FNRttC Christmas Ride and Drinks. Thursday 29th December 2011

[ceepeebee]

That was great Simon, thanks. And thanks also to Titus for arranging the security marking.

Have been googling the Scottish soldiers thing with interesting but inconclusive results (something to do with the military hospital on-site?) Never realised that all deported prisoners were processed through Millbank before.

 

[bobcolover]

Many thanks simon for such an educational tour; and such good company; great to blow away the cobwebs and recover from too much seasonal eating and drinking! is anyone up for the herne hill meeting cyclocross 12 midday sunday 1st 2012? i was half thinking of going in for the vets! ...but not on a recumbent...

bc

 

[ceepeebee]

there's a meet on New years day? Perfect, I was wanting to ride somewhere - now I have a destination that's a short hop from home, thanks.

 

[Tim Hall]

Big thanks to the AKA Bob and the Met bike marking team. Friendly, helpful, efficient. Top stuff.

Dellz's architectural gems were just that. Listed buildings, a list of buildings to visit. A railway for dead people. All human life is there.

(Did we go anywhere near Spa Green estate? I've been reading up on Lubetkin y'see.)

And drinking beer with some lovely people to finish with.

Snaps are here.


PS, did the chap who had a clipless moment by Lambeth bridge get back OK? I didn't see him after that.

 

[dellzeqq]

the scottish soldiers were those that fought for the King in the Civil War - they were marched out on to the marshes at what is now Millbank and left to die.

I forgot to mention that most of the squares were gated until 1893, when the gates were prohibited by an act of parliament

 

[ianrauk]

Big thanks to the AKA Bob and the Met bike marking team. Friendly, helpful, efficient. Top stuff.

Dellz's architectural gems were just that. Listed buildings, a list of buildings to visit. A railway for dead people. All human life is there.

(Did we go anywhere near Spa Green estate? I've been reading up on Lubetkin y'see.)

And drinking beer with some lovely people to finish with.

Snaps are here.


PS, did the chap who had a clipless moment by Lambeth bridge get back OK? I didn't see him after that.

Good thing he had a fat lump to fall into (ie me) so he didn't hit the ground too hard.

 

[ianrauk]

I have been reading up on the London Necropolis Railway.
The old company logo is a cracker.

 

[ttcycle]

Great ride - good to see and catch up with people and some interesting sights.

Thanks Simon (not for the size testing though...!)

 

[slowmotion]

I have been reading up on the London Necropolis Railway.
The old company logo is a cracker.

Thank you Ian. I just looked up the other end of the line, Brookwood. See here...

http://www.tbcs.org.uk/railway.htm

"Non-conformists" went to the north station, Anglicans to the south one. A lovely touch. When I was a kid, you used to be able to see the concrete banked motor racetrack that was falling apart nearby, as the train from Waterloo sped southward to Basingstoke and beyond.

I really enjoyed Thursday's ride. We visited parts of London that I had not been to for many years. A spooky blast of nostalgia, knitted together by Simon's lovely, off-beam take. I'm not squeamish about death or turds, but pasta will have even less appeal after the stacking and the juice run-off details. A great little ride across the lovely grain of a fantastic city. Thank you, Simon.

As ever, I loved the company of the usual suspects and some new friends. I'm not sure where four and a half hours went, but I suspect that "yellow stuff" may have had a hand in it. I managed to bimble home down the Thames Path with a big grin on my face.

OK....Here's a question. Did Simon set off down Constitution Hill from HPC knowing that many thousand tourists would be waiting to applaud us as we gracefully swept pass Buckingham Palace. I suspect that some tourists might have thought that we were some kind of "post ironic" official sightseeing display after the four-legged formal one. It was quite surreal.

Happy New Year to all.

 

[StuAff]

Another fantastic morning/afternoon/evening, to continue straight on from the previous night in the case of us NotAFridayNighters...
Most excellent turnout, and we were rewarded with a most excellent and informative ride. I get the feeling that as with the Thames Path Meanders, we could do quite a few of these and find something new each time (yes please...!!). Great to catch up with so many friends. Sig!!! 'Teef remarked not once but twice that I looked 'f****d'. I'm sure I didn't, but then I had been out all night so if I did, I had a good excuse. I didn't feel it, anyway...
An excellent time at AB1 where I milled around here and there (apologies to anyone I may have neglected to bore/enthuse (delete as appropriate), with Davy making increasingly little sense as time went on (no change there then....) and then made my way back to Waterloo (the shower stopped about five minutes after I left so that worked out OK). Sorry I missed you Katie!
Thanks Simon and Titus for an excellent idea well executed, and everyone for splendid company as always.

See you all soon. And if not sooner, April 20, just before midnight at Hyde Park Corner....that, mark my words, will be a cracking FNRttC.

PS: I still like lasagne.

 

[StuAff]

I have been reading up on the London Necropolis Railway.
The old company logo is a cracker.

I wonder if you can get that on a T-shirt....

 

[Aperitif]

Thank you Tim! Adel...icate touch. Bill is the name of the chap who slipped by Lambeth Bridge, Tim...pillow Ian was in the right place at the right time!

 

[CharlieB]

…and then there's the irony of learning that Peter Bazalgette is now a Sir in recognition of services to broadcasting. That, after being told of the poo he delivers to our TV screens.

A big thank you to Simon for an entertaining afternoon, and of course to all for the company.

Happy New Year to everyone!

 

[Flying Dodo]

Sorry for the delay in adding my thanks to the boys in blue and Simon for Thursday - I had to go for a ride and drink yesterday to clear my head.

Anyway, education clearly wasn't wasted on Simon, so you can't blame everything on Dulwich College. Although I'm not sure if the X Factor auditions have ever featured an ironic interpretation such as this :-

Zooming around London in daylight made a nice change, although I was wondering if the GPS track of our route would spell out something rude, bearing in mind the various bits of doubling back that occurred.

It's amazing how sidetracked you can get reading up on all the weird, wonderful, foul and amazing things that have happened on (and below) the streets of London over the centuries.

After numerous stops to gasp in awe at what we never knew before

we arrived at All Bar One. Most people had to lock up their bikes outside, although some lucky people made use of Brompton Corner

I think Adrian almost fooled User10571 with his 3 cup shuffle.........

although Miranda did learn something new about the 9 x table (up to 81, the digits of the answer added together always equals 9)

As the afternoon passed by, many words of wisdom were spoken, although sadly, it's unlikely much would be remembered.

The rest of the photos are here.

Happy New Year and I hope you all have a great 2012.

 

[Davywalnuts]

Ahh, what a lovely little ride this was, many thanks. Truly quite amazing how London is packed with so much historic and interesting facts, love it.

And what a day too! I can proudly proclaim I took the Beacon on in morning and told it what for and then was the last night rider still standing.. and talking jibberish mind..

Was excellent seeing everyone and ones I've not seen for ages! Happy new year everyone!