Ride report 20-5-08

Overall very good!

A healthy turn-out, lighter nights and better weather so maybe 400-500? Dunno! Late start as always (PLEASE can we set off at 7?) then over Waterloo Bridge, through the West End and up through the city to London Bridge.

I've questioned the police a few times on this list and I'm afraid I'll have to continue to do so. Unfortunately for us there were quite a few young riders right at the front of the ride ahead of the police 'line' at the front. They tended to try and cork traffic, which the police hate anyway, but also doing it when the rest of the ride is stuck behind a set of lights/the police is a bit silly!

At the Monument junction while we were waiting, a copper finally shouted out "Move that bike right now" to the six or so lads that were trying to 'take the junction' - I don't think he followed it up at all, but as we moved into the junction, one of the coppers starting waving a truck across the mass, saying "Don't worry they'll get out of your way". I questioned him on the safety of this, and he responded arrogantly saying "DON'T BE STUPID. It's a truck", he was unwilling to engage in conversation ending with "Just go away", as he did to many riders that night- didn't recognise him but a classic 'throw his weight around, can't engage in dialogue' bad copper.

Anyhow after this fun, a lot more cyclists broke ranks ahead of the police which was much more fun! Down Tooley to Tower Bridge, the ride moving ever slower though as the police "keep everyone together". Across Tower was great, lots of tourists and photos taken of us, back towards Monument, then up to Shoreditch. Had a chat with the 'ambulance cyclist' (great bloke) who told me that he was there on an 'unofficial' basis but happy to be there in case of any injuries. Uneventful navigation of Old St, then up Islington and the lovely ride down to King's Cross. Slightly random route through the student areas of North Bloomsbury before down to Trafalgar Sq.

Near there, it looked like we had a run in with some pedestrian coppers who tried to stop someone fixing their bike in the middle of the road? Not sure what was going on there.

Same narky copper as before also had a go at a rider for corking in front of a taxi despite none of the police making an attempt to, and the same lovely interchange when the rider tried to explain it to him "Shut up and go away".

From Trafalgar took a run down Pall Mall and joined the Mall itself half way down - really nice part of the route we've done a few times recently, quiet and not many street lights, very cool once it gets dark. On to the Palace where the ride 'ended' for the second month in a row. No attempt to circle the memorial this time!

I make it around 10 miles in all, map available here - think this works, first time I've tried - http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=112682143543678565633.00044eae1c8ba2ea54b7d&ll=51.512161,-0.111065&spn=0.029486,0.069008&z=14

Bit of standing round then one of the fine sound systems pipes up inviting the whole mass to a party in Shoreditch! (Sounds systems were few but those there did very well, getting city workers and tourists partying). This was a LOT of fun, around 40 riders followed, some I think as more of an excuse to keep going rather than heading for the party, passed through Picadilly Circus, back up to New Oxford St, then along Clerkenwell Road down to Shoreditch. No police!! Much faster ride, did all our own corking and the sky didn't fall. I could get very used to the after-mass mass! See you all next month.