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Did Leon make it to the pub, folks?

I'm out.
Beaucoup merde.
And work.
Gah.

Shame.... haven't seen you for ages. Was hoping it would be a good way to catch up. The best way to catch up with old mates is always on a bike. Although I may still not make it... awaiting a promised phone call telling me I am/am not needed on special family duty today.

I'd imagine they're still tinkering with it. A lot of public money will be wasted there in the coming years on rubbish designs. The only solution is to get rid of the roundabout and flyover and construct a simple junction, as well as a new town centre around it. This is where development should go, not into tower blocks in Central London. It would essentially be self-financing from developer contributions.

Absolutely...that really is the only way. You have only to look at a map of the area or an aerial view to see how ridiculously complicated that whole junction is. The simpler a junction, the easier it is to understand and negotiate, the safer it becomes. Couple that with reduced speed limits, although by simplifying a junction this could well be a side effect. Many of these massive junctions in London, designed to be part of a huge London wide road system which never materialised in the end, have built in multi lane wide stretches which encourage short bursts of speed where there is space, followed by dramatic slowing down when the road narrows again. Simplify the junction, taking some of that space away from motor traffic results in more uniform speeds across a whole motor vehicle journey.

 But getting TfL traffic planners to see that argument is so hard.  I am pretty fed up at the moment having been to a meeting a couple of weeks ago about the proposed Lewisham Gateway development.  Here there actually is a unique opportunity to redesign a major junction from scratch... They are removing the horrid roundabout completely.  What have they come up with, despite advice to the contrary, more of the same old multi lane complex junctions... And whenever we suggested taking space away from motor traffic, TfL reps come up with reasons why they can't.  The whole thing looks like a massive multi lane race track.  Depressing.  We have told them exactly what we think, but I have a horrid feeling it will make no difference.

Poking my nose in here as someone who keeps meaning to turn up to one of these evenings but not made it yet. If it's good beer that's important, there is always the Dog and Bell in Deptford. http://london.randomness.org.uk/?id=Dog_And_Bell,_SE8_3JD It's where Lewisham Cyclists hold their monthly meeting on third Wednesdays and where Lewisham, Greenwich and Southwark Cyclists meet up to plan rides on the last Wednesday of the month. The pub is just a plain, simple local, food the same.

Yes, you are welcome I will PM you

I managed to miss the last one in the end. Will have another go this month!

Got me thinking about stuff in my wardrobe that I no longer wear. I have this very good quality Sugoi winter soft shell. Wore it a few times last winter, but this year, due to drastic boob shrinkage (menopause, I guess, nothing else getting appreciably smaller) it's just too baggy around the chest area. It's marked small and I am a 10/12 35 inch bust, 89cm. I forget exactly how much it was but it wasn't cheap. It looks good as new. The picture is a bit rubbish... Sorry.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/nzqpo5x1c761vwl/Photo%2001-11-2013%2008%2018%2035.jpg?dl=1&token_hash=AAEWKBzRQZU8MxJbIEAs20KlmIjw6Y8ZsYAI8yZPFo3iLQ

20 quid... I am in Honor Oak Park (between Brockley and Forest Hill). Could drop off somewhere in Central, South London.

Oops too late!! Missed that little post there well ahead of mine!!
How many of us are around Peckham... How come I don't see any of you on my Lewisham rides... It's just a few minutes down the road. (Ladywell Fields meetpoint)

I would be interested in the jersey...I am maybe 10 minutes from Peckham.

I managed to make one of these dates once ages ago.....would like to meet you all again and stay a bit longer, this time. Popping this in the diary now.

I'd like to come along too, and would be very happy to forego the lunch stop in favour of a quick snack stop. Especially as the daylight hours will be at a premium. I have done enough riding at night along moonless, windswept country roads after sunset this last week or so to last me till the spring and want to be out under that ultra violet as much as possible if I am to get through the winter without a very depressing February.

In posting the above, I am assuming that this is all OK with the family? I wouldn't want to do anything they hadn't approved and were alongside.

Lewisham Cyclists would be happy (wrong word) honoured, to donate the lock. A few of us are heading down that road this evening after our rides coordination meeting.
We received a reply yesterday from TfL to an email we sent them about a month ago when we learned they had scrapped this road from the CS5 route, communicating our concern that no attention was being paid to give cyclists a safe route through here. They have said they have plans for this whole stretch of road and will be contacting us to arrange a meeting. So we want to pay our respects and really look carefully at the whole area, so we are well prepared for this meeting. We are all feeling so, so sad for this young man, and his friends and family. Will be thinking about him at our meeting tonight.

What's wrong with SELBGRO? It lends an organic/infantile feel to the concept, blurring the images of horticultural compost with useful baby garment. Perfect. Dog and Bell Crew suggests a somewhat rowdy collection of (largely male, maybe due to my own prejudices) drinking buddies out on the pull. I sense a split is in the offing, my friend!

