Here's this week's news & reports...

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RIDE REPORT
Ace Cafe 15/03/09

23 riders out today. Before we set off, a last minute alteration to
the route meant we weren't sure where we'd end up for a morning
coffee. We picked up the Wandle Trail at Plough Lane where one of the
ride's co-leaders suffered an instantaneous puncture in each wheel.
The Wandle Trail leads directly to the Thames where we chose to stay
on the south side of Putney Bridge, which was fortunate because we
stumbled upon an excellent park cafe in the appropriately named
Leaders Gardens on the Embankment.

After morning coffee, we rode out amongst the boatyards and the skinny
rowers onto the Thames Path thick with joggers, cyclists and families.
You can't ride much over walking pace when the sun is out as it gets
very busy. The co-leader's tyre exploded after a short distance which
meant retiring from the ride to visit a Putney bike shop. The rest of
us crossed at Hammersmith bridge and then started inching our way
north on poorly signed LCN routes, meaning a lot of map reading but
all on very quiet and pleasant residential streets.

A local treated us to an impromptu rap about cycling as we passed him
in Acton. The residential streets gave way to railway sidings and
light industry just before we picked up the towpath of the Grand Union
Canal. Its not the prettiest stretch of canal but it allows you to
gain some good ground without worrying about junctions and traffic
lights. Several overshot the turn off but it's always tricky to tell
where you are on the canal.

The Ace Cafe is just off the Grand Union, adjacent to the old North
Circular. It's a fantastic iconic art deco transport caff, frequented
mostly by motorcyclists with about 300 there today. A marshall in the
car park directed us to a spot for our bicycles and we piled in to
join the queue for food and drink. In true cafe style, the food comes
fast and furious with random order numbers shouted out by the lads
serving. The walls are packed with notices of forthcoming events,
notably a Raleigh Chopper meet on March 29th which we should have made
as the day for our visit, had we known (although the towpaths would
have been impassable due to the Boat Race on the same day).

After a short journey along the parallel North Circular Rd, we crossed
under the Hangar Lane gyratory and began our journey south on another
series of quiet LCN routes to Kew Bridge. A traffic jam greeted us at
Kew Bridge but we just sailed past and rode onto the superior
North-side Thames Path before crossing on Chiswick Bridge and using
the new cycle ramp down to the South-side Thames Path which was
narrow, bumpy and muddy as well as busy with joggers.

The afternoon stop was another new one for us, Time Out's top rated
tearoom, Orange Pekoe in Barnes. The staff didn't flinch at a large
group of cyclists swamping them almost most opted to stay outside on
the wide pavement in the warm sun. They have over 70 different types
of tea and offer that most English of treats, afternoon tea with
scones, clotted cream and finger sandwiches. We settled for tea and
cupcakes before heading off to skirt Richmond Park and pick up Putney
Heath's cycle path that leads to Wimbledon Common. Over familiarity
with the area led to the groups splitting in two but we all ended up
back at Wimbledon station

29 miles, out for 7hrs. See the pix on flickr at

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pollardshillcyclists/sets/72157615324517302
or
http://tinyurl.com/phc033

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C2C RIDE

Is anyone interested in riding the C2C (Sea to Sea) route following
the course of Hadrian's Wall over 4 nights in May from the 18th -
22nd? Tony Hooker from the SW CTC has organised a trip but now has two
spare places after a couple dropped out. If you are interested, call
Tony on 0208 3379736 any day after 6pm.

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NEXT WEEK

It's another brand new ride, this time starting at Carshalton's
Westcroft Leisure Centre. We'll be using some familiar tracks over
Epsom and Ashstead Commons but then we'll be into brand new uncharted
territory as we get to Great Bookham Common. I've no idea what those
surfaces will be like or what the pub will be like so it'll be another
PHC mini adventure. It's not particularly hilly out that way. Departs
at 9:30am. See you there!

Mark
PHC Co-ordinator
07711 688189

http://www.pollardshillcyclists.org.uk
http://www.southlondoncyclists.org.uk/