Dale kicked off the idea for an londonfgss.com – australia day night ride.

I just happened to have bought the full Australian ‘Cyclones’ team kit and this was the perfect place to debut it. Perfect for me because I don’t have to look at my own lycra-clad arse! Ha!

I couldn’t find the lane, let alone remember its name! Eventually resorted to A-Z searching and found it. Jonny then found me as I contemplated entering the mass of people in the lane. After some security staff sooking and some kind of voltage spike we rolled out of Covent Garden, by Australia House on The Strand and on to the Captain Cook memorial on the Mall. I guess we had 20-30 riders? We’d get hassled by pricks in cars and cheered by drunkards on the roadside 🙂

My wheel moved and chain went slack, I think due to me being a total numpty when I changed tyres and only tightening it up softly once tension was ok. Derrr! Worse was that I’d left the toolkit at home. Luckily Phil was on hand with a 5mm allen key.

Riding through Richmond Park we all turned our lights off and cruised around in the moonlight. Very cool! The deer that are usually docile and stand around munching on grass turned up the pace at night and we raced them along the road.. until they decided to cross it at speed! Luckily everyone was prepared and no deer burgers had to be cooked.

I was going to bail at this point as I knew the way home and had to get up at stupid o’clock for Harp Hilly. Instead I carried on and we drove the pace up. Then, somehow, Tommy, flip and I split from the bunch with no idea where we were. We ended up coming across Clapham Common and then checked the A-Z and split. I made it home at 1am with about 70k on the clock, dehydrated with tired legs and was in bed around 2am ready for my 6am rise. 🙂

Top idea! Top people! Top night!