The magazine
When I was living in England, Back Street Heroes was my
favourite biking magazine, devoted to custom biking - mostly in the
British Isles, but overseas bikes and events are featured. I used to
peek at it when I was a teenager, but somehow never ended up buying a
copy. It sort of looked too... oh, I dunno. Daring, perhaps. Anyway, I
ended up subscribing, so I obviously took a right turn somewhere.
I like the magazine because it's about bikers - not too many
reviews of products, for which there are other magazines - and because
it has that off-beat irreverance and humour through which a genuine love
for biking shows. It reviews rallies and displays photographs sent in by
bikers of their bikes and bizarre (often rude) pursuits. It also reviews
custom bikes, some of which are absolutely magnificent,
and the text is such that even a not-particularly-mechanically-minded person such as
me can find it interesting.
The game
1997 was the 5th year of Landmarks, an annual biking treasure hunt which
runs from Spring to Autumn. The idea is that B.S.H.
publishes a list of places with bizarre or theme-based names in Britain,
and you have to visit at least ten to qualify,
snarfing a photo of you and/or your bike as proof. Photographs of grinning and
inventive bikers are published monthly in the magazine, and all who qualify are awarded
a badge - ten outstanding entries get a tankard. The real reward is in the riding -
finding places, waving at other bikers, getting lost, learning all sorts of things you
never knew about East not meaning West, and how to find food and petrol in convenient
locations (the Virago 535 is not noted for its large tank).
While the competition was running, I had no intention whatsoever of publishing the list
here. But now it's over, I suppose I can: you could also still buy your own
copy, issue.156 ;-)
Landmarks
Critters
- Cow Ark, Lancashire
- Dove Holes, Derbyshire
- Ducks Cross, Bedfordshire
- Hog's Hatch, Surrey
- Mousehole, Cornwall
- Roos, East Yorkshire
- Seal, Kent
- Sheepwash, Devon
- Swanbister, Isle of Orkney
- Woofferton, Shropshire
|
Foreign Parts
- Calgary, Isle of Mull
- California, Norfolk
- Denver, East Anglia
- Gotham, Nottinghamshire
- Melbourne, Derbyshire
- Palestine, Wiltshire
- Perth, Perthshire
- Rhodesia, Nottinghamshire
- Washington, Northumberland
- One more in Yorkshire I can't remember!
|
Success
Because 1997 was to be my last summer in Britain, I decided that that
year I was going to do the Landmarks. I ultimately did seven, and
claimed California as the eighth! I did think at one stage that I'd go
for all 20, but that just didn't happen. I applied for the award even
though I "only" did eight, and was issued with a badge which awaits me
back in England!
Doing the Landmarks improved my confidence heaps,
and I had pile upon pile of fun.
Top
|