Archive of March 2012

March 28

Voyage to my Mother

Grid reference 116586, remember that.... there are a wild cherry and an oak, remember row L/25/73 and L/C/56 (row C is directly above row 1).... These facts should lead me to the place where I once arranged for trees to be planted at Tredethick Farm dedicated to my late mother. I am thinking of cycling there and have entered a "quiet route" option to the Cycle Journey planner, which tells me to allow for just over three hundred miles and "more than a days cycling"... I reckon a week easy..... But I should phone ahead to Tim and Nicky to check they are in if I want them to show me to the trees so I'll need to remember 01208 873618 too, but I much prefer the idea of scanning the hand drawn map and working my own way there, trespass and solitary pilgrimage are surely more the way to approach this, though life may very well surprise me. Right now I have no idea if I shall even depart.... I am contemplating a more urban journey to where it all began at Montpelier Road right now, but aware that is slightly foolhardy. Then there's getting back.... What the cost? Now there's a reckoning....
11:26 PM | 0 Comments
March 15

Cycling Society

Perhaps it is the weather, with a surge of sunshine unexpectedly and a warmer day not so long ago, but my mind is turning to cycling and I cannot seem to find any way to concentrate on work. However it is not especially cheerful as my random online readings have led me to discover the painfully slow progress and tortuous dealings around the Blackfriars Bridge developments and the fact that the Olympics towpath and cycle routes are actually being CLOSED for the Olympics. Aero often remarks that she believes some things are being done properly and I shall be intrigued to see what she may make of the "floating towpath" plans as and when they may come about, but from where I ride it seems a pathetically lost opportunity for massive improvements to London Cycling being completely lost. Hopefully there will be an outlet for my frustrations on the 28th April, when "The Big Ride" is scheduled with closed streets to try and make a point of raising the profile of cycling safety for London in the run up to the mayoral elections. It would be a very dad day for London Cycling if Boris Johnson were re-elected, I have a sick feeling most people believe he is somehow linked with cycling in a positive way, when in fact it was pure political manoeuvring and he clearly cares very little for the lot of the London Cyclist. But returning to the view of sunlight beyond the bars of the office, my mind realises there is a wider society of others who cycle and that I have been too long from joining their ranks - I really should sign up to the London Cycle Campaign, I almost did so right here and now, but then realise there was an option of "corporate membership" which awoke the sleeping procrastinator in me. So I shall try (in vain no doubt) to persuade the small outfit where I work to fork out two hundred quid for a corporate membership then I'd be able to sign up for half price. Or maybe I should just ask Aero to go halves on it, that would be more pragmatic and put the procrastinator back to sleep!
02:47 PM | 0 Comments