Sunday 12th April 2006
Three of us at Southwark Needle and we were quickish down the Thames Path and got to Cutty Sark Gardens around 9.35am. Coffee. And there was one of our most regulars on a beautiful new Trek Audax type-bike with drops, 27 gears. £600 from about £850 from Action Bikes clear-out sale at Embankment. As spotted here. Other bike being fixed. Couldn't miss today, bought spare. Neat.
People kept arriving. About 22 of headed east. Detour round the new David Beckham Academy to check out the no-bike parking allegation. True. Those U shaped crash barriers in the huge carpark don't count. There was the minibus fleet stood idle. The place was all locked-up and dead. There is no new bike parking. The sheffields out on East Parkside and off the site have been there for ages.
Parked up at the Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park for a good look. It was Frog Day. But most of them are still amud until the very late spring, only one bunch of frog-spawn seen there so far. But the little grebes were trilling loudly from the reed beds. I'm sad that the same size site with reeds etc on almost next door starts building soon. (And was reminded of recent Dulwich school meeting gazing out over two very different school playing fields......grassy one dotted with birds....astroturf one was just dead..Cue Joanie Mitchell.....and put up a football shed).
Woolwich Flood Barrier for coffee......much improved cafe. We were the only customers.
Ferry car-park by 11.50am. The News Shopper photographer was punctual at noon. 26 of us there by now. One person shied away from the picture. Dockyard community group didn't turn up. Great shame. Snapper got me to take my jacket off.....for better site of Deller bike T shirt. (We really should have got the stunt riders to wear them on 4 March. Huge missed op).
Then quick look round Woolwich Arsenal, and 18 of us just made it onto the loaded ferry. One missed it so quicly headed for the foot tunnel to catch us up! Then Factory Way and the new DLR overhead. New bikes lanes are very worth seeing. Quick short detour under the arch for view of the Royal docks.
At Pontoon Dock DLR station the gate into the sunken garden was open as it should be. To the riverside. Then the glass cafe there. Great place to stop with good parking, views, loos...limited coffee shop food that could be much better like the southern version. Painfully slow service.
Then to Trinity Buoy Wharf. Pernod staff party being built. Faraday effect shed.
East India Dock bird reserve locked until 6 April....for improved access. Then through to Island Gardens where most headed back to Greenwich. South lift broken again.
4 of us used the riverside route round to Canary Wharf pier....worth making those links. Tea at busy Wapping Pumping Station, new photo-exhibition being built. Tower Bridge.
Another split. I cycled east back along the river with the new Trek. Then we split about 5pm.
Good useful day.
Barry