Off to Mass

No not that one, the Critical Mass monthly bike ride in London. We had been looking forward to this as we had missed the February ride and I seemed to be getting withdrawal symptoms. Cycling really is my drug of choice these days.

So a recap of the day, I was out of work at 2pm and back indoors by 2.30pm. The mission was quite simple, get a quorn balti curry cooked before we set off to London. This all went well and as we left the house at 5pm the curry was in a cast iron casserole pot, you know one of those French ones, ready for our return later in the evening.

So we are at the station, waiting for a train into Fenchurch St Station, when I notice a poster on the wall giving info about taking bikes on trains. Only at certain times, and tandems will not be carried. Getting around this country using anything other than 'normal' transport modes is a nightmare. Anyhow I am going off subject here and into a topic I am sure to cover in the future.

Well we managed to get the fast train into London, and made it into capital in good time as we wheeled our iron steeds from the station and onto the street. It was raining lightly, with the temperature dropping. Not a nearly a spring evening, to me anyway.

So we are on route to the National Film Theatre, under Waterloo Bridge on the South bank. This involves us following the Embankment up to Westminster Bridge, over to the other side and a short distance back along the river to the theatre. The first time I rode in London I have to admit I was scared. Its busy and seems totally chaotic. But once you get used to the volume of traffic its not as bad as you might think. But you do have to take care.

It seemed a relatively small turn out for the first BST mass. Maybe the rain and general cold weather put a few off, plus the National Beer Festival was on as well, which may have explained a few missing faces. But still by my counting approx 300 cyclists there, with 30 or so cycling Police to escort the ride.

There has been a number of cycling fatalities in London this month, and word went round the mass would be visiting two of the sites that evening. Its strange because there is no defined route for the ride, but to pay respects for a fallen cyclist is very emotional and something that brings home the real dangers of cycling.

The ride made its way up to Kings Cross and took a long pause on the Pentonville Road at the site of the fatality. I would like to add here the Police where brilliant. Despite the ride blocking a junction for nearly ten minutes they did not try to move the ride on. Maybe because they are on bikes as well gives us common ground. Whatever the reason it was a nice show from them, and emotional moment from me.

Prior to this ride had also visited Russel Square, I think, also the site of another fatality.

Eventually the ride made its way down Oxford St and Regents St and onto Traffalgar Sq, at which time we peeled off and headed back to Tower Hill and the train home.

Overall a good ride, no trouble from taxi/irate motorists, with the Police being good company for the ride, as the normally are.

When we made it home at around 10.30pm the oven was on, rice re-steamed, and twenty minutes later we tucked into a delicious Balti (curry, a Friday tradition in the UK) with chapati bread, mmmmm.