2011-12-17 - London Lights #4

I am absolutely sincere, what's not to like?

As I said on Saturday...

There's the contestants, the dancers, the presenters, the format, the dancing, the judges, the audience, the fans and the music not to like.

^ and if it was on ITV then at least you'd get ad breaks.

Think I saw y'all roll past Tayyeb's in Whitechapel, unless there was another London Lights ride happening at exactly the same time!!

That's absolutely correct, factual and spot-on. At the same moment I was sayig 'that's Tayab's which is a massive restaurant'.

^ where did you get that pic. of Dan Stonehedge looking like a young Howard Marks?

i thought we established that I am actually Varno's fatter and slower alter ego?

Yes but ignoring the contestants, the dancers, the presenters, the format, the dancing, the judges, the audience, the fans, the music and the lack of ad breaks, what's not to like.

Tho I would admit that Brucie and Tess Daly don't exactly represent the pinnacle of human evolution.

that Brucie and Tess Daly don't exactly represent the pinnacle of human evolution.

I wouldn't kick one of them out of bed for eating toast...

Don't think Brucie likes toast.

I set 'em up, you knock 'em down.

It's like "Little and Large" never died.

Zooming in on Tron Square, it's a shame Garmin doesn't provide a night-time option for their satellite maps...

Actually, this has got me thinking, has anyone done a Garmin Etch a Sketch Ride yet? Maybe a giant 'HTFU' scrawled across London - or a huge cock and balls sprawling across Essex?

^ That's a brilliant idea. I'm getting a Garmin for Christmas too. Hmm...

So cheesed off that i missed this, was at a bloody wedding in kent, atleast there is the xmas ride...

Actually, this has got me thinking, has anyone done a Garmin Etch a Sketch Ride yet? Maybe a giant 'HTFU' scrawled across London - or a huge cock and balls sprawling across Essex?

This is actually quite common among map geek circles. I can't remember where I came across this chap, but he tracks a lot of his movements using GPS. Sometimes they trace shapes and pictures 'and shit'.

http://blog.ltmuseum.co.uk/2011/jeremy-wood-mind-the-map-artist/
http://www.jeremywood.net/traverse-me.html

Zooming in on Tron Square, it's a shame Garmin doesn't provide a night-time option for their satellite maps...

Actually, this has got me thinking, has anyone done a Garmin Etch a Sketch Ride yet? Maybe a giant 'HTFU' scrawled across London - or a huge cock and balls sprawling across Essex?

Yes I've tried this, see these rubbish crude ones. As you can tell I am not remotely arty or creative but love the idea that rubbish old me could be the 'pen' and use the whole of London as my canvas. I am sure some of the many designers and arty types on here could come up with some much better examples. I remember seeing some James May thing on telly where he got a load of art students to try and draw something decent using an etch-a-sketch and they came up with some amazing stuff.

Just like an etch-a-sketch its hard as you cant take then 'pen' off the pad/paper/city, I tried pausing my gps on my phone when i did the WAC but as you can see it just draws straight lines from where you turn it off and where you turn it on again.

After the writing I then got ideas above my station (read above my level of committment and ability)and tried to draw a massive drawing over the whole of central London. I almost designed a massive crab with legs and pincers but couldnt get it right so never did it. Just like with the real etch-a-sketch its harder than it looks and I got frustrated and gave up.

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/442568

http://ridewithgps.com/trips/441677

I actually rode those, I tried to do a huge LFGSS but it looked ropey and was 70 miles long so I never got round to it.

Oh the joys of being unemployed and bored, would love to see some other peoples versions.

Haha, good effort!

I guess you'd have to reset the Garmin after each letter if you really wanted it to be legible.

Looks like it's a lot easier in the States...

Big version - http://www.ascentstage.com/images/urbanloveletter.jpg

I thought about writing a gmap hack to draw routes automatically but decided to spend my time more valuably by staring at the ceiling for six weeks.

Few crappy iphone pics from the first leg. Great ride (well, what I had of it).

photo(2) by danieljsoul, on Flickr

photo(1) by danieljsoul, on Flickr

photo by danieljsoul, on Flickr

Ha, what have I seen in that photo? It must be incredible!

Fox I should have posted that one of you first because it's Tower Bridge you;re gawking at (like it was the first time you'd seen it)

Ha, what have I seen in that photo? It must be incredible!

A bus jumping the bridge..

;)

My name is middleofnowhere and I'm always in the middle of nowhere on the dancefloor.

Congratulations, that's pretty hard to do!

photo by danieljsoul, on Flickr

Ha, what have I seen in that photo? It must be incredible!

Spielberg face >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

paging john.....

you fancy another freezing journey round london's finest?

i've got the weekends of the 8th and 15th currently free.

All clear

Can't get a weather forcast this far away but it'd bound to be warm, dry and sunny all night.

15th or 22nd would suit me best.