Mystery Ride 15th September

A good turn-out at North Cheam on a fine sunny morning, with some speculation as to where the ride might go and who would be leading. Jeff gave a brief description and the Wayfarers, in general, managed to conceal their delight when they learned that I would be leading it.

Despite this bad news, assurances that the ride would be more-or-less flat and an interesting day out meant that twenty-three of us set out down London Road towards Morden Hall Park and the Wandle Trail. Pleasantly under the chestnuts to Colliers Wood, where we joined the new Cycle Superhighway. This worked well, and many spoke well of it. Our only real problem was the size of the group - you can't get twenty-three cyclists through a set of traffic lights before they change, no matter how competent they are. So we had three or four stops to re-group, which was no problem, and in about forty minutes we crossed Southwark Bridge and turned West along Cannon Street to St Pauls.

Here we took a break of half an hour or so, with people taking their elevenses at one of the various cafes or just having a look around. Then it was back on the road, with the benefits of the Superhighway being immediately apparent as we fought our way down Ludgate Hill through a maelstrom of traffic. There was a bike lane, but it didn't help much. However, a right turn at Ludgate Circus and things were much better, and we began to follow a series of pretty good bike-paths that led us to Regent's Canal.

We had a frisson of excitement in Eckford Street, when the breeze blew a set of plastic barriers across the road, cutting the group in half. But we soon re-joined head to body, to general amusement, and then we cut across some of the busiest parts of London having the towpath largely to ourselves. The signs said that considerate cyclists were welcome, and we thought we'd pass muster.

Away from the canal at Camden Lock, up past Gospel Oak and right into Swain's Lane - which most didn't know was one of the few Hill-Climb courses within the boundaries of a major city. But everyone soon got the hang of it, and with cheery waves to Karl Marx in Highgate Cemetery (he didn't look well ...) we were soon at the Gatehouse, the only Wetherspoons with a Theatre.

I had arranged for us to be allowed to put the bikes in a little yard at the back of the pub, which meant wheeling them through the bar. The lady behind the bar knew nothing of it, but was quite happy with the arrangement, but another lady grew quite fractious when about half of them had gone through. I suppose that twenty three bikes is quite a lot to wheel through a pub, but it all passed off well enough and, with our bikes safely stored, we all enjoyed JD's finest.

After lunch it was down Highgate Hill, across Parliament Hill Fields and Hampstead Heath, with some of the ladies expressing interest at the Mens' Bathing Pond, while others averted their eyes. Down again past Regent's Park, Wigmore Street to Edgware Road and then into Hyde Park. Sliding smoothly through Belgravia we were soon on the Embankment, where a rough but practical dual-use pavement took us safely to Chelsea Harbour. Generally traffic-free riding to Putney Bridge, which was jammed, and then more pleasant riding along the river once we had crossed the bridge.

We were now on the home straight, and briskly crossing Barnes Common we were soon passing though Roehampton Gate for tea at the cafe in Richmond Park.

We had almost a full crew at tea - a couple of people had turned off for home as we approached the Park - but this is a record for me and a testament to the riding skill of the group. It was a complicated route, with some heavy traffic in places, but we maintained a steady pace throughout. Special thanks are due to Jeff, Brian and Terry, each of whom took a turn as back marker which was invaluable in holding us all together.

The raw stats are 37.5 miles at a very creditable 10 mph, a modest 42 watts and 1,678 calories. But the bigger story was a grand day out in one of the world's great cities.

Mark