Bike,Phoenix Park Bike Hire,

This is situated at the Main Gate in an Old Lodge.

They have been Here for two Years,and you can Hire ,Single Bikes,Tandems,Bike's with Cabooseses to put a Child in, and it is very Safe Riding in the Park so long as you watch out for Cars at the Junctions and Stop. It should be the other way around with Cars giving Parity to Bikes. This is our stupid government for you still Pandering to the Motoring Lobby.
Click on the Picture's for an enlarged View

Cycling in Phoenix Pk.

People taking Photo's on the Main Road through the Park,Chesterfield Road.

Deer and the Papal Cross Phoenix Park

Fallow Deer Phoenix Park,

These are very Gentle Creatures,a few of them have been knocked down by Cars through the Years. The sight of these Cars Spoils the View there is no getting away from them.

Cycling in the Phoenix Park.

Because it was Sunday ,the Park was Chockers with Cars Parked all over the Place.Should be Banned to Motor Traffic. There is nothing worse than the Sight of These Cars spoiling the Amenities of the Phoenix Park.