WAVES AND WHEELS… THURSDAY 30.3.2023… by Jon Lane

A nautical ride this Thursday 30^th… Seven of us to Barking and onto Barking Riverside station. A short roll onto the smart, airy riverside jetty to await the sleek Uber boat. Helpful ‘sailors’ stowed and stacked our bikes and in comfy seats it was coffee with inspiring dreamy views to Embankment station… (as said before; you need to try this one folks – with or without your bike…) On and up towards Big Ben and the HP’s.  A left turn over the people packed Westminster Bridge. Left again and around to the back of the Tate Mod’ gallery. We skipped coffee here, as time was slipping… Zig zagging through the historical back streets and alley ways, passing Boro’ market and under the bridge of London Bridge station into Tooley Street. A straight run here along the super cycle routes into the delightful Cafe at Southwark Park. Spacious and green, birds, baby buggies, doggies and folk happily meandering…With our regular good catch up chat, and refreshed, it was back on to the cycle route and a steady ride down to Greenwich. Swinging left onto the concourse of the great Cutty Sark with many happy school kids and visitors… From here it was a waterside ride nearly all the way, retracing our river boat journey. Passing the ‘O2 – big tent,’ the tin foiled Thames Barrier and at Woolwich waterside, a brief refresh… With wide open skies ahead we rolled along towards Erith. Leaving the Thames here, it was a mad dash along the A2016 to the Dartford Crossing point. A very helpful van driver named Kirk, squeezed five bikes in to the back, and up front were Sharon, Dave, Alan, Danny S and ‘snappy’ man Les. Awaiting the return pick up, good mate Lee H and I sat and nattered, almost hypnotized by the manic traffic… Lee copped a flat as we were leaving the van but with several pump ups on the way we made it back to Grays. Both the winds and the weather were kind to us, and in truly great company, it was yet another super – Gateway Cycling – day out.

Till the next one folks…

Cheers! 🙂 Jon Lane.