lfgss annual socials

With the prospect of the forum disappearing and a reminder of the importance of social gatherings (RIP aram) and how much it meant to catch up with long lost forum bods at Aram’s remembrance drinks.
I’d like to propose twice yearly gatherings (locations tbc) one at the beginning of the summer (or whenever the weather is good enough to ride bikes in shorts, and drink outside), and one at the end of summer (or just before the weather turns too cold and the knees get covered)
Compass drinks and the people I met and drank with at all of them formed the major part of my social circle for the last decade and more and I’m glad many of them are now close friends. And it feels fitting that we should honour those drunken moments, by creating new ones and raise a glass to those who’ve passed at the same time.

Thoughts on locations, rides we could do to and from, and general thoughts are welcome.

Obviously any venue should be bike friendly and possibly have some sort of space/room if the crowd is large enough to warrant it.

I’m assuming the forum will still be going in some guise otherwise I have no idea how the word would spread to those who aren’t connected outside of it..

That is a really good idea Corny dear chap

This is a great idea... how about making it the closest Saturday in advance of the equinoxes?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equinox

This would be March 15th in 2025 (which we already have the GSIAD on), and September 20th 2025.

A Summer Solstice thing already happens... the Dunwich Dynamo.

I was hoping someone would could up with a practical reason for dates and such forth, rather than my rather random and arbitrary when it starts to get warm, when it starts to get cold..
My only worry would be that middle of March might be too cold/blustery/rainy for proper outdoor stuff (riding too and drinking outside a pub/open air venue tbc), so maybe middle of April?
Will go and read link now..

Would it make sense for the early one to be one week after the equinox? Gets us closer to April. Autumn one could possibly be the week before the equinox, hopefully giving us more chance of good/decent/end of summer weather?

Could this be the start of a religion?

Could be May Day weekend, which is always glorious

My only worry would be that middle of March might be too cold/blustery/rainy for proper outdoor stuff

Bloody soft southerners.
An annual closing down/rising/riding from the ashes thing in March would be cool, but also, any excuse any time.

I'll try and time my next trip to Blighty around the date later in the year. Good stuff, Cornball.

Could be but I quite like the almost 6mths between the equinox dates, gives you time to get excited about the next one, if you missed the previous one, and not so close together as to make you blasé about missing one because the next one is coming in the next month or two..

Will be good to see you..

Great excuse to pack the Brompton.

Equinox 1 : Souths
Solstice 1: Ride
Equinox 2: Souths (fuck norths)
Solstice 2: Ride

My proposal:

Winter solstice: Christmas lights ride
Spring equinox: GSIAD
Summer solstice: Hyde park tramp beers during the day
Autumn solstice: Bridges ride

Optional social around each

Lights ride YES.
I was in that central london on my own last week and thought "there should be a lights ride. I wonder what 'jamas etc is up to.."

Looks like I do have a reason to sort out a fixie for '25.

I'm not building another bike. But I'm up for shenanigans if this place disappears. I still think we should off shore it and ignore the UK bullshit but that's me.

I'm with you on this. Just go dark, very, very, very dark.

Hope to catch you knobheads at an event sometime in '25! #nofixie