We always go North or West from Teddington, so I thought I would set up instead a trip to the orient; inspired by Tony's and Helen's All Day Rides during the summer, I worked out a winter's saunter down the river; Old Father Thames after old Father Christmas.
Despite the hill warning, I had twenty-six riders split into three groups when Maggie and I left home in the dismal rain but by the time we got to The Pheasantry the weather, illness, faint heartedness and over-indulgence had taken its toll on numbers and we waved off John's group more or less as planned but decided to merge the remainder; in the end, as people did turn up, we re-split the second group for safety reasons into a five and a six.
Pleasantries at the Pheasantry
John A's report from the first group just about sums it up;
The first group set off from a damp Bushy Park on its way to ride through numerous other parks and commons on our way through interesting parts of south west London. Considering the overcast conditions and the weather forecast we were quite fortunate with the weather, although the headwind did hold us back a bit during the afternoon. A great route with many twists and turns was enjoyed by our six riders.
Our ride (the newly constituted middle group) went well. We had welcome guest appearances from the A group and the C group. The forecast from the witchy weather woman on the BBC proved substantially correct, if a little late in coming to fruition, and the weather eventually cleared up. The river at Ham was at its wintry best, there were no undue problems with off-road terrain and in my group of five no-one moaned or dismounted as we climbed Nightingale Lane, though conversation at the top was possible only between gasps of breath. After the climb we left Christina's sub-group trailing (they caught us up briefly when we stopped for a photo-shoot by the river in Chiswick).
North of the river, at Chiswick. Has Simon lent his trousers to Bob? Does Bob need a belt? Or is this just another Very English Scandal?
Christina's group in sight of the Mortlake Brewery
Hammersmith Bridge still stands, drab and sad.
Planning to get everybody home in the light precluded us trying to reach Millwall, let alone the Orient, but we coasted serenely past the handsome Archibald Leitch facade of Craven Cottage and the memorial at Fulham Palace to those who lost their lives fighting Fascism with the International Brigade. The Chelsea Embankment was full of the usual traffic and there was a serious headwind over Chelsea Bridge but it was only when we sat safely outdoors in the Pear Tree by the lake in Battersea Park that we realised how chilly the wind was.
At the Pear Tree, pretending to be warm. The leader looks as happy as a chap can who is 25 miles from home with a slow puncture. Picture by David Bailey!
After Tim C had arrived with Christina's group and paid homage in the place where Antonioni filmed David Hemmings in Blow Up (Tim's pictures are a match for David Bailey's any day), we set out across the South London Commons on a journey home restricted only by the need to re-inflate my rapidly failing rear tyre and our solemn duty to rendezvous with Stephen in Kingston Market and return to him the wet weather gear he had left behind in Battersea.
Thanks to Simon for help and to Tim G and Bob for moral support while I changed my inner tube before going home, our plan to get back in the daylight ruined. Simon is terrific at pumping tyres up; we are transferring him from the A Group in the January window and taking him as part of our tool kit in future!
Christina's report;
Morning rain stopped 3 riders in my group joining us for the London ride via parks and along Thames.
We had a regrouping with Tim Court, Tony Hooker, Paula, Collin, Edward joining my group to follow Paul's group with a 100 yards distance, leaving Bushy Park shortly after 10.45am.
We climbed Nightingale Lane at Richmond to Richmond Park with fantastic clear City View in sight, Mortlake along the Thames to Dukes Meadow, along the Thames towards Hammersmith Bridge, Fulham Palace, past Chelsea Bridge to Battersea Park for a delicious lunch at Pear Tree Cafe near the Boating lake. We rode back via Queenstown to Clapham Common, along the Wandle to Wimbledon Park, climbed the long and winding Princes Way. Edward had enough climbing by then and decided to follow Tim C and Tony towards Wimbledon Station, Collin too heading towards Wimbledon then home, Paula and I decided to head towards Richmond Park and then homeward bound.
Thanks for a lovely route Paul designing a route crossing many parks and numerous quiet roads. Thanks for Tim C for co-piloting and back marking at many points, Colin for back marking, Tony Hooker, Paula and Edward for company.
