Posts tagged with “bicycle” and “Tandem Club UK”

April 12

An open letter, and a challenge!

Dear friends

We have pledged to complete a 100 kilometer charity night ride
through London taking place on the night of Saturday June 11th..
Starting from Crystal palace at or soon after midnight and finishing
there at “breakfast time” (“kitchen” closes at nine!) on the Sunday
morning. We cycle a route around London, including Alexandra Palace
to the North and crossing the Thames no less than five times along the
way.

Our chosen charity is Mind, the organization supports and campaigns
for the rights of people with mental illness. As someone who has
personal experience of the issues involved thi is close to my heart.
Organizations like MIND are crucial in supporting, informing and
campaigning for those who can be politically ignored all too easily.

Please consider sponsoring us!

We really want to make a difference and have pledged to raise at least
£500 for MIND and you can see how we are doing via the link below.
You can use a form, post money, or donate at our page here

Although I have begun enjoying the practice for the event it has also
shown me that 100k demands a little respect and I am not the young
man who could zip off to Brighton on his bike for a night out with
friends and ride back the next day none the worse for it!

So your sponsorship and support would really help me and even more
so encourage us both to know we are making a difference. You can
choose by the kilometer or every ten, or just to finish, whatever you
feel work best. Do feel free to come and cheer us on, perhaps even
bring some liquid refreshments or a picnic to the finish at Crystal
Palace if it's a nice day?

We leave Crystal Palace around midnight (riders being batched into
“mini-peletons” of fifty cycles) but leaving Mount Ash Road of course a
little earlier. All your encouragement is much appreciated.

Thanks for your support.

 

NOTE:  This post is "pinned" to the front of the blog until the 11th June (when I shall "unpin" it) so that any visitors may see it first and foremost.  If you scroll to the end of the entry there may be more recent ones below this.

 

06:18 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: , , , , , , ,
January 24

Hurrah! We made it!

Not so long ago I posted a link post contemplating an organised cycle run with the tandem club (South East London Region).

I thought I should post an update to say we managed the ride, and to quote from the email I sent the organiser:

just to let you know that we made it back and Ann and Tim arrived at
 London Bridge along with us just around four to catch a train.

 Our new front chain managed to detach itself from the idler as we began
 our crossing of London Bridge and the chain was derailed as we descended
 to the traffic lights.  It almost felt as if the bike had decided we
 ought to catch the train (which we had already decided to do!).

 Tim very kindly laced the chain on again before I could get my rubber
 gloves out - and advised us to take the initiative on catching a train
 before they departed for theirs.

 Many of the riders were at pains to tell us there were not usually so
 many stops, but we were just busy taking it all in and I was impressed
 by your organisation of the lunch stop and the general level of planning
 and organisation.  Everyone was most friendly and helpful; it was an
 enjoyable ride for us despite the slightly chilly conditions.

 As a new member of the tandem club I wanted you to have the positive
 feedback since I know it is valuable best written now, before the week
 begins and other things take over.

 Hope to see you again on another ride with London South East or another
 group soon (we had not realised the Sussex and Surrey groups overlapped)

So in addition to my  literary blog posts there could be an increasing number of reviews of various rides, and if I do make posts on those I shall try and give informative tips and links to help learn from the journey as we made it.

In this instance the information I would impart is NOT to rely on the Greenwich Foot tunnel for a planned journey/.  Not only were the stairs announced as out of order, but the lift failed on the day, which meant the main "pelleton" had to retrace their steps for Charlton House whilst we made a breakaway party with another couple on a recumbent tandem for London Bridge at dusk!

It was all very exciting for me and the last bit gave me a welcome chance to get a little pace and warm us up after a chilly day!

01:22 AM | 0 Comments | Tags: , , , , ,