The legendary Peter (Mr) Smith was a fantastic bloke who often made a living writing about the things which happened when he was out riding motorcycles.
Short, rotund and always in some form of ill-health, the Mr Smith column in Two Wheels became legendary in the 1980s and 1990s. Smith died in 2009 and I really, really miss him.
Now many of those early columns (1985-1988) have been put together into a book title Mr Smith, a Sharp Mind in a Blunt Body, which was also how he would describe himself.
For those of us old enough to remember the times, the roads, the bikes and the people, these columns will take you back. Youngsters might have a little trouble following some of Smith’s ramblings, but I’ll say this: if you want to understand why motorcyclists did what they did back in the day, read this book. It will be hard work and entertaining and educational, something we can’t say to often these days.
Order it directly from Vivid Publishing. There’s only 1000 copies available and the profits go to Black Dog.
As a kid I loved reading his musings and to this day I still say things such as “It was a beautiful morning, the shun was sinning and the chirds were burping!”
Look forward to refreshing my memory of these sayings and restoring them to their rightful place within the Australian vernacular.
This is a must have for anyone who enjoyed Mr Smith in the old days.Great reading from page one.I hope there are more to come
Yes I remember him!
Late for or missed a ride as he needed ‘treatment at a ‘clinic’.
Going to the Hunter Valley for a wine tasting and asking for a pint of your best ‘rat’.
What a legend. Cop you later.
Or should that be cop you laters babe in the era of 50 Shades.
Noel