Obsessive Cycling Disorder from OTT

  Having attended the inaugural event and the following year also, I was sure everyone would love this day out.  I was much dismayed that my initial post was met with zero interest.  I posted again several months later – still to no avail. 

  It was with great joy that Rich IV’s reminder finally attracted some attention to the event. OTT were finally going to the 2009 Skyride.  Travel arrangements were made and the day came ever closer.  Even Greg who’d participated in both previous rides phoned to check if I was still going.  We’d lost communication in recent weeks due to a change in his employment.  Such is the draw of the event – once you’ve experienced it; it’s just far too much fun to miss. 

  The 20^th September finally arrived.  7:00am and I’m degreasing and lubing the recently fitted drivechain.  8:00am and Greg arrives.  We casually pedal along to the station to meet Kev.  We catch the train to Finsbury Park and head under our own steam to Highbury Fields - start of the ride down to the Thames.  The smiling Sky girls happily hand us our Skyride bibs, exchange banter and we’re good to go.  Still on main roads, the route is posted but the streets are almost devoid of traffic.  It’s a far cry from the manic pace normally associated with London’s roads. 

20 minutes later and were under the watchful gaze of St. Paul’s Cathedral ready for our first lap.

Blood now warming, we snaked along passing all forms of two-wheeled transport with few things getting in our way.  All along the Embankment, others joined the remarkable procession swarming onto the car-free roads.  Into Trafalgar Square and under Admiralty Arch for a blast down The Mall to Buckingham Palace.  Past the watchful gaze of Queen Victoria and back through St. James’s Park to return along the Embankment. 

  Meanwhile, the second group had met, travelled  to West Hampstead and meandered through the streets to also pick up the route.  Luck would have it that Kelly Brook was still in the area having been involved heavily in the promotion of the event.  She was so bowled over to see the smart new OTT shirts that she asked for a picture with the guys.  Always happy to oblige, Rich II, Rich IV & Simon fulfilled her life-long ambition.
    With all seven participating OTT members on the course, it was now time to actually meet up somewhere.  No mean feat when there’s another 60000 bikes in the vicinity enacting the mechanical interpretation of a drunken bees’ waggle dance.  After much texting and calling, Temple Pier became the chosen rendezvous point.  I stood on the steps and shortly my OTT shirt guided the others to us.  Now properly grouped, we proceeded to add our own tiny contribution to the metallic cacophany permeating the streets of London.  Weird and wonderful creations abounded.  Huge tricycles riden by clowns, tandems, trandems and quaddems(?).  Choppers, lowriders, Old School retro riders,  Dogs in baskets and mobile sound systems.  Children on little bikes and also hitching rides with their parents. Unicyles, Downhillers, MTB’s, plastic bikes, folding bikes and full lycra-clad racers.  And,of course, the incredible Piano Man.

Never will you see such a mixed crowd from all walks of life pedalling and smiling in unison. Time for a photostop don’t you think?
  With the day warming up nicely and minor mechanical gliches well sorted, an official OTT refreshment stop was looking all the more inviting.  We left the hustle and bustle of the ride for a pleasant detour through the carbon monoxide fumes. Swiftly dropping down to Butlers Wharf for a well earned break at All Bar One.
       With our thirsts swiftly quenched, it was time for a full-on last lap together before parting ways. Powered by Peroni, Stella and other premium fuels we raced onto the closed loop once more and gave it all we had.  Like fighter aircraft on full reheat we blasted through the ever-decreasing spaces and  hurtled along at an incredible pace. It was reminiscent of riding fast singletrack with the tree’s changing position of their own free will.  We made use of every spare inch of clearance between our bar-end and the next.  We sprinted, weaved a braked our way through this mobile maze until we could pass no more.  

  In the mass sprint, Rich IV dropped a chain and lost sight of us all.  Fortunately, a call had us locate his whereabouts and all ended happily.  We regrouped for our final goodbyes and the two groups parted to disappear back into the monoxide heavy streets once more.  It was all over for another year.  From comments I’ve heard, everyone had a blast of a time and really soaked up the atmosphere and spirit of the Skyride.  

Thanks to all the organisers, marshalls and participants that made this such a fun day to remember.
 We’ll be back next year I’m sure

Mark

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 6th, 2009 at 12:01 am and is filed under Bike Rides. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.