The Some Thing Different Ride

Sunday 12th December and I turned up at the Green ready to lead the club on what was billed ‘Some Thing Different’. I did not think many people would turn out as it was still very cold, the car park being like a skating ring. But there was a small group of faithful member waiting. Mick Farlla had two group1 members and four group2 members waiting for some thing different. (Sorry if I can’t remember names after all I am an old git) One of Mick’s group declined to join Mick instead joined us for a less easier ride? Jenny decided it was to cold to go for a long ride and left for a short ride on her own. Brian Bulmer turned up for a guest appearance thus five of us set out towards Orpington for a ride to the Olympic Park.
The first stretch was run at a brisk pace following the Cray Valley through to Bexley here we headed up to Bexleyheath and onto Belverdere where we dropped down to Abbey Wood. Here we turned of the roads and took to the cycle paths across Thamesmead toward and onto the River Path at Cross Ness, this is National Cycle route 1.We followed this all the way to Greenwich on its tortuous route with its many diversions around demolition sites and building works. Brian asked what is that building, as we pasted the O2 arena admitting that he had not been up to London for over 40 years so he was amazed and mystified by the strange new landscape. At Greenwich we continued following Route 1 which meant walking through the Greenwich foot tunnel to the Isle of Dogs and then up to Canary Wharf. For our renegade group 1 rider this was getting a bit much, more akin to Cyclo Cross than a road ride he informed us. Having used lifts to get in and out of the Greenwich Tunnel at Canary Wharf we again had to us a lift or walk up a flight of steps to get back onto the river path to Limehouse.We walked as the lift appeared to be out of order.
From Lime House we picked up the cannel path along the Limehouse Cut to Three Mills Island here we encountered dickensian cobbled streets.
The last leg of the outward journey as we crossed into the construction chaos of the Olympic site at Pudding Mill Lane. Here the Cycle Path goes through the Security Gates right into the heart of the Site. We stopped at the Café in the Olympic Viewing Tube and sat drinking coffee whilst trying to ID the various venues spread out in a panorama around the main stadium. Steve thought that we had done enough by this point and to continue further towards the other side of the Site to see the Velodrom was unnecessary and to head home was a good idea. A short detour through the road works and onto the Greenway Cycle route and our group one renegade was of like a bat out of hell. Just keep heading for that bridge you can see in the distance it a straight route stop when the path ends.
The rest of the group finally catch up and we negotiate the final leg to the Woolwich Ferry, much relief on getting South of the river again I bid farewell here as I only have a short ride up to Plumstead Common from the Ferry.Unlike on usual Sundays when every one is nearly home at the Green and I have a 10 mile ride home.