Friday morning was the first riding a proper bicycle post-op. None of this electric bike nonsense. It was fitting that I rolled out on the Brompton, en route to the SE21 school.
Chapeau!
It felt a little strange at first. I had to stop at the Stockwell gyratory and make a few adjustments to the saddle positioning.
It got better when I reached Brixton.
Like passing bicycles in the morning, there he was, at the Coldharbour Lane Junction.
OI! One Eye Grey!
I’ve not seen the fine fella for a few months now. Our usual lovely Lido meet ups are no more whilst I avoid Lake Brockwell.
Yer man had the good grace to pull over for a lovely catch up. Fish tail parkas were the main subject of the conversation.
I do miss those Lido mornings. I can now see that a winter breakfast swim pre-Covid, and then a school day in either SW9 or SE21, were indeed GOLDEN DAYS.
Any day after a Lido swim is a GOLDEN DAY tbh.
Mr OEG confirmed my doubts about how Fusion is running the Lido into the ground. If I’m going to fork out £300+ plus for a membership that I will rarely use, then the least I can expect is a hot shower.
Hey hoe.
The Serpentine it is then, come spring time.
We waved our farewells with Mr OEG cycling over to Stockwell whilst I was heading into his Herne Hill territory.
The Front Line REEKED of dope at 8:30am. It made for an odd bedfellow as all the Bright Young Things were walking around with their poncey yoga mats.
I had an ACE school day. It even made me question why I’ve chosen to walk away after 14 years of service.
But I think I’ve made the right decision.
Boy Y was on particularly fine form. I enjoyed a ten minute Bear Hunt reading with him.
And then just as the SE21 skies started to bruise, out went the shout of: To the exotic Liverpool Street!
Oh dear.
I was summoned back to the bloody Estuary Wilds.
This was a more substantial bicycle ride on the Brompton. Strava tells me it was 9km. I might even get the roadie out if the estuary lanes have dried up.
I was riding with my new FUCK OFF bicycle lights. If you can’t see me with these fellas, then you shouldn’t be on the road.
This was the first time I have cycled through Elephant in over two months. Blimey. That new tower on the footprint of the old shopping centre is going up fast.
Forest podcast catching up took place on the train.
And then back to the bloody Estuary Wilds.
Oh.