Hellenic Experiences

In the words of Justin Sullivan, 'get me out of this place'. Time for a short break, time for a young (at heart) brave to steal away, look at a different sky, a different view.

Leaving the goats at home my wife and I embarked on a swift long weekend in Athens.The weekend kicked off after work with a visit to Brighton to see the tribal kings of politico poetic punk/rock/folk New Model Army who were touring again having released a new album entitled 'High' (which I think is the best album since Thunder and Consolation).
I never tire of seeing these guys, they have soul, passion and anger all rolled into one and for me are an archetype English band. Keep up the good work lads.

Sweating, hungry, tired and in need of a beer we made our way to the airport about 1amI can't stand sitting on an airplane twiddling my thumbs and as one is effectively captive and at the mercy of the elements and the pilot accompanied by cabin crew of debatable intellect (not to mention sexuality, which is not a problem but more an affirmation of the truism of some stereotypes) I try to hide my head in a book and hope they leave me alone, also its not often I have two or three hours to do nothing.

I picked up 'The mammoth book of bikers' which is about 400 pages in length and is a effectively a case study on outlaw bikers or 1%ers, starting with the Hollister 'riots' which spawned the 'Wild One' with Brando and his silly hat through to the present day view of outlaw clubs as a criminal organization (according to the cops) 40 different stories, reports and columns from those who have been involved in the scene from bikers, wannabee's, cops, et al. including Hunter S Thompson who wrote possible the seminal work entitled simply Hells Angels, also mentioned in Sonny Bargers autobiography (though not in a good light, which is good really as sometime the romanticism of living on the edge of society masks the reality of the actual scenario)

Damn good read and gives one a historical timeline.Classic club names such as 'The Boozefighters MC' naturally the HA, Outlaws, Bandido's etc There's more to the picture than meets the eye and it highlights the pallid and insubstantial efforts by the so called outlaw riders out there today who are mere weekend warriors on polished donkeys who don't shave on a Friday morning so that they can look suitably 'unkempt' at the weekend. (owning a Harley, looking mean and riding at the weekends doesn't automatically give you entrance to this exclusive club neccesarily in comparison to some of the guys and activities detailed in the book, Though to my mind H-D themselves don't mind one little bit, producing 'choppers' as well as 'garbage wagons').
One thing that struck me was the mention that some clubs are allowing members to ride non H-D machines. I was under the impression that this 'law' was set in stone, a jingoistic and nationalist rule which hearkened back to the early days. Even Barger himself admits (reluctantly I would think) that the ST1100 Pan European is a better bike than his Road King, though he still remains loyal to the chosen marque. Still You can't fight the inexorable tide of change.
Naturally you can make up your own minds about it all which is healthy, Heartily reccommend it. Good insight for us 'citizens'.

Anyway Athens is full of bikes, though not neccesarily bikers, everyone is riding them and generally in the evening two up, no sportsbikes, cruisers, tourers just shit loads of Varadero's, V-Stroms, XTX's, KTM's a fair few Triumph Tigers and swarms of four stroke c90 type machines virtually all sporting a power pipe making them sound like 600cc singles as they burr past flat out with all manner of stuff carried behind and in front of the predominantly non helmeted riders.

I've seen bikers in Milan and thought they were Death wish heroes but they are tame to some of the antics I saw on the Athenian streets. Still at least they get the helmet choice, it is after all apparently the seat, heart and the starting base of democracy.

The Ouzo was cheap and local beer Mythos is 5%, kebabs are tasty but the ruins are err... ruinous, most left to the imagination rather than a startling amount of info with which one can whet the appetite on. One day I think a bike trip to Southern Italy, across the Aegean sea via ferry and into Greece and back home the long way, through the Balkans would be a great little number. Hard to read a book but a definite righteous roadtrip.