England : London Sunday London ride

[Mr Haematocrit]

Great Day, Great Company, Great Weather, the only tragic news is the LMNH are no longer selling slags so we had to endure some alternative later in the day.
Everyone who blew out missed a great day, very happy

 

[mark st1]

I got my ass handed to me on Swains Lane when my internal battery aka my lungs just didnt want to know im sure Venge was just hiding his concern when i got to the top and his eyes were filled with tears (of laughter) god damn lightweight climbing monkey that boy is !! i will defeat that monster hill one day though . Great day out some lush weather apart form the odd side wind that caught me unawares . Good to meet the giraffe lover Mice and the bullet submarine riding Arallsop. And Mr Humidor Topcat was as funny as ever.

Cheers all

 

[topcat1]

that's the problem with regents park, when you stop doing laps and stay in the park Swains lane starts calling you, it begins as a whisper
http://flic.kr/s/aHsjEHmxZH

 

[mark st1]

Rolled on the thighs of a virgin no doubt !

 

[arallsopp]

Thanks for heeding the whisper, Dave. I've been wondering what Bromley's fastest bath-tub would make of Swains for a while. Very good to meet you, Mark and Venge. Hope we can ride together again soon.

After I left you for the delights of the A21, the wind really picked up. Really hard going, in some parts.

Apparently

 

[Mice]

Celebrating Warm Sunshine Log Date 104. 17.57 miles, top speed 23.5mph (that I saw) on the road bike. Stats for Velomobile not recorded although the thrill factor is priceless!

Finally the weather forecast was predicting warm(er) weather and sunshine! Whoop! Whoop! About time too! I met up with Topcat1, MarkSt1, V for Vengedetta and Arallsopp for a gentle pootle around London. We were all on road bikes but one of us was in a Velomobile.

The plan was plotted - a lap of Hyde Park and onto Regents Park for a lap there then on to the cafe. Perfect. As we passed London Zoo, I waved at the giraffes - all three of them were out in the sunshine but with the Velomobile on my heels there was no time to stop. On we went, the Velomobile whooshed by-by-bye-byeeeeeeeeee until it was a white dot ahead! Hahahahaha!! What a combination! Aerodynamics is a science on which the design of the Velomobile is based and with Andy's super cycling strength he overtook absolutely everything. Very, very fast! The disappointment on some of the cyclists faces had to be seen to be believed!

We popped into The Honest Sausage in Regents Park. As we admired the Velomobile, V for Vengedetta was given the opportunity to try it - he was clearly impressed. And there it happened. The offer was made to me "Mice - would you like to have a go?" Well it was too good to say no.

We walked out into the Broadwalk which is a shared pedestrian/cyclists space and in I climbed. I have a recumbent trike so I am aware of the recumbent position of both the seat and the pedals although I haven't ridden mine for a very long time so it took a bit of getting used to.

I just managed to reach the pedals although I have different cleats so couldn't clip in but I have to say that with the very first push with my right foot I was halfway up the Broadwalk! Good Grief!! It really is fast.

It was a very gentle test ride - as Andy Veloman is taller than me I had to sink very low into the seat which meant I couldn't see too much of where I was going. I tried a three point turn - ooops - Andy came up and pulled me back enough to go round. The next uturn I managed on my own. It is a very impressive speed machine and I can't believe I rode it!

Over coffee the mention of Swains Lane came up which is in a nasty little book called 100 Hill Climbs . Andy hasn't done that in the VM yet so this was the perfect opportunity.

I said I would go with them but as I'm on light duties only in terms of cycling (under instructions from a physiotherapist) I knew I shouldn't cycle up it so stayed at the bottom in Corks and Forks - excellent food and coffee!

The rest of them headed to the top (so they say, I haven't seen any pics!) and joined me for coffee at the bottom.

We headed south, the VM shot off home and the rest of us had a couple of drinks in Look Mum No Hands (which is definitely overpriced). Whilst we were there a cycling journalist was having a good look at our bikes. I said to my three friends "Do you think he is looking at my bike" and you cant believe the speed and togetherness in which they all replied "No"! Cheeky so and so's!!

The route home was via Hyde Park and a bakery for a very large piece of cake - catching up with but not exceeding the calories burnt!

A really lovely way to spend a day - cycling with friends and in sunshine! (Even though I have read a rather shabby report about parts of my bike needing a clean!!! )




I took some pics https://picasaweb.google.com/108733...&authkey=Gv1sRgCMrm1vTD8ZrzYQ&feat=directlink)




Thanks Peeps


Mice )

 

[StuAff]

And there it happened. The offer was made to me "Mice - would you like to have a go?" Well it was too good to say no.

We walked out into the Broadwalk which is a shared pedestrian/cyclists space and in I climbed. I have a recumbent trike so I am aware of the recumbent position of both the seat and the pedals although I haven't ridden mine for a very long time so it took a bit of getting used to.

I just managed to reach the pedals although I have different cleats so couldn't clip in but I have to say that with the very first push with my right foot I was halfway up the Broadwalk! Good Grief!! It really is fast.

It was a very gentle test ride - as Andy Veloman is taller than me I had to sink very low into the seat which meant I couldn't see too much of where I was going. I tried a three point turn - ooops - Andy came up and pulled me back enough to go round. The next uturn I managed on my own. It is a very impressive speed machine and I can't believe I rode it!

Looking forward to having a go myself one of these days. BTW Andy, Bromley-Brighton-Pompey-Bromley would be a good 300km work out for you and the other Kentish LEL entrants- nice 50 mile flat bit in the middle and rolling going northeast. Just a suggestion...

 

[arallsopp]

Looking forward to having a go myself one of these days. BTW Andy, Bromley-Brighton-Pompey-Bromley would be a good 300km work out for you and the other Kentish LEL entrants- nice 50 mile flat bit in the middle and rolling going northeast. Just a suggestion...

I will put that to the others, thanks. Will be in Brighton on Saturday next week, I think, but only bagging a sneaky hundred this time.

 

[arallsopp]

The rest of them headed to the top (so they say, I haven't seen any pics!)

Rotter.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

That picture's been photoshopped, there is no way Mark is at the top of a hill on his bike

 

[mark st1]

That picture's been photoshopped, there is no way Mark is at the top of a hill on his bike

I did you cheeky git. Its just you lot had grown beards by the time i got there . Im just glad no one got the pick of me hanging over the bars !

 

[Becs]

Sounds like I missed a good one! Fingers crossed I'll be able to make one in the next couple of weeks!

 

[Kies]

I did you cheeky git. Its just you lot had grown beards by the time i got there . Im just glad no one got the pick of me hanging over the bars !

Your forearms or your gut?

 

[mark st1]

Your forearms or your gut?

You would of seen for yourself if you took your mtfu pills.

 

[Kies]

You would of seen for yourself if you took your mtfu pills.

I took one in the morning and rode 65 miles in 5 hours!!!! :-p