Sunday, 9 March 2014

Visiting the Olympic Park with some odd balls

A couple of months ago I was invited to a new cycling group. This group consisted of riders I have met on the iBikeLDN rides over the last year or so. So when there was ride planned for today I just had to join in. I knew the weather was going to be excellent as forecasters had siad this weekend would be the warmest this year.

Cause the weather was going to be so good I FINALLY was able to wear my awesome Bumble B cycling top to really show it off properly.

The meeting point wasn't to far from my work place so I cycled down. As always focusing on my cadence and breathing as I went. Basically treating every ride as a training ride as much as possible these days.

It turned out I was the first at the meeting point so me and the Legend just enjoyed the sunshine and as always a few photos.

The legend in summer mode. #urban #obags #ortlieb #yellow #brompton #bromptonbicycle

Turned out to be 6 of us all together for this ride and we couldn't have asked for more perfect weather again.

Victoria Park, E9 (IR)
On this ride we would be getting into the Olympic Park which is slowly being opened up to the public in sections and by 30th March should be fully opened.

Made our way to the stadium and someone had the brilliant idea of a jumping photo. Cue lots of bemused people watching us jumping about like nutters trying to take photos. Likely my Olympus Tough 2 camera had a pretty good burst mode which came in handy for this kind of thing.

Jumping at the Olympic Park

Jumping at the Olympic Park


The legend visits the Olympic park #urban #brompton##Olympic #sunshine #cycling


Susanna L with the legend (IR)
Heading out of OP (IR)

(IR)

(IR)

and then things started to get REALLY silly.....

wheeeee



I'm going back to the 80's baby, B Pimping days


Going back to the 80's baby

Legends only go thata way

uh oh

Susanna L in Infra Red



*licky licky*



Thames River (IR)
Another good social ride, much needed when the weather turns out good like this.

Well I hope my readers got a chance to get out on their bikes cause if you didn't have a damn good reason BumbleB is not going to be happy.

Saturday, 8 March 2014

LBC Ride: Docklands by Night & Chips

The last time this particular ride was on I missed as I had to work (boooooo) so when I heard it was going to be on again me and BBB just had to make sure we was on it.

I had heard of the Fish & Chips that was more than enough reason to make sure I was going for that. Atleast with riding I could stuff my face and burn it off.

The key is BALANCE.

The meeting point was again the awesome London Eye, on the South Bank of the Thames. I never get tired of meeting there as its always busy with tourist and the sights of London right next to it. I left in good time so I rode all the way there, focusing on my cadence and breathing as always. I seem to really be getting it down now as I feel I'm cycling slightly faster but not feeling tired so quickly either. Need to do alot more for the huge rides I got coming in a few months *bites nails*

LBC Club Ride: Docklands & Chips
Under the London Eye

Our little group numbered 6 this great spring night, David P, Ann M, Mr. Orange, Olufemi I, 5milecyclist, Alex H & David H
We had the great pleasure of a couple of new riders, well to me anyway, David H came all the way from Japan and came to see us off. Next time hopefully he will have his B with him to come riding with us. Alex H was a new face and this would be his first LBC Ride, one of many to come I hope.


David P, Me, 5milecyclist, David H, Ann M, Alex H & Mr. Orange. Olufemi I off camera

Ofcourse we had a few group photos taken and then we started off though the tourist with David H waving us off into the twilight.

As it was a nice spring night the skies where very clear and the temperature was perfect for cycling, a little chill but when cycling you warm up pretty quickly.

Obeying the traffic lights :P
Being a Saturday night in the big smoke, as always the traffic was pretty busy but we cut a dash flowing though the traffic in our Brompton peloton




Our first stop which we always do on a night ride right next to City Hall on the Thames River. This time the water feature was turned on and me & BBB was abit silly and started riding though the fountains, timing it perfectly so we didn't get wet.

Water Fountain

City Hall & Tower Bridge



Having had a few photos near the Thames we started to head into Docklands section of the ride, I always like riding thought he docklands esp at night as you get to see the city lights reflecting in the Thames.

City lights on the Thames

My fellow Bromptoneers
As we headed deeper into Docklands to the the parts where all the big money is made. Towering office buildings where million pound deals are made and lost. Where money is something to be used and sometimes abused.





Always something crazy to see in Docklands and London in general to be honest.

Crazy Traffic light tree

Spooky B

Big Metal Flower
Now we where heading to our second part of the ride, the small Fish & Chip shop that a few had already been to on the same ride I was unable to go on awhile back. I had heard this place had some damn good Fish & Chips. I wasn't disappointed at all.

