2013-04-07 The London Classic 2013

Done.
Made it home too.
Valiantly attempted every climb with all I had... walked the latter half of every one!

Lovely atmosphere at the pub.
Loads of forum caps.

Thanks to everyone who let me tag along with them. Namely villa-ru and crew. Cheers
buddy.

Dunno who it was but the lad who stacked it pretty hard on Canonbie, if you're on here, get well soon mate.

Thanks to all the organisers and volunteers and stuff. You did a fantastic job.

Right, I'm off in the bath.

Great day.

That was good. I had fun. That steep hill is a cunt though.

Home about 45 mins ago.
An awesome ride. Loved it.
Loved the friendly atmosphere.
I know but a handful of you face to face - but if we exchanged pleasantries today, then thank you.
I was on a lary white & black cf Scott CR1 Pro, white Assos 851 top and flame lensed shades.
Excellent laminated arrowage throughout - I've derived so much pleasure from doing this ride for the last two years, there's every chance that I'll be volunteering for arrowage duties in a year or so's time.
Thank you to all who worked to make this ride the great thing it is.

Edit: Just remembered - It was having done this ride last year that caused me to register and post on here about my unabated delight, having previously been a lurker.

Good to ride with you PP. Nail those hills next year!

Thanks to all the organisers, volunteers, sign putter-upperers. Brilliant job. Great ride.
Was not enjoying the extra hills, but seems like I smashed my last year's climbing so thats good enough for me.
And amazing weather. Shame not to hang around for another pint or two.

Def back for next year.

That was some ride! I meandered along the route, tagging on to other peeps at times: Skully and his crew, a guy wearing a LFGSS cap and his crew that I met up at Whitechapel, (I think), the lady at the top of Canonbie - I walked from Netherby Road up - but we finished the route together.

My map-reading skills are coming along slowly but still almost went off course twice - lol. Only Canonbie defeated me. Was chuffed to make it up Eliot Bank and Fox Hill although I had to sit and recover for a few minutes after each of them. Nice crowd and good signposting.

See you next year.

a guy wearing a LFGSS cap and his crew that I met up at Whitechapel, (I think)

That was probably me. Beardy on a tourer.

We all really enjoyed that ride. Jah Tim was correct to promise excellent weather (apologies for doubting) which really made us all smile.

Thanks to all the organisers.

HONK! HONK! HOOOOOOOOOOOONK!

Great fun today, marred only slightly by my front brake being so musical.

We missed the turn onto Hamlet Road and went to the top of Anerley, then turned back and made sure we did Fox Hill, which was short but steep.

Cross bike (front brake noise aside) performed very well, 40 psi served me well over the cobbles.

http://app.strava.com/activities/47689368

First ever significant bike ride for my other half today so we started the route at Blackheath and got the hills out of the way early. Shame to miss out on meeting up at the pub at the end but I think Canonbie and Fox twice might have broken her.

The weather really helped make a great day brilliant, as did the the way marking and friendly chat from the few groups that we saw en route.

Extra kudos to Mini Benj - nearly 10 - who stayed the course and still had enough in the legs to sprint up the hill in Greenwich that was our last one.
Definitely will be back for more next year (and definitely will be coming to the pub after).

Hi rwn!

Where's Lynchman?

@villa-Ru thanks so much for wheel collection. Sorry to miss you at pub- I owe you one. Awesome day with no hills walked thanks to superstoker...beer drunk now at tge fair....

Where's Lynchman?

Under your bed.

Cheers everyone, nice to meet some new faces and have a laugh with some older ones. Thanks to Absurdbird, Indra and co for the cobble navigation, Benny for brig so helpful (and motivational) once on the 'civilised' south side. Thanks Laner for identifying my hipster-status, and lastly JAH TIM for the irie solar rays..

Congrats to mini-skully, must have been hard pushing that bloke over those hills, and embarrassing having to associate with him afterwards!

Nice one, next time!

that was awesome. cheers to soul for the place and everyone else for the great company. Now eating haddock & chips on my balcony in the evening sun.

Great day.

Top day out. Nice to see so many LFGSS-ers even though I don't know any of you. I did roll along with some of you (I think) for various bits.

My girlfriend got some good pics (I think) so will pop them up when I get a chance.

Highlights:
Only failing one hill on 48:16
The sun
The company
Getting lost

Lowlights:
Traipsing round some of Bethnal Green and Bermondsey's least picturesque housing estates looking for pink arrows :D

that was awesome. cheers to sole for the plaice and everyone else for the great company. Now eating haddock & chips on my balcony in the evening sun.

Great day.

#schick

Lovely day today. TLC always gets the weather just right.

Thanks to the organisers and volunteers for your great work, and to various groups that I tagged along with intermittently.

hms's idea of getting the hills out of the way early is genius. I stopped in Greenwich for a cup of tea, and it took a lot of effort to get back on the bike.

Lovely lovely lovely.

So I'm not sure what dark deal the organisers made with the weather gods - but please keep doing it, it was just lovely out today. So much win. Thanks for a very nice day out.

Things I saw.

A man fitting on the ground.

A workman on a bike in the City wolf-whistling at me.

Twice.

KFC in Brixton.

Twice again.

Me heading off-piste by failing to obey the signs I put up yesterday.

A raffle fix.

A splendid time in the pub afterwards.

Ah- who won the raffle?

Lovely lovely lovely.

^
This.

hms's idea of getting the hills out of the way early is genius. I stopped in Greenwich for a cup of tea, and it took a lot of effort to get back on the bike.

: )

Of course this works best if you live Greenwich/Blackheath area - but I do regret missing out on the pub afterwards. Would have been good to be there for the Paris Roubaix thriller finish..

Awesome day with no hills walked thanks to superstoker....

Were you one half of male/female pair who descended Blackheath Hill like total bosses? 40mph bosses?

Where's Lynchman?

YES! This?

Lovely lovely lovely.

This even more, in big sunshiney spades.

I <3 London Classic x

I just realised that I forgot to collect my t shirt :(
Is there any chance there's still one?

Stuff I remembered from today, rolling with Indra to the start, with a spin up salter hill for warm up laugh, Easy sign on, Hundreds of forum faces, hooking up with the Ardennes Massive, Laners music for company, sunshine and good signage, London looking resplendious, lots of positive vibes along the route, crowds at LMNH.. Friendly pub staff nr St Kats Dock for use of the toilets.. Eating hills after Greenwich, unforgettable Canonbie, Eliot, Fox Hill, atmosphere generally and staff at gypsy hill tavern, quality organisation and volunteering, upsetting the Rapha led group at our table that they should have been at HoftN today, no? Epic raffle prizes, removing signs from route (Lyceum to Grays Inn Road) on the way home.

Apologies If I offended anyone or blinded them, with mavic bling footwear and prosecco kit.. I'll be removing signs between grays inn road-central st in the week as promised.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/295033406

I can imagine it'll being hard to top this event for the magic fifth year, but good luck Dave, Jah Tim, Zebs and everyone involved..
Cheers Almac..

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