Thursday 30 August 2012

Day 2 London Madness

Wednesday 22nd

Welwyn to Reading predicted mileage 57 miles, actual 76 miles.

I set off from Welewyn and absolutely slammed it to South Mimms Services 13 odd miles away I was flying. A quick cake stop and I was off again down into London weaving my way down through Barnet to Hamstead Heath where Lucy used to ride her bike while she lived in London. I had to ignore the highway code a bit as traffic lights and queues were tiring. I arrived at Hamstead Heath ready for a picnic.

 Phil Moss and I then set off, cruising through the hot streets of London until we reached the outskirts we soon picked up the Kennet and Avon Canal which got us through the urban areas fast and when it started to get dark we didn't really worry. We stumbled into the rowing lake getting ready for the paralympics and were told by security there was no way through, I blame Phil's jihadist beard. We didn't really worrying until it got really dark and we didn't have any lights and Reading didn't appear after 57 miles or 60 or 67 miles. We belted along on cycleways beside the A4, couples were out in the warm evening air sitting on rugs drinking chilled white wine, we had flapjacks and water. Eventually we turned up in Reading centre which is quite high rise so we could really see the Premier Inn, we crashed through plazas of people eating, swerved through carparks until we heard Ruth on the phone shouting "I can see you, can you see me waving?" I replied "No." "Oh no sorry that's not you." Eventually we rounded a corner in the dark and on the pavement and we were so glad to get in. Another lasagna, another 3 pints of London Pride and a good sleep were in  order and achieved.

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