Bless me mighty Interweb for it has been 10 weeks or more since my last blog post.
Meanwhile I have been in South Africa (again), Austraia and Singapore, so plenty to catch up on, as well as some 2011 African adventures to write about
Today though, I'm feeling like Mr Fitness after 2 hours cycling from Mile End along to Bow, and up along the Lea River, past Hackney and Walthamstow Marshes nature reserves, and back through Hackney downs and a latte at 'Elbows' in Victoria Park Village.
On Saturday I cycled from Warren Street in the West End to Islington and popped down onto the towpath, cycling all the way home to Falcon Works along the regents canal.
These green corridors are wonderful escapes. Its great that Im a 15 min tube ride from Londons west end but can walk or ride along the canal.
Im not overly fond of Boris (Johnson...the recently re-elected Mayor) but I do like his Bikes (even though it was Red Kens idea to have them in London apparently). Actually on the Mayoral front, being such an amusing baffoon does mean he is one of the few conservatives who dont make my stomach churn, so if were going to have one of his lot in City Hall, may as well be this one. Ken came over just a tad desperate to get back in and the bickering was atrocious.
But I digress... Bikes.... here they are..
Marvelous they are.. The Stations have become much more frequent. You can either sign up to the scheme, or get one ad hoc. Its a pound for 24hrs access. Then first half hour of use is free, after that its not much more than a pound an hour so the cost is negligible. The great thing is you dont really have to plan, you can do it on a whim. Which is mostly when i do.
I did discover rather unfortunately, last week that they dont have stops very far along the
South Bank. I had a wonderful night ride all along the gorgeously lit up South Side of the Thames last Monday night. I got a but carried away with myself and after Tower Bridge (amazingly lit at the moment pre-Olympics), I ran out of bridges to get back over to the other side. I thought I'd drop the bike and train it but alas...no bike parks over there!. Had to cycle through the car exhaust filled Rotherhide bleedin tunnel!.
Well as is traditional, here are some pics.. The first being Home Sweet Home, Falcon Works on Spring Afternoon. Then a random shot of a bike stand (acually in Marleybone), and journey along the Regents Canal and the Lea River, before a Vicky park village cafe
Meanwhile I have been in South Africa (again), Austraia and Singapore, so plenty to catch up on, as well as some 2011 African adventures to write about
Today though, I'm feeling like Mr Fitness after 2 hours cycling from Mile End along to Bow, and up along the Lea River, past Hackney and Walthamstow Marshes nature reserves, and back through Hackney downs and a latte at 'Elbows' in Victoria Park Village.
On Saturday I cycled from Warren Street in the West End to Islington and popped down onto the towpath, cycling all the way home to Falcon Works along the regents canal.
These green corridors are wonderful escapes. Its great that Im a 15 min tube ride from Londons west end but can walk or ride along the canal.
Im not overly fond of Boris (Johnson...the recently re-elected Mayor) but I do like his Bikes (even though it was Red Kens idea to have them in London apparently). Actually on the Mayoral front, being such an amusing baffoon does mean he is one of the few conservatives who dont make my stomach churn, so if were going to have one of his lot in City Hall, may as well be this one. Ken came over just a tad desperate to get back in and the bickering was atrocious.
But I digress... Bikes.... here they are..
I did discover rather unfortunately, last week that they dont have stops very far along the
South Bank. I had a wonderful night ride all along the gorgeously lit up South Side of the Thames last Monday night. I got a but carried away with myself and after Tower Bridge (amazingly lit at the moment pre-Olympics), I ran out of bridges to get back over to the other side. I thought I'd drop the bike and train it but alas...no bike parks over there!. Had to cycle through the car exhaust filled Rotherhide bleedin tunnel!.
Well as is traditional, here are some pics.. The first being Home Sweet Home, Falcon Works on Spring Afternoon. Then a random shot of a bike stand (acually in Marleybone), and journey along the Regents Canal and the Lea River, before a Vicky park village cafe
5 comments:
Hi Jon,
Fantastic post and love your photos - as usual. So, you were having a coffee in Vic Park and didn't pop in? I'm so disappointed.
I don't think the bikes were either Boris's or Ken's idea, were they; the French did it first, but of course I couldn't expect a Brit to say that. Hm, I wonder if it really started in Holland? A point to ponder.
Hey Jon, nice to see you back on the blog and great pictures as usual. I love the idea you went around London on your bike.
Did you see this weeks HIGNFY? Red Ken was on it, it was fairly humours.
Fiona.. HIGNFY? What is this .. im sure more highbrow than TOWIE but im not sure what you mean :)
Beejay. I didnt realise you lived in Victoria Park :). Yes im sure we were not the first ones to invent a bike scheme, that seems highly unlikely. I rather mean who was it that came up with the bright spark of having them in London
Have I Got News for You of course!
Of course! silly me.
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