Thanks to Eric for 'organising'an impromptu ride to Erith and back yesterday. No doubt all of us thought we would be the only ones to turn out after New Years Eve celebrations! We all brought sandwiches as instructed.
Met at CSG at 10.32 (ish).Sharp.(ish).
First hot news was that Ray was sadly delayed by a puncture, but would arrive shortly. We didnt mind the delay, sat in the winter sunshine, whilst surveying the currently de-masted Cutty Sark, and looking at each others bicycles.
Ray duly arrived, and by that time an impressive (12ish, I didn't count) number of people had arrived, it was time to head off with the wind at our backs. Greggs closed, so no delay for tea/starmucks starts.
Managed to negotiate the mid-morning dogwalkers and otherwise quiet riverside path for the first stop at Woolwich Firepit Cafe (closed of course), where they had kindly left the benches out so we could sit and re-fuel in relative comfort, despite the lack of hot tea facilities. Paid homage to Barrys 'lost'/'found' wallet, or at least I did.
Lovely Tide sandbanks near the dome, tide out, populated by 'white birds with grey wings'. Some of them with long orange beaks. strangely all facing the same way into the sun, about 200 of them. Nicely arranged. Anthony Gormley would have been proud!
Onwards to Erith. A quiet sit on the pier, V. blowy. A teensy bit cold. Grey men of a certain age trying to catch fish dressed in bright orange overgrown babygrow suits. ?Why! I'm sure the fish would spot them ?
Morrisons closed, but whimpey-esque cafe open! Hoorah!
Lashings of Tea, toast, bacon and sausage sandwiches later, off again west to good views of canary wharf, 2 herons and some cormorants had joined the gormley bird installation , and someone had provided huge puddles to splash through on the bikes so I could behave like a small child! (Very little choice, they were all through the path!)
Arrived back at Greenwich with wet feet and dirty bikes. 'Where's John?' 'Punctured a while back I guess'. Lost 3, gained 1 and despite having a puncture John was actually in the Three Feathers before us, having taken the 'high road'.
I reckon Eric may have been trying to get a cheaper round in.
Puncture craft ?
Crafty bugger.
Thanks Eric!
That was 01/01/07.
Good. xx