With it being in the middle of a housing estate there was a few youths around but manly kicking a football around with each other. For some reason they where kicking it VERY high and atleast once  they had kicked in onto the roof of a building never do be seen again, but 5 min later they where kicking the ball around again.

I didn't actually finish my Chips & Sausage as I wasn't feeling alot hungry as I made sure I fuelled up properly before we left.

LBC Club Ride: Docklands & Chips
Fish & Chip stop, yum yum
While we was waiting for our food to settle down I spotted Alex C's Brompton's stickers. I thought VERY cool and I swear I could almost hear the transforming sounds too ;)
LBC Club Ride: Docklands & Chips
Transformer Brompton
Fish and Chips consumed we started to head back towards Central London. No night ride is ever complete without a a trip though the Greenwich Tunnel under the Thames.

Greenwich Tunnel
Comming out the other side of the Tunnel as always the Cutty Sark was there to greet us.



Our final destination coming into view.


As we passed London Bridge David P & Ann M parted as they had there car parked close by, Me and my cycling partner in crime started to head towards Green Park where I would be catching the tube homeward.

Once again I cant thank everyone enough who turned up and rode with. Hopefully I will get to ride with David H the next time he is in town with his B.

As always here is a link to my Garmin Data of the ride: LBC Ride: Docklands by night & Chips

Sunday, 2 March 2014

Relaxing Photo Ride with the Legend

Went on a little relaxed photoride this morning with my buddy, Mr.OrangeBrompton. Basically getting out and about in London photographing things we come across on our travels.

Having met up with Mr. O outside the Albert Memorial we headed around Hyde Park and we towards St.Pauls over the Millennium Bridge.

Bumble B's Yellow Mini O Bag



Crossing the Millennium Bridge


Millennium Bridge looking towards St.Pauls


PAD: 2nd March 2014

For some reason I kept thinking of the film "Lord of The Rings" when I took this shot.


While riding along in central London we came across police escorting some VIPs. We got held up a little and when they moved and turned into a building we was held up again my what looked to be road workers. We got held up for quiet awhile as the VIPs had disappeared and wondering why they wasn't letting the traffic though. Asked the workmen holding us up what was going and it turned out that they where filming a new season of 24. The 2nd season to be in London. I personally haven't watched any of the series but I do remember the craze when it was on.

As we got closer to the Gherkin we came across this weird shinny art work.

More shiny things that don't mean anything by Ryan Gander.

More really shiny things that don't mean anything 2011
Stainless Steel
275cm Diameter
Ed Unique
Copyright The Artist, Courtesy Lisson Gallery, London

Ryan Gander's work often plays with historic paradigms which he then gives a contemporary humour and relevance. This sculpture is made up of thousands of objects to form a large ball; it's as if the core is magnetic and has attracted all the shiny useless objects that fill a city. The work explores ideas of public sculpture which normally have a historic legacy or represent the fortitude of an institution or person. In this case, the sculpture has the scale and materiality of a work of "significance" but in actual fact is simply an assortment of things

Hello there

Artwork near The Gherkin Tower (Infra-Red)

Brompton BumbleB (Infra-Red)

The Lloyds Building (Infra-Red)

Brompton BumbleB (Infra-Red)
We had been very lucky with the weather and this was to be a nice relaxing little ride.
As we started to head back to our start we pasted the Museum of London which I noticed had some odd looking art(?) on the side of the building.


We was heading towards Smithfields Market for a quick look at the circuit we would be riding for the IG London Nocturne in this summer. The road is pretty rough and potholes which will make for interesting racing I can tell you.

Smithfields Market
We started to head back to the start and headed down The Mall towards Buckingham Palace. The road was blocked to traffic so we had the whole road to ourselves.
The Mall
Just as we got to Buckingham Palace we had timed our ride perfectly to see the changing of the guard.




Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace
At this point I was pretty close to Green Park Station which is on my way back to the HiVE. Having had a pretty good easy relaxing ride with my cycling partner I said my goodbyes and headed to the station though the park itself.

Green Park in InfraRed


The Shadow
Shadow of a Legend
A good relaxing ride seeing the sights of this great city. Sometimes its good to slow down a little to to actually see the city you live in instead of rushing though getting from A to B.

BumbleB on the platform
Take some time and see your own city, maybe turn left instead of right, you never know what you may find.


Relaxing Photo Ride Data