Olympic Rings - the Mystery Ride

A fine September morning for this year's annual Mystery Ride, and more than a couple of dozen Wayfarers gathered at Cheam ready for the off.  (It's unlucky to count a large group, as it can lead to worry later ...).  Spot on time we set off North East up London Road, which we soon left seeking something quieter.  Turning left from Church Path into Church Lane we were pleased to see a beaming Paul Kelly leaning on his garden gate.  Some insider information on the nature of the Mystery had given him an extra half an hour in bed, but he was ready to go now.


On North Eastwards and we were soon at the Wandle Trail, leaving it at Colliers Wood for the CS7 Superhighway.  Once again, this worked well for us, and at eleven o'clock on the dot we were at the Island Cafe in Southwark for our elevenses.  Brian kindly provided the teas and coffees - Happy Birthday, Brian - and was rash enough to show us his custom birthday card.  Mike joined us here, having taken a mysterious route to find us.  The Island Cafe is on a continental little square, but offers bacon sandwiches rather than croissant jambon.


Over Southwark bridge, and into the City, passing the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange and going right through the courtyard of the Gherkin.  Out through Aldgate and on to CS2, our second Superhighway of the day.  Once again, this worked well for us - the only drawback of these routes with a large group is that the party is regularly split by traffic lights.  There's not much to be done about this, so we simply re-grouped each time it happened.


Out past Bow, up Pudding Mill Lane, and there was the Olympic Park.  I know it's finished, and it's definitely a great achievement but, well, there still seems to be rather a lot to do ...  Anyway, I'm sure it'll be fine on the night, and it's certainly a popular tourist attraction.  We were part of a large crowd of spectators.


North West now, up the Greenway to the Hertfordshire Union Canal, where there was a natty bike handling test at the entrance - steeply down, acute right on gravel, with the penalty for failure being a dip in the canal.  Everyone passed.  Then the Lee Navigation, through Poplar and, suddenly, there was the Thames.  We left the riverbank at Westferry for Canary Wharf, riding through Cabot Square, heading for the Ledger House, the only Wetherspoons where Bankers blow their bonuses.  As ever, we were fed and watered quickly and reasonably, heading back to the Thames to unravel the next part of the mystery.


More bike handling tests as we wound our way along the riverbank, passing old warehouses now plush apartments, past Tobacco Quay and St Katherine's dock and then another surprise - Tower Bridge.  Over we went - the first busy bit of road for a while.  Right on to Tooley Street, under London Bridge, past Borough Market, Southwark Bridge, the South Bank for the London Eye and Westminster Bridge for the Houses of Parliament - you get the full tourist tour with the Wayfarers.


Then over Lambeth Bridge and CS8 to Wandsworth, which, as we had also ridden on a bit of CS3 on the way to Tower Bridge means that we had ridden all of the current Superhighways in today's ride.  A record, of sorts.  Much more traffic going this way, but we managed fine, picking up the Wandle Trail at Wandsworth, before the only hill of the day up to Wimbledon Common.


Tea and cakes at the Windmill Cafe in the sun - some knew it, some had heard of it and some hadn't.  But just what we needed after 37 miles of London.


My thanks to Jeff and Paul for their efforts as Back Markers, and to Frank for his work marking the pivot points of the route.  My compliments too, to the Wayfarers, for a safe and careful ride through the Capital.


Mark