FNRttC Christmas Ride and Drinks. Thursday 29th December 2011

[PippaG]

Did you try the Rioja Dell, just to make sure?

I can't make it, but I will raise a glass of cheap French plonk to you all from the base of an alp en France.

 

[dellzeqq]

Did you try the Rioja Dell, just to make sure?

not this time, but I recall it's youthful, fresh, strong with just a hint of sweetness and a lot of staying power.

 

[theclaud]

well, there was no rousing Sleeping Beauty this morning, so, rather than recce Southend, we wandered about central London scoping out a ten mile route for the 29th December, and, ah-ha! we did go to All Bar One for brunch - and very good it was too. Two breakfasts (mine had chips!), two cranberry juices and two flat whites for £18 or so, and the wait for service was all of fifteen seconds. And, yes they are a chain, but you can buy a half-decent bottle of vino for £13.50, and a scrumptious bottle of Rioja for sixteen quid or so, rather than risk something that has a whiff of warm meat and compost in the boozer round the corner for twenty quid.

Eeeeewww. There's a bit of thread creep going on...

 

[dellzeqq]

provisional - subject to the say-so of AKA Bob!

 

[ttcycle]

Hi Simon, I don't get back until mid December - can you have us in mind as possibles for this ride?

And the last time I was at that AB1 - the service was terrible and it took about 30/40 minutes to be served..!

 

[StuartG]

10 mile tour: no problem
10 pint AB1: no problem
AB1 2 LBG: Can somebody show me the way?
LBG 2 SYD: Folding Brommie, hinges seem a bit stiff.
SYD 2 Home: That wasn't the Brommie ...

Otherwise great plan.

 

[mmmmartin]

I'm looking forward to a lecture from A Random Architect about the interesting places we'll be riding past. Why The Adelphi I ask myself? All will be revealed no doubt. And Lenin? Since when did he do a FNRttC?

 

[StuartG]

And Lenin? Since when did he do a FNRttC?

He was the pioneer. The first FNRttCCCP only in a sealed railway carriage AFAIR. But if you are getting pernickety ..

 

[AKA Bob]

provisional - subject to the say-so of AKA Bob!

The route looks great. I will look forward to learning things about London I never knew!

 

[dellzeqq]

great! We've got rotting human lasagne, oozing body juices and The Great Stink, Bloody Revolution and bodies buried in foundations. And why you should never cycle in London during a downpour

 

[GM]

Looks good! could I be penciled in to tag along?

 

[dellzeqq]

send me an e-mail if you would....

 

[mmmmartin]

He was the pioneer. The first FNRttCCCP only in a sealed railway carriage AFAIR.

Oh, right. I see now. It was like the York to Hull ride? With a long train journey To get to the start? Did he ride back to Germany after a good breakfast?

 

[frank9755]

All those singing the praises of AB1 at Shad Thames probably didn't attempt to buy a round at the bar (shared money) when there was a drinks session last Spring. Twenty-five f**king minutes, and that wasn't being queue-jumped either. A complete shithole.

there is no doubt that at 7.30 on a weekday evening it is absolutely rammed (although when I worked round the corner we were such big organised spenders - usually half a dozen bottles at a time - we used to get served really rapidly). The staff do their best, but there are times that they are overwhelmed. Weekend lunchtimes are good, though.

Alas, I can't make it so I won't make a fuss about venue. However, as it was my suggestion that we met at the All Bar One last time, I thought I'd chirp up and say that you are both right. There was something badly wrong with the service that night. I had the longest wait I can remember to get served in a pub that wasn't even busy. And it seemed to get worse and worse over the evening.

I've been there on other occasions (used to work nearby) and got served in normal timeframes, but from that experience, I wouldn't suggest it as a venue again.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Nice route. May I come too please?