Apologies to Jago (have I got that wrong too, bet I have!) for getting his age wrong. I teach 10 and 11 year olds, so I know how annoying it is when adults think they are younger than they are. Most of what makes a ride good are the people on it, so thanks for coming along.

I was being a bit disingenuous. I knew really. It's just that, other groups do organise stuff you know! And Southwark haven't been part of the Dog and Bell meeting (SE London Borough Groups Rides Organisation) for a while now. We miss them, and wish they would return.

PSSkully is right, we do indeed have an email Yahoo group. but we also have a website www.lewishamcyclists.co.uk and a Facebook group, (make sure you get the group, not the individual Lewisham Cyclist- I can't post the link as it's banned on my work computer) where all our rides are listed. Our rides are updated at the end of the month, as the SE London LCC borough groups rides group meeting is on the last Wednesday of the month. We all meet up in the Dog and Bell pub in Deptford and sort out the rides for the next month then. July and August rides will probably go up around next Friday. There are a couple of rides this weekend, and an afterworker from London Bridge every Friday.

It was indeed a terrific ride. With lovely folks, who made it a pleasure to lead. I was well stressed at the start, with lots of unexpected pre ride problems, some work based, some domestic, compounded by loads of last minute texts from people wanting information about the ride. Ended up leaving my camera and water bottle behind. So if anyone has any photos, I'd love you to email me them care of lewishamcyclists@gmail.com
Views were terrific. Weather great. Company lovely, so once the wheels were rolling, all the stress of the day just floated away. Quite a big group, but my fears about crossing some of the busy roads were unfounded. More is best in terms of stopping cars, sometimes. Most of us completely shown up on the hill climbs by a young lad on an Islabike, must have been all of eight or nine years old at the most!
Two hours kip then out to backmark the MM ride. That was good too.
We didn't do the folly, I don't have the contact and anyway, personally, I prefer the ride without now, because I have seen it already, so for me it just slows the ride up, especially with a big crowd. (Selfish of me, I know). However, it is terrific, and we may try and slot it in again. Person (very kind and generous bloke) who owns the garden within which it sits has quite a good collection of bikes, including, I think, a Pedersen.
Always our afterworker Bike Week Ride if you want to bookmark it for next year.

Who is SC?
Yes, some of us had already been up Canonbie, Blythe Hill, Hilly Fields, Telegraph Hill, Sydenham Hill, One Tree Hill, and the top of Ringmore Rise. That is the Lewisham Peaks- stunning views this year.
Now I have breakfasted at the Island Café with the last few stragglers from the MM ride who wanted to be led southwards, and now I am at work. See you next year- maybe we'll make it a double whammy again!

Oh, and by the way, my earlier post about sitting with me in the Dulwich Woodhouse after the Lewisham Peaks Ride till the meet up time for Midsummer Madness, was a joke! Thought I should clarify this, as a couple of people have already contacted me, seeming to think it was actually what I was planning to do. After leading the Peaks of Lewisham Ride on Thursday evening, I will be heading home for a few hours nap, setting my alarm and waking up about 1am to head off to Greenwich for 2am. The alarm setting plan is the only one I really recommend. You are all of course, welcome to join us on both rides. If I can manage to do a day's work afterwards, anyone can. It is possible. You just sleep very well on Friday night.

2am on Friday morning. The night of the 20th/early morning of the 21st before dawn. I have made the same mistake and been woken at 2.30 am with a phone call asking where the hell are you?

Thursday 20th June: Our Famous Peaks of Lewisham Ride: Meet Greenwich Cutty Gardens at 6.30pm

As part of our Bike Week celebrations, Lewisham Cyclists are leading their well-known and loved Lewisham Peaks Ride. See London in all its glory from Lewisham’s amazing viewpoints. Some of the best in London. Yes, there are hills, but its a short ride and we’ll wait for those who walk. Ending up in the Dulwich Woodhouse for a social drink. About 15-20 miles. Till about 9pm.

Set your alarms and be there. I have promised to back mark this ride, so somebody better be there for me to back mark! In the past, we have had quite big numbers. I am leading the Peaks of Lewisham Ride earlier that evening, so you can do the double in celebration of Bike Week! In fact, forget the alarm, do the Lewisham Peaks ride, stay in the Dulwich Woodhouse where we finish the ride (drinking non alcoholic beverages, of course) then ride back to Cutty Sark gardens and wait for the Midsummer Madness Ride to assemble! Sounds like a plan to me!

Looks like I can't make this one after all. Enjoy yourselves and here's to the next one!

I enjoyed my all too brief first meeting at the pub behind Guys, the only time I've been to a Ladies drinks, so would love to make another one.

I am meant to be leading a Lewisham Cyclists ride on the Saturday, so will have to take it easy! I'm an old lady now, can't drink, stay up late AND ride anymore. (oh for the days when I could do all three at the same time)

1. Poots
   
2. hats
   
3. Shoosh
   
4. pops
   
5. Katy
   
6. miss mouse - via Skype? :)
   
7. Doctor Cake
   
8. Cafewanda
   
9. Clefty
   
10. Tanya g
    
11. saoirse