Wow it's The Ides of March! A Pootle to a Party via Islington. 01.03.13.
17.03 miles, 9.7mph average speed, 20.5mph max, in 1hr 47 on the Brommie!
I hate being late. Hate
it! I will often arrive at a destination 45 minutes early to ensure I am on
time.
It's a trait I have inherited from my father who
if he had his way would leave the day before for a party at the neighbours to
ensure he arrived on time! Luckily my mother is brilliantly five minutes late
for everything so between the two of them there is an (almost) acceptable
compromise!
Today however I took my
eye off the ball - or the clock - and was so engrossed in admin that in order
to be at a meeting in Islington on time I had to pedal like the wind and not
stop and take one single photograph.
If I had left earlier I
would have taken a photo of: the Barclays Bike plate leaning against a fence
implying an incident of attempted theft or even an accident (hopefully the
former, obviously): the No 38 bus that overtook me so fast only to do an
emergency stop in front of me 10 yards later; the traffic light man who was busy chatting to
his boss reporting that the temporary traffic lights weren't working and he
couldn't fix them (well that made me laugh!).
Thankfully I arrived in
time for the meeting - just as the others were being ushered into the lift!
Perfect. Afterwards we left
together and I should have retrieved my camera as one of my colleagues did
something I have never, ever seen before.
Track standing with no hands! No hands!! Awesome!
I pedalled south and
arrived in Trafalgar Square at 6.50pm on my way to a Birthday Party in
Clapham.
The CS's (Boris and his
Blue Paint Cycling Superhighways) are not things I use in rush hour. I don't
like their narrowness, their drain covers, broken glass, litter, the close
passes and the undertaking by other cyclists, the fact that traffic doesn't
know what to do at junctions and the fact that large vehicles may have their wheels
outside of the paint (just) but their wing-mirrors clearly are and can quite
easily whack you on the head.
So rather than head
over Westminster Bridge I chose Vauxhall Bridge instead. What a mistake! Trying to work out where to
cycle to head to Clapham - which lane - was a complete mystery. Luckily a kind cyclist in the ASL removed his
headphones and gave me guidance. It was
pretty hairy tho' as moving across two lanes of traffic both of which are
speeding towards green lights is not my idea of fun.
The other side of the
Clapham Road I passed an awful accident where a large part of a car was on the
side of the road - it was so big that at first glance I thought it was a
motorbike. But it wasn't, it was
definitely a car part.
As I neared the Party
Pub I heard my name being shouted down the street so turned round and
accompanied friends to what was to be a really, really great night. Fabulous peeps. Some of whom had cycled there too. This basket was on a brommie. Very pretty!
Giggles galore, Shepherds Pie
and Prosecco with friends who had travelled afar from Brighton, Luton, Northampton,
Portsmouth, Wales and even some from Wandsworth!
Shepherd's Pie!
The absence of some were noted and glasses were raised - it was a fine night indeed.
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