New cyclist ends up in the drink 😳
By Maggie
Clive joined us at Beddington Park today but thought the planned route to Streatham Common was just a touch more than he felt up to. However, he was very happy to cycle along the Wandle Trail with me to M.E.D. at Merton Abbey Mills. This is an area he knows well and we discussed the alternative byways and paths on offer. So much so that after tea and delicious pumpkin and ginger cake I suggested he lead me back on the route he favoured.
Thus we cycled to Morden Hall Park via the Dene city farm car park. Imagine my surprise when we parked our bikes by a tree and Clive's shoes and socks were discarded and he was in the water along with a lot of other aquarobics enthusiasts. I looked around, happy families were submerged, others were sitting waist deep on picnic chairs and one group had a table in the water too! What's not to like in a heatwave! The people who live along the Wandle know how to keep cool .😎
There were more surprises too. A different track out of the park to cross into an estate and a path into Ravensbury park thus avoiding the road works on Morden Road.
We cycled back along the Wandle Trail and went our separate
ways home at Poulter Park. Thank you for your company Clive and we look forward
to seeing you again – pedaling or paddling!
Thank you for a lovely afternoon Maggie, you put me totally at ease I thoroughly enjoyed the ride and learnt much about group riding methods that I've never done before, not having cycled since my teens but returning with a weight loss/health objective. All of the group at the meet up in Beddington Park cafe were very friendly, lovely people and my thanks goes out to them all. Not as a exceptionally hot day as prior days but still relatively hot and seeing some heading out on electric bikes compared to me on a 25 year old bike I though it would be unfair (on either them or myself) to head out with the main group despite their assurances of pacing to the slowest. I had dropped in to the gathering on the off chance after seeing the web site the day before with just a introduction in mind, no real intent to join them on their ride. I look forward to joining the group at next months 3rd Saturday 2pm (BST 1pm GMT) Beddington Park departure hopefully leaner/fitter following a month of personal cycle development. Thanks also for the pointer about adults learning to ride a bike sessions that I looked up on my return home https://www.sutton.gov.uk/streets-transport-and-parking/travel-and-transport/cycling/cycle-skills-sessions/cycle-skills-adults-families and see that there are sessions both in Beddington Park and at Rose Hill (which is closer for my two adult sons who have expressed interest as neither of them ride bikes but are interested in achieving skills as there are so many of the Lime bikes littering the streets around our way nowadays).
ReplyDeleteYou chickened out on the Wandle paddle Maggie ... shame :) as on a hot day its so refreshing and a nice target point to aim for during the ride.
Thank you Clive. We look forward to seeing you next month.
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