England : London Sunday London ride

[ianrauk]

Blimey it was warm out. I set out at 7.30 am to get some miles in before heading to HPC, but the troublesome spoke proved to be just that and let go again. Luckily I was on a quick home loop. So popped home to change bikes and head off to HPC.

Were to go.. hmm.. dunno.. how about the new London Cable Car? OK and so it was to be.
A cracking introduction to the London travel network. A fantastic piece of machinery. And it takes Oystercard.
I was a bit worried about 7 cyclists turning up, what with how surly staff at these things can be. But that was unfounded. They couldn't have been more helpful. Lifting the seats up so we could get the bikes in the gondola and one chap asking us to come back again as he enjoyed have a 'perv' at all our bikes.

Room for 2

User10571 survey's all that is London

Over the Dome

Over the Thames and heading for land.

The Gondolas

And out pops 'Teef

 

[ianrauk]

So off to Woolwich.
'Teef and the Thames Barrier

Woolwich Arsenal... small guns

Big guns

And ever bigger guns.. well part of a big (Saddam's) Gun

Oh! I see Mr Gormley has been here..

And lunch at FatBoy's Diner.

Lunch done.. we were on our way.
Back west. Some north of the river, some south.
As User10571 said earlier, it was great that there was no plan, we just followed our noses. Well User10571's nose to be precise. This man is a human A-Z.

So a nice metric century for the day and 4 crossings of the Thames. 1 by Vauxhall bridge, 1 by Thames Cable Car, 1 by the Woolwich Boat ferry and 1 by Greewich foot tunnel.
*Oh yes, a sneaky pint was taken in Greenwich

 

[wanda2010]

great ride Teef bought me some "slags" may have to get a takeaway for dinner, i've got to sleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

look out for Teefs' son on the telly tomorrow- grey t shirt

What time/channel? You lightweight

 

[User10571]

Cheers for the sneaky pint, Ian.
The sculptor isn't Anthony Gormley - it's Peter Burke

 

[ianrauk]

Cheers for the sneaky pint, Ian.
The sculptor isn't Anthony Gormley - it's Peter Burke

Okey doke.. it was a guess on my part.

 

[dellzeqq]

so........how was the cable car, chaps?

 

[martint235]

so........how was the cable car, chaps?

Scary!! Very scary!!!

Actually no, even as one terrified of heights (even to the extent I can't stand on a chair), it's very smooth and I think I could become a regular user of that. I'll certainly take my oyster card next time.

 

[User10571]

so........how was the cable car, chaps?

I've used it a couple of times in both directions.
IMHO crossing north to south probably offers more in terms of more pleasant ride options - unless, of course, your destination is Excel - other than which it's a bit *ahem* barren / industrial (as you might expect) on the north side.
Southside has a cafe / latte / ice cream / if-you-wanted-a-bacon-sarnie-you're-out-of-luck caravan.
Northside has nothing that I could see - sorry, there was an I scream van there.
£3.20 (with an Oystercard) hoists you to 295 feet above the river and affords you views to die for.
Money well spent.
What I'm waiting for are the cold, crisp, clear autumnal days when you can see forever.....

Martin, despite using the 'scary' word twice, was very much pink and ebullient (as opposed to white and quiet) when he disembarked (or is it landed) for the record .

EDIT: Oh, and yes - unlike the rest of our beleaguered transport system, the staff are not only cycle friendly, but also cycle savvy. What's not to like?

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Were to go.. hmm.. dunno.. how about the new London Cable Car? OK and so it was to be.
A cracking introduction to the London travel network. A fantastic piece of machinery. And it takes Oystercard.
I was a bit worried about 7 cyclists turning up, what with how surly staff at these things can be. But that was unfounded. They couldn't have been more helpful. Lifting the seats up so we could get the bikes in the gondola and one chap asking us to come back again as he enjoyed have a 'perv' at all our bikes.

It's a great way to cross the river, isn't it? It's just a shame it doesn't really join anywhere up. And it's a real plus having a bike fan (from what I remember, he was a slender mixed-race guy?) at the gondola.

 

[martint235]

Martin, despite using the 'scary' word twice, was very much pink and ebullient (rather than white and quiet) when he disembarked (or is it landed) for the record.

It was seriously much, much better than I thought it would be. My fear is more of falling then of heights so cable cars, chairs, ladders etc tend to be out while flying in a plane doesn't bother me.

The last time I went near a cable car was in Santorini. Me and SWMBO came very close to splitting up in a row about the cable car down the caldera. We took the donkey in the end.

 

[User10571]

Just seen your tagline, debtfordmarmoset.
You c*ck!

 

[User10571]

The last time I went near a cable car was in Santorini. Me and SWMBO came very close to splitting up in a row about the cable car down the caldera. We took the donkey in the end.

Yebbutt, you don't relate to the six who were with you today in the same way as you do to SWMBO, do you?
As for 'taking the donkey in the end', I'm not sure this forum is the right place to be throwing that particular topic to the floor for discussion.

 

[ianrauk]

It's a great way to cross the river, isn't it? It's just a shame it doesn't really join anywhere up. And it's a real plus having a bike fan (from what I remember, he was a slender mixed-race guy?) at the gondola.

Yup, that's the chap.

 

[martint235]

Yebbutt, you don't relate to the six who were with you today in the same way as you do to SWMBO, do you?

This is strangely enough how I explained it to her when she started muttering things about "oh but you won't go on a cable car with me". I did point out that she loves me too much to bully me to the extent you 6 did . I have however promised to go back with her and have another go.

 

[Aperitif]

Well! Firstly thank you, User10571. A magnificent ordinary ride to all parts, using multi-conveyancing media and, for Dave and I ending up at LMNH...whereupon another adventure beckoned. I have just arrived back at this PC and will relate some thoughts after a(nother) beer and a shower. Did you see that lightning? There were more forks in it than within Fat Boy's Diner!