Thursday, September 17, 2009

Mystery Ride Wednesday 16th September

The A & B rides combined at North Cheam for the annual mystery ride and as I, Frank, was leading it wasn’t too much of a surprise that we headed for the Metropolis. The only mystery was how 21 left North Cheam and 21 arrived at The Pommelers Rest, Wetherspoons at Tower Bridge. They consisted of Judy, Stephanie, Tony, Toni D, Grant, Graham H, Rob, Godfrey, Jeff, Norman, Mark G, David, Bob, Harold, Mick A, Eddy, Lawrence and Paul. Ron & Doreen met us at lunch.

The route can be seen on Mark’s very good map details below. We left North Cheam at 09-40hrs unfortunately a few minutes before Mike M arrived who missed the ride.

The route was via Worcester Park, Motspur Park, West Barnes, the A3 service road, Richmond Park, past the Priory Hospital, Barnes, where the level crossing was closed (naturally), Castelnau, Hammersmith Bridge past the Thames Studio for a comfort stop, Barons Court, past Olympia then Edwards Sq, South Kensington into Hyde Park for 11’s by the Serpentine. This was a bit pricey for some but not for our Runs Secretary, Jeff, who had a free plate of beans on toast with the compliments of the management.

From here we went across Hyde Park Corner, Constitution Hill, The Mall through Admiralty Arch into Trafalgar Sq to see the changing of the Wally on the fourth plinth at mid day. Then Whitehall, Westminster Bridge along the South Bank past the London Eye to Blackfriars past the replica of Sir Francis Drake’s Golden Hinde, just touching Tooley Street then back onto the Embankment to Tower Bridge.

After lunch it was a very cycle friendly route with no traffic to cross the Thames at Lambeth Bridge, then along Millbank and Chelsea Embankment and Chelsea Harbour to Putney Bridge, Lower Richmond Road and back to the café in the Park by Roehampton Gate. From there all dispersed their separate ways. A mere 33 miles, dry if a little windy and hey it could it could have been yesterday.

Frank C

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