Waifs and Strays XIII

Oxford Street

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Bridge of crowds

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Thanks @almac68 and everyone for the ride, company, Serpentine pick-up, snacks and altogether great start to lovely sunny and social Christmas Day. Really enjoyed it!

Nice to ride together. Didn't stay too long. Two year olds get cold.

Well cycled to camden and decided it was far too many cars, either drunk people or blind and was ratty and decided best not to be around people.

I went out this morning seemed much busier than normal. Maybe it was the blue skies? Still a nice ride. Merry Xmas all.

Can't remember the first time I was on this, but every year the traffic starts earlier. Depressing.

Your p-far was such a positive beacon.

First Christmas in London, I heard the myths of car free london so I went for a ride around 8:30am and it was like a Sunday morning, the Mall was closed but that was the highlight. Was it busier than usual?

Yeah, many chain coffee shops were open too. Fancy doing Paris one year?

By the times we got to places like Westminster or Trafalgar Square there was lots of traffic. No different to a Sunday morning. Who are all these people feeling the need to drive around central London on Dec 25th? There were taxis and minicabs for the tourists alright, but that wasn't all of the traffic. Can't understand it.

@dubkev my waifs and strays experience yesterday, left home (East Ham) around 7.20am

A few but not loads of dog walkers and joggers on the greenway at break of dawn
Light traffic from Bow roundabout to Aldgate East
Perplexed tourist outside Bow Road tube station
An elderly lady waiting at the bus stop by Mile End
Loads of young homeless people sleeping in doorways
Plenty of broken glass to navigate ‘round on the CS2
Bus tours operating around the financial district
Hotels open in the mid town area
Handful of cycle gangs in costumes out in the west end
Regular stream of cyclists heading to Outer Circle in pursuit of their Rapha Festive 500 badges
A lot of hire bikes being used around the West End
Hyde Park teeming with people
Constitution Hill and the Mall closed to traffic
South Bank teeming with people
Millennium Bridge teeming with people
Cote Brasserie conveniently open for the loo
St Paul’s Cathedral teeming with people
Yet only one Penny Farthing

London as a tourist destination has steadily increased since waifs and strays started 12 years ago.
If there was ever a song released called ‘do they know it’s Christmas’ it should be for them, maybe for us too and homeless people in our city.

Had to get back early so missed the forum element of the ride. Rode up from Putney at 6:45 with my wife and was surprised by the amount of traffic on a couple of roads, mainly Ubers and such by the look of it. City and millennium bridge were super quiet. Left central at about 8:15 and yeah it was starting to feel like a normal day. My first Christmas in London so was expecting total quiet! Sunrise was crazy though

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Great picture @Bezzin, winter sunrises worth getting up early for

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Solitude

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since waifs and strays started 12 years ago

And before 'Waifs and Strays', which I think is a better name, there was (the late and much-missed) Barry Mason's 'Deserted London' ride. I think he ran that for about ten years, and there were probably other things like it before. It's wonderful that the forum is carrying on that tradition, even if, perhaps, more people are getting the idea of heading into Central London at that time.

Great pictures, Steve!

Maybe we should start earlier next year

Let’s consider an earlier start next year with a sunrise moment on a bridge

^ with a late join-up for those of us who like to sleep

yep,
07.00am for Millenium Bridge
08.30am for Serpertine Peter Pan Cup Racing
10.00am finish at St Pauls Cathedral

that way the early starters can see London
without tourists and many less cars
And be home for their families at a decent time like before 10am

7am oof. Was thinking more like 8am, then watch the swim which starts at 9am.

Here are some crap photos and videos from XIII.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1n5jNxbBGvpmW8vQ8

@dubkev
If you arrive at 8am at millennium bridge
you will miss that first break of dawn.
So let’s call it 07.30am leave by 8am