It's a funny thing, this Friday Night Ride to the.
I was talking to Andy (rides a recumbent, tall, dark and hands) about another of our fold, ilovebikes (not attending this time but 'revising'), wondering how he was dealing with stuff like exams, how he must miss things like the ride etc etc, when we speculated on how we felt at his age, what opinions we held, and so forth.
I reflected that all my exam taking was over a year before I left school and essentially stayed put to play cricket and rugby and doss. (Given up cricket and rugby now
) I went off to do my chosen Foundation Course and then off to Chelsea School of Art to do a Fine Art (Painting) degree. I mentioned 1974 and Andy replied "Oh, I was busy being born around that time..."
He then went on to say that he also did the same degree - different college, different thrust of activity but we found something out about each other in this little moonlit community of FNR. He questioned stuff in the cause of Art while I slept off skinfuls on the snooker table of Chelsea Arts Club in the cause of artistry - it's a small world. We talked about drawing and stuff, as the night enveloped us...
talented boy.
Did you find out anything this time?
Expecting bother of the rainy sort, Tynan the Enforcer of Turns slips on his steel toecap overshoes...just in case.
Set against an undeniably exciting backdrop of 6 More London Place (not shown)
Jezza's (I think) Origamist's (I know
) banana was alert to the architecture.
Andy's Café - what a place! What a welcome.
In this pic - Adamski and User10571 - Adamski looking as though he has done time in the Orange State Pen. "We" (© Maggie Thatcher) like this jersey.
Tucking in. Some names - anyone care to be more than a number here? Please tell - it was dark you know! I kept a close eye on Des as he was one above me in the pecking order...
The charming man with the smile at Andy's (Simon knows his name but I have forgotten). I shook his hand as we left and said "Thank you, hope to see you again..."
The lovely church at 06:55 with Tim's hinges. Nightmare in today's world to get planning permission for those houses so close I imagine; ditto, PP for a Church so close to houses!
'benborp' - Ben, up to no good - as usual!
Graceful Genesis Man. If anyone knows cricket, he seems like the cycling equivalent of Michael Holding - 'Whispering Death' - fluid, speedy and making the art look so easy...
No text this time, but
worth a soundtrack. The man who makes our sleepless night fun!
Adrian, the 'Top Bandana!' behind some other dudes. Matthew? / ? / Tim O? - close but no cig..?
As a little exercise, I try to see a red, yellow, blue combo pop into view - here's one but I was shaking too much - or Wowbagger, User10571 and lady? were moving caféwards too quickly!
Andy Gates - ready to demolish a plateful, arrives after a trifling diversion...
Andy (arallsopp - in Plus Fours) is convincing the other two that it will be fun learning to be a Mouseketeer. Brian (centre) knows better and is not convinced. (I have said it before but if you get a chance to ride back (or other) with this guy - take it.) Ben (right) is thinking 'Oh no' - and contemplating a John Stonehouse... Andy, meanwhile, is tittering away, relishing the return. We set off and within minutes I was crying with laughter as we hit the biggest hill in Whitstable - no idea where it was going but my, it looked impressive - and adequately steep.
User3143 - Lee - was the fourth member of our band, a man of the roads and rides like the crow flies - if at all possible. Along the way we lost track a little, trundled through a rough housing estate, bashed along an A road or two, drafted a skip lorry for a while
and generally made progress without spiral circuits.
And lo! We were back in the very handy Andy's Café in Rochester! Bikes parked in the garden around the back (mind the flowers), and enjoying our second visit of the day - "Andy's Panderers" came into being.
The threesome are discussing the possible uses for bread disguised as paving stone in modern culture...Another smile, another fine welcome and cheery goodbye from the 'bad cop'? waitress, who wanted to get home to tidy up before hitting the town and going clubbing with her daughter. Ro chest her. Solid constitution down there.
Andy Gates was on the ride, but we had Andy 'Lates' as we progressed toward Londres and we paired off, Andy following Ben's afterburners towards Bromley, (Ben onwards to Crystal Palace), with Lee and self shooting up Shooters Hill towards London.
I'm amazed at the brickwork in this tower. So many, so far, so high - fabulous sight.
And so we arrived. As Lee had to go North and I was heading West, we thought it might be fun to return from whence we came. Here's Lee at Hyde Park Corner, about 4:30pm.
Then a tourist lady came up to him and gently asked what a bicycle with three wheels was called. It was all so polite - and epitomised another splendid FNRttC with added Mouseketeer! Thanks all.
)
- thanks for the correction. See you soon, at the full of the moon..etc.
