FNRttS April 2010 - Oxford - Saturday Update

On fast train from Paddington to Oxford.

Have Andrij for company (guy in photo is not Andrij).

The journey reminded me of Chemical Brothers - Star Guitar - Clicky

Oxford Station - time to go!

Rogerzilla's lighting system.

What's that coming over the hill ...

Iddu.

Andrij.

No planes but haze over London.

Breakfast in Acton.

kcass hiding tiredness very well (he cycled to Oxford to the start).

Building opposite caf. Sun is out! Lets go home!

So how was it? Brilliant! Fantastic!

It got my legs and lungs working keeping up with the guys and I climbed the hills better than last time. Although of course I still had to walk up Smalldean Lane!

A memorable moment was speeding down getting in to a village (not entirely sure where - Hazelmere?) when MattC asked 'Are you enjoying yourself yet?' The village had St George's flags hanging off all the buildings.

Thanks to road-runner for opening his house for us to have "mid night" tea, coffee, crumpets, flapjacks, clubs ..... it was a nice break. None of us fancied going out again too much, because it was going to be cold. It didn't take too long to warm up, but there certainly were pockets of freezing cold air.

I very much enjoyed the dawn moment getting into London by the M25. It was a very special night to be cycling and am pleased I captured it with the 'Haze over London' photo. The volcano ash is still causing flight disruption.

Thanks also to the guys for the navigation and support.

FNRttS April 2010 - Oxford

Next up is FNRttS - Friday Night Ride to the Smoke.

The Smoke (the Old Smoke, the Big Smoke, the Great Smoke) is a nickname for London from back when coal fires would fog up the air. It got very bad one Friday in 1952 which lead to the Clearn Air act which is still often quoted. Here is a wiki link: Clicky

Rogerzilla of YACF is the organiser of this ride. He recently posted: "Forecast is still very dry and very cold." Bbrrrr. Will wrap up warm.

Its my first night ride of 2010 and it will be a good reminder of what's to come during the Severn Across next week.

FNRttS October 2009 - Oxford

Once rogerzilla posted that he could no longer lead the group due to illness, it was always going to be more than the adventure you anticipated. Arriving by train in Oxford at 23:30, two cyclists were already waiting. They were Grub and Chocolatebike. Then Adam, Kevin and teethgrinder arrived. Kevin was on the last train from London, so we didn't expect many more to turn up. Rather, we wondered how many people would have talked themselves out of doing this. Its Friday evening, you might have had a hard week, you've finished your evening meal of cyclist's pasta, couldn't resist the glass of wine ... put the telly on for half an hour, getting cozy, check YACF ... oh ... rogerzilla will not be there, darn, won't be the same without him. Half an hour later, ... I don't have to do this ... who wants to cycle in the dark on a Friday night anyway. But I was like Grub, I can't imagine the weekend without having done this. It would be my first FNRttS and it would be the last FNRttS of the year.

We set off soon after midnight, and one of the big differences compared with FNRttC is that you are out of town soooo quickly. All of a sudden it was dark and quiet and we were living it, the FNRttS. I also soon realised that this was going to be a good workout for me. Fortunately, I was able to keep up on the flat, helped with a bit of drafting. The steep hills were quite short, so the wait was never too long (I hope!).

We had a wonderful moment when we stopped, looking at the clear sky full of stars. Heard a dog barking, but that was drowned out by tawny/little owls? Maybe both? We often hear this on rides, but this was so clear and close by.

Another moment I loved was the way we would bend around the roundabouts, in formation, well lit up, fast. At least it was a great experience from the back of the line!

Roadrunner was the Tourist Tony equivalent. Quite amazing really, how there are people who are willing to cater for cyclists in the middle of the night, make tea/crumpets/tea. Teethgrinder had a quick kip while we were sitting around the table. And then there was a knock on the door. MattC wasn't phased by not finding us at the planned meeting point, and somehow managed to find roadrunner's house. (I'm getting closer to buying a GPS now!).

Because of the small group, we didn't have the re-grouping time we have on the FNRttC when I usually take some pictures. Here, I would just about have the camera ready and ... lets go. Got one very blurred one of Grub though, you can tell its Grub, no?

I peeled off at Greenford. Its so close to home. But next time I'll continue with the group. Having breakfast with the group is part of it. And cycling back from Paddington/Acton is no hardship. Compare that with Grub's return cycling journey to somewhere further west from Oxford (was it Pewsey - Wiltshire?). Respect!

So thanks again to everybody for making it a great night. Thanks for the navigation, the company, and the 'midnight' snacks.

FNRttS October 2009 - Oxford

Tonight, I'm going to be doing the FNRttC alternative called the Friday Night Ride to the Smoke. Makes perfect sense. Go out to Oxford by train and cycle back, home for a second breakfast by 7AM. So you do the hard work, before you start cycling. I know, only a cyclist would put it that way.

I wonder what magic FNRttS will bring compared with FNRttC.