James led a group of 15 riders from Hampstead to his annual Thames Towpath ride. Geoff Stilwell reports:
The refreshment break was at Lyric Square in Hammersmith.
We ate at The Ship pub, Thames side, just before Chiswick Bridge. The route up to then was similar to last year.
I think both punctures happened on our way up to Richmond Park at Richmond Gate but not up the steep Nightingale Lane.
In Richmond Park many of us were able to go a bit faster but when we arrived at a crossroads we realised many of the others were not following. We managed to make contact by mobile and were told one of the others had another problem (not sure what). We cycled back to a café we’d passed and had a drink then we had another call to go back to where we’d stopped before, where we regrouped.
We came out of Richmond Park at Roehampton Gate and cycled past Barnes Common back to the towpath near Putney. We followed the river all the way to Chelsea Bridge then through the back streets of Pimlico and Belgravia to Hyde Park and then split at Lisson Grove to come home our separate ways.
Click on any photo to see an enlargement.
At the start
On the way, about noon
Refreshment stop about 12.30
About 3 pm
When James reported on the ride, he mentioned the two punctures he had to battle with. He noted one snake-bite puncture on a tyre that couldn’t be removed because that would involve tampering with a brand new hub gear.
James also said that next time we should warn people to come on bikes with substantial wheels suitable to cope with the very rugged Thames towpath.
Photos by Geoff Stilwell
