Thames Path Meander - The Silly Version (4-5 Sept)

[Andrij]

Some residents of this asylum appear to have enjoyed my Thames Path Meander (e.g. Mk III, Mk IV).  Some of you lot also like riding through the night.

It was a lovely evening tonight so decide to take a scenic route home from the pub and ended up riding most of the southern half of the TPM route.  I was reminded how pretty London can be at night.  This got me thinking...

Would anyone be interested in an overnight Thames Path Meander?  The route would be more or less the same (but no ferry) and BYO food for a mid-ride stop, but I could find us a place for breakfast if folk are interested.

ETA: details.

* Depart 23:00 22:00 from Southwark Needle, southern end of London Bridge.
* Standard Thames Path Meander route, with some diversions, finish near Tower of London; 50km, more or less.
* Along the way I will regale/bore (delete as appropriate) with historical trivia.
* BYO sustenance, both liquid and solid - we'll find a suitable spot mid-ride for a picnic. Do NOT rely on finding anything along the route.
* ATM, breakfast will be on Brick Lane, unless someone can recommend a decent fry-up at 06:00 on a Saturday.
* It's a silly ride, so get in the spirit.  Bike decoration is encouraged; fortified beverages will not be frowned upon.
* If you employ flashing front/rear lights on the ride you will end up in the Thames - you're bike will be spared if I happen to like it.
* A good front light is vital.  Many stretches are unlit and surfaces can be less than perfect.
* If you commit to doing the ride, please send me your mobile number via PM; I will reciprocate.


RIDERS
cycleman
jsabine
gerwinium
Kim
TimO
Wowbagger
Valiant

MAYBE
Tigerr
Pedalabit (cc)

BRANDY STOP
deptfordmarmoset (cc)

[Valiant]

Me!

[nikki]

I'm unlikely to be able to make it to London, but can I just say what a mighty fine day's/night's exploring this sounds! Good stuff! 

[Jurek]

24 hr bagels (and robust tea) on Brick Lane.
Is that too far away from the river?

ETA:

The riverside is dead sexy of a night time - as you doubtless surmised last night. Especially if the ride coincides with a full moon.
You could,  (on the south side) ride down as far as Erith Pier, without venturing out onto roads, in theory and with sufficiently fat tyres (I've done it on 23s - but they're not ideal in a few places)
Morrissons in Erith is open until 22:00 every night 'xcept Sunday - so that's next to useless .

[Andrij]

Brick Lane did feature on my list of potential breakfast destinations.  If people wish to rehydrate as well as feed, a 'spoons can be found easily enough.

[cycleman]

Sound's fun     

[Wowbagger]

Interested.

[Jurek]

Interested.

There's a surprise 

[StuAff]

Excellent idea Andrij. Unsurprisingly, interested

[Jurek]

Some residents of this asylum appear to have enjoyed my Thames Path Meander (e.g. Mk III, Mk IV).  Some of you lot also like riding through the night.

It was a lovely evening tonight so decide to take a scenic route home from the pub and ended up riding most of the southern half of the TPM route.  I was reminded how pretty London can be at night.  This got me thinking...

Would anyone be interested in an overnight Thames Path Meander?  The route would be more or less the same (but no ferry) and BYO food for a mid-ride stop, but I could find us a place for breakfast if folk are interested.

Without stating the obvs.
You need to get a wiggle on if you want this ride to happen this year in clement conditions.
I'm sure that there'll be candidates for doing it in the cold & wintry, but the numbers between the two will vary enormously
Just a thought....

[Andrij]

How does 4-5 September work for those interested?

[StuAff]

Works for me. 

[Andrij]

Following overwhelming response, I've set the date as 4-5 September.

Keeping with the 'silly' theme, please feel free to decorate your steeds with fairy lights and so on.  That said, anyone employing a flashing rear and/or front light during the ride will be deposited into the Thames and left to their own devices.

I will modify the original post with starting time and other details in due course.

[clarion]

Sounds like fun, but we are away.

[Kim]

What's the idea in terms of distance and amount of comedy off-roading?

I'd got the impression that these were usually a bit on the short side for a night ride...

[Andrij]

The route is around 50km, +/-, depending on sudden section closures, diversions, etc.  I would expect we could do all of my diversions, but these would only add a couple of km.  That reminds me, I need to look into Greenwich Park after hours...

Riding the route straight through is not enough for a typical overnight ride (I can do it in around 3.5 hrs), but there are a lot of stops for me to bore you to tears with trivia, point out interesting sights, etc.  The rides are usually around eight hours, but that's with pub and cafe stop.  This ride will be a bit shorter, but with a 22:00 start the whole ride will be done in the dark.
 
There's only one short section (230m) of COR.  We also have roads of various quality and cobbles.  There's also the odd curb or two.  Depending on the bikse in attendance, there may or may not be gates to walk bikes through and a few stairs.  One hopes both lifts at Woolwich will be in working order as there will be no ferry service when we get there.

[Jurek]

Open 06:00am to 21:00 for pedestrians

[Andrij]

Open 06:00am to 21:00 for pedestrians

Thanks.   And Boo!

Maybe we'll go up and around to look at a castle.

[Jurek]

I told you wrong - it actually closes at 20:00 in September.
Not that it makes a difference in this instance.

[jsabine]

I might be up for this, in which case a coffee/refreshments/loo break in SE7 would be available, though it might be a bit early in the ride.

Worth continuing towards Erith I'd have thought, if only for a bit of extra distance, some sewage works action, and the chance to divert to a very dead abbey. (Oh, and Clockwork Orange location-spotting.)

[Wowbagger]

I have nothing in the diary that clashes with this. I would like to come!

[Kim]

Hmm, what are the opening hours on the Dangleway like?

ETA: About the same...  http://tfl.gov.uk/modes/emirates-air-line/opening-hours-frequency

[Jurek]

Open 07:00 to 23:00.

[Andrij]

Hmmm.... I've ridden along the Thames to Erith - and beyond - but never with a view to a group ride.  I can try to ride out this weekend and have a look.  I've checked, and the bicycle shuttle service through the Dartford Tunnel is available overnight, except 02:00-03:00.  Or would people expect to retrace route/zoom along roads back to Woolwich?  The route along the north side between the Dartford Tunnel and North Woolwich is less than exciting and rarely along the river (and assume we won't be able to cut through Rainham Marshes).

There are a couple of things that can be done to pad out the standard route, and I can look for more.

[Jurek]

The last (and second) time we used the Dartford Crossing on a FNRttC, with a group of 30 - 40 riders, with several days notice from His Leggship of our imminent arrival to Dartford Tunnel Inc. it took about 2.5 hours to get everyone across. It was wet.
With good reason, that is the last time the crossing service was used on a FNRttC.
I've used it a couple of times since on my own and it has been *ok*
But that was before the new, and improved, *we're not operating between xxxx hours in order to bring you  a better service* tosh.
I'll be surprised if crossing the Thames at Dartford contributes in a useful way to your ride.
What you really need is a stall selling filthy burgers and bacon sarnies and tea, on the end of Erith Pier and use that as an opportunity to do a 180° for the ride