Here's my Friday night ride; which
I mentioned briefly on an audax thread a couple of days ago; here's more detail. Well, more of a ride report.
The event was “London Lockdown”; a route originally envisaged by keen Audaxer Mark Kowalski in spring of 2020, and subsequently opened as an informal public night ride each spring; with an entry fee per rider to raise money for charity.
A lockdown rule applying to exercise at the time of the original ride was "stay local", so this circular route has a radius of only about 6 miles, yet manages to rack up 100 miles in a single circumnavigation of central London.
Oh, and the route looks like a coronavirus; it was a piece of strava art that "went viral" in 2020, but I'd forgotten all about it until a mate posted me a link to the ride last Wednesday night, with the comment "You're crazy enough to do this". He was so right!
Here's what it's supposed to look like:
I arrived an hour early so had a good natter with other riders before Mark arrived and gave his talk about the route and the charity that we were supporting. Then we were off into the night.
With a route entirely within Central London, i'd half expected it to be a tedious succession of residential suburbs alternating with busy highstreets stuffed full of bookies, vape shops, and fried chicken take-aways; but it was far better than that. The pretty illuminations of Albert Bridge took us over the Thames and onto the cycle path west to Wandsworth; a cracking way out from the centre that I’ll be trying again in daylight.
Architectural landmarks came and went; Dulwich college was a rather grand example; then the Crystal Palace mast, looking like a mini Eiffel Tower.
After Sydenham we went into a grassy park alongside rivers Pool & Ravensbourne (IIRC), wheels thrumming over wooden boards of footbridges; startled foxes scattering. I'd got into a rhythm and was really enjoying myself.
A sharp climb took us up to Blackheath, where there were glimpses through trees and railings of the view to Canary Wharf; I'd be there in a while.
When I did get back the river, it was a part of the Thames I didn't know, wide and industrial. The contrast between a massive cement works and the posh apartment blocks that followed was stark, then buildings vanished and out of the darkness loomed the sight of the Millennium Dome;
now I knew where I was.
Soon a display of lanterns and bunting signalled the Trafalgar Tavern; closely followed the Old Royal Navy college, Cutty Sark, and a lift down to the Greenwich Foot Tunnel. Absolutely brilliant, although slightly sullied by the broken lift at the other end; those steps were hard work!
At Canary Wharf two riders overtook me then stopped with GPS problems. I pointed them the right way and off they went, immediately taking a wrong turn, although I think my GPS was playing up too - probably signal reflections off the skyscrapers. Anyway, we helped each other overcome a number of navigational problems to find our way East. Eventually I led them along the Limehouse Cut towpath, but when I reached the Lee Navigation I glanced back to find they were no longer behind me.
Soon the lights of Bow MaccyD's appeared in front of me; meaning it had taken 4 hours to do slightly under 50 miles; but there had been a lot of faffing. The coffee was nectar, the apple pie ambrosia.
Rider leader Mark turned up so I introduced myself and chatted for a few mins; then was on my way.
The next landmark was the Olympic Park, then entered a part of London I'm not too familiar with, but at Finsbury Park I joined the "Parkland Walk". Despite it's name, it's supposed to be a cycle route, so rather strange that it had steps to join it, plus more steps along the way. It was also an atrocious surface for a bike with a panier, and I spent 2-3 miles feeling a tad grumpy.
So it was the greatest pleasure that Mark's mate Gav had cycled out there in the small hours to man a snack stop. It was 5am, and I was sitting on a log chatting away with the two cyclists from the Limehouse towpath; we drank beer and munched biscuits, then I lost track of them and headed off.
Not sure if the snack was enough, and suspect I was under-fueled and dehydrated. I don't remember much of the next 12km except for artwork at Camden Town, London Zoo, and what seemed like an endless climb to Hampstead; with not another cyclist in sight.
I stopped to take some photos and have some flapjack; then was on my way again when my towpath pals caught up with me ; they saw my tired state and donated a gel. Maybe it was that , the flapjack, the company of someone to natter to, , or just the flatter landscape, but I suddenly had a second wind and we ended up racing back through West London. MArk joined the group too, and it was a 32km dash averaging 24kmh; far faster than I had any right to expect on a gravel bike in the middle of London, particularly with a pannier. So unsurprisingly I reached the finish line with the adrenaline pumping and a massive grin on my face.
Said my farewells to Mark and my new buddies, grabbed some brekkie, then struck out for home on the bike again.
Overall stats were: 182 km in 9 and quarter hours; a moving average of 19.7kmh.
Verdict: Just a minor grumble about that railway track; otherwise the stars aligned to give a warm, dry night with light traffic, on a wonderful cycle route with great landmarks, clear views, and fantastic riding companions. I have no hesitation in declaring it my favourite urban ride yet. Absolutely fantastic!
PS I have unfinished business! I inadvertently missed The Mall from my route, so the syringe on the left side of my route map is missing it's needle, and the only reason I passed the Imperial Century is because of some faffing in Belgravia and then a few extra miles down to Cheam. So that's concluded, I
have to do it again next year.
I recall it being like this from new which is a shame, as the rest of the bike stood out as having apparently been built very well.
