You are reading a single comment by @coppiThat and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@coppiThat
Thank you all for such a thrilling morning.
The number of participants must have been close to three times what myself and most people had expected. (if that makes sense).
The glimpse of bodies and bikes at the meeting point having just heaved yourself up blackheathe hill was testament to both the power of the forum and our collective love of cycling. Disbelief and apprehension merged to feed the notion that with this many people there was a greater chance of it all going pear-shaped. Thinking about it now and knowing our community that number of people means that there are more people to care for each other, more people that want to see that smile on the face of the person riding beside them at the end of the 26 miles.
At possibly 300 metres i could see what looked like bicycles and athletic human frames but because there were so many i assumed it was an advertising board or something similar. at 100 metres i realised. wow.
Its 6.30 and all around there are smiling faces, shiny bikes on both sides of the roundabout and in ten minutes, bang on time, we are going to cycling the marathon course.
I learnt something today about being on time and how smoothly it makes things for others and i hope i can stay on track.
there were a few route mishaps but they helped to have a regrouping of a kind. one of my favorites was at rotherhite roundabout where there were cyclists everywhere cycling in every direction.
Consideration for others and different cycling abilities combined to hopefully make it a good experience for everybody. that sense of completing the marathon ride wasn't taken away from anybody this morning. well done to those that continued in the rain and the woman (your boyfriend told me your name but i forgot) that hired or bought a bike especially to do the ride.
Same as last year we were cheered, occasionally heckled and waved at all along the route. The only policeman that got a bit riled was one out of a group of four motorcycle policemen at tower bridge, he rightfully objected to us riding on the wrong side of the road. his colleagues were not that fussed but he broke from the group and attempted to have words - but that was the only incident i noticed.
It was nice getting a taste of the warm pace at the front and the dunkirk spirit at the back. Hanging out with snowyagain at the rotherhithe tunnel approach (the scene of many a wrong turn) was i think one of the most essential bits of back marking that was done the whole day, well done snowy.
At the end there must have been six or eight groups, and the total number starting must have been in the region of 160.
Rain put paid to the idea of having a little picnic but Coffee at bar italia and breakfast in waterloo with hot beans were a nice compromise.
lastly thank me for starting the list and trying to find a cafe for all of us but thats about i can take credit for. This is a forum tradition that only requires a list being started, us collectively following the little red lines and us all looking out for each other. everything else is done for us.
I took a few pictures at the mall and in bar italia. thank you all for making my sunday special.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/34755013@N04/sets/72157623803240297/