National Bike Week 2002

Celebrating Bike Week with picnic in Greenwich Park.

Greenwich Cyclists Events.

We did 13 events in the week. About 219 miles in all. A total of 214 people rode a total of 4,009. (In 2000 we did 9 events and 228 people rode 6,030 miles).

The vast majority of people who turned up had heard about the events through the newsletter, the website or useful mentions in the Mercury or News Shopper. Only about 6 to 10 people arrived via the dull Transport for London brochure.

We probably didn't do enough to attract new people in and next year more inter-group cooperation would probably be sensible.

But, I think, a good time was had by all who turned up. For me, the big mystery is why anyone can knowingly miss the summer solstice ride.

The events:

1. Saturday 15 June: Locks, Docks etc Ride: 12 of us turned up for this ever-changing tour of Docklands, 5 new faces. 3 more joined at Woolwich. We had a luxurious coffee on the sundeck of the liner moored on the Royal Docks as Ireland played their World Cup game. Lunch was bought in the Isle of Dogs Asda and we picnicked in the long grass of Mudchute Farm. Some got the Foot Tunnel back to Greenwich and half stayed on to cross the Thames at Tower Bridge and return along the Thames Path along the south bank. 30 miles for some then. (Say 300 person miles).

2. Saturday 15 June: Easy Rider training session, Woolwich riverside: 5 volunteer trainers turned up, and one appreciative trainee to improve her basic bike riding skills.

3. Sunday 16 June: The Peaks of Greenwich. 21 met in glorious weather for this new ride to see the 6 protected views in Greenwich. I got lost a couple of times but no one minded. The views from Eltham Palace, Plumstead and Oxleas Woods were familiar to some but none of us had seen lonely Shrewsbury Park and its huge estuary views before. The Oxleas cafe was fine but where to lunch was a puzzle. A quick call to The Pilot by The Dome meant that a table for 20 was ready in the garden when we got there. A good tour to tune and repeat. (22 miles. Say 400 pms).

4. Monday 17 June: Dulwich Park Picnic: 6 of us met afterwork and went to Southwark Cyclists do. London Recumbents were tried, tandems to. (10 miles, say 60 pms).

5. Tuesday 18 June: The Dome Ride. To remember the first time the path round it opened long overdue last autumn. 10 of us did the 3 miles there, and had beers. (6 miles. Say 60pms).

6. Wednesday 19 June: The Latetoworker: 4 of us rode the river route to the Island Cafe where Southwark and their MP were breakfasting. (12 miles round trip. 48 pms). It was like being on holiday.

7. Wednesday 19 June: Love Lea Valley: another gorgeous evening. 19 turned up. 5 new faces. We rode the Limehouse Link canal to get to the canalised Lea. We got as far as the Clapton rowing club and turned back to get home at dusk. (20 miles. Say 380 pms).

8. Thursday 20 June: East Again afterworker. So as to ride back into the sunset. 11 of us went 6 miles along the riverside. Sunset didn't disappoint. (12 miles. Say 130pms).

9. Friday 21 June: Midsummer Summer Madness. There were 60 people at the Cutty Sark at 2am. Wonderful fun atmosphere that included several skateboard kids on bikes we'd mentioned the ride to earlier. We picked up 30 more people on London Bridge, a police car at St Pauls, 10 more at Bar Italia, and another 10 or so on the top of Primrose Hill. Summer Solstice dawn on the longest day didn't disappoint, the views over London from there are stunning. We rode to breakfast down the deserted Broad Walk of Regents Park, through deserted Piccadilly Circus, over the Millennium Bridge and to the prewarned Island Cafe. About 50 of us had breakfast there, and 10 of so left for Trafalgar Square and football. It's about 10 miles from Cutty Sark to Primrose Hill of mysterious bike club fame. (20 miles. Say 1600 pms).
10. Saturday 22 June: The Culture Ride: no one turned up. (1 person. 5 miles in all. 5pms).

11. Saturday 22 June: The Hackney Ceilidh. 6 of us rode the Regents Canal to Hackney and the Round Chapel where The Muckers made us dance for several hours. Good to meet the Hackney crew again. About 60 people there in all. It wasn't up to their fine Burns Night standard, but it was fun. 6 miles there. (12 miles. 72pms, not inc the dancing).

12. Sunday 23 June: The Rochester lunch. 14 of us (4 new faces) rode all river route to Erith then to Rochester for sunny lunch in the pub by the Cathedral and castle. The Gravesend riverside was like the seaside and the Shorne Marshes were as lovely as ever. 35 miles there. Half of us rode back to London. (70 miles in all. About 735 pms).

13. Sunday 23 June: Farewell to Bike Week: the picnic up the top of Greenwich Park was an excellent way to round off the week. About 10 people arrived with the Southwark ride from the NFT. About 30 of us in all.

BAM

Bw2002report

25 June 2002