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Sky Ride London 2010 - A Rider's Eye View

Words and Images: Belinda Sinclair | More on Sky Ride London: Images, video and more!

Belinda Sinclair gives us a rider's eye view of Sky Ride London 2010. Belinda joined one of the many led rides onto the main route and got chatting with fellow riders who all had their stories to tell.

Above: Wimbledon Sky Riders get ready to roll.

A buzz of excitement was in the air in Wimbledon this morning as forty odd people met outside the police station, en route to the Mayor of London's Sky Ride, nine miles away in Central London.

Small children, dads and uncles, whole families, mothers, and daughters, brothers, mates and one or two passers by who decided to join in for the craic, eagerly anticipated riding round a traffic-free Central London, and the support of being shepherded there, with others, along suburban roads.

Katie Douglass and daughter Charlie from Southfields (pictured), were on their first Skyride:

"We missed it last year as I only found out about it at the last minute, so we planned to come along this year. I've just started cycling regularly and something like this makes me feel safe, especially with Charlie. I work at a school and we have a huge cycling culture there which I've now joined, and today is a confidence boost as well as a good day out."

And Charlie agreed:

"I'm in year five at St Michael's Primary School near where I live and I'll be doing my test this year (Bikeability). I like riding my bike and I'm looking forward to riding on the roads and seeing all the things in London, and then riding home with Mum. "

Nearby, Gary Jacobs from Merton was making some last minute checks on the fleet of family bikes.

"I'm here with my son Ryan, my daughter Abbey, and my brother Steven who's come down from Essex especially to ride in with us from Wimbledon. This is our third time - we did it when it was the Hovis FreeWheel first off - and it's brilliant. It's a great day out, and the kids get to ride a good distance too. It's really good."

Son Ryan had a slightly different agenda however:

"I like the freebies! They give you loads of stuff, and that's the best bit. But I do like riding my bike - I just did a ten mile mountain bike ride with my scout group, so I know I'll be able to ride all the way to London and back today. Easy!"

So with everybody assembled, bibs on, tyres pumped up, off we went, two hundred metres of flat before a left turn up a steep hill. But as we'd only just started, nobody was prepared to walk, and without exception, gritted their teeth and made it to the top. There followed a succession of quiet suburban roads, meandering our way to the bandstand at Clapham Common, where a few more joined us.

Above: Colour clash - Yellow Sky Riders pass orange Starfish runners.

We also encountered a throng of orange clad runners, pounding towards us on their annual 10K in aid of The Starfish Foundation, a charity raising money for AIDS work in South Africa. They were very friendly and kept to the pedestrian bit, while we all keep to the cycle side - proof that we can indeed co-exist.

By now, we were only five miles from the start, and the roads were busier. But with the exception of one driver who just had to rev his engine and overtake to gain just a few yards, and one cycle courier who clearly thought himself a cut above weekend riders, everybody was very patient as our ever expanding fluorescent ensemble wound its way north, over Battersea Bridge, and into Victoria.

Under the gaze of delighted tourists who took pictures and waved, we arrived outside Buckingham Palace, and were let loose to enjoy the day, along a slightly different route from previous years. Instead of going under Admiralty Arch and onto the embankment, we turned right, past Horse Guards Parade, then left into Parliament Square. There is no denying that London in the sunlight is magnificent, and one of the reasons that so many people turned up to ride. And it got even better when Big Ben struck one as we passed.

Riding alongside me was Alex from Bayswater and his dog Zara.

"This is the third time we've ridden Sky Ride and it's great. There is so much to see and there are so many people here today. Brilliant."

Then we turned into Whitehall towards the Cenotaph and the memorial to Women of World War Two. Some thirsty, yellow clad riders took advantage of conveniently places pubs, while preferred to peer into Downing Street and take pictures of the solemn Life Guards just up the road. Fed down towards the Embankment, I came face to face with a sea of riders moving slowly back towards the Houses of Parliament. It was as busy as any rush hour queue, but people remained good natured and seemingly happy to wait their turn. As the yellow stretched as far as I could see, I decided to hop over the central reservation and ride back with them.

Apparently, a Merchant Navy memorial service at Tower Bridge resulted in a bit of a slowdown, so my impromptu about turn was a wise call, and I hopped out at St James' Park in search of more chatty riders.

Sitting on a hillock just behind the old Park's Police office, eating their lunch, I found Ros Wood and her two children, Brian (10) and Aimee (9) from Northwood. This was their second Sky Ride, and both children belong to the Hillingdon Slipstreamers Go-Ride Club over in west London.

"It's far busier this year, the route is better and goes past some very interesting sights. There were some big queues but it's still a great day out and we've had a good time."

A few hundred metres away, still in the park, I caught up with Tracey Percival and her one year old daughter Amelie, from Dartford. They had come on the train with husband Daren and their other daughter, five year old Jenna. According to Tracey, their train was packed with Sky Riders and their bikes:

"The Sky Ride route was excellent. I got my bike for my birthday and so I'm very keen to ride it and something like this is great - its very social and everybody talks to everybody, the kids can come along and it's free."

But had the experience inspired her to ride more?

"Oh yes, definitely, but I'm not keen to go on the roads, especially not with her (Amelie ) on the back. I really wish there were more cycle tracks near where I live, because I'd cycle everywhere if I could, but there aren't."

Further on near the ducks, Superman and a fairy - aka Jason Nottage and three year old daughter Annabel from Colchester were also enjoying the aftermath of their first Sky Ride, as were wife Rebecca and eight month old baby Francesca.

"Well I thought I'd make the effort and dress up so that Annabel didn't look out of place! The kids were a bit small to come last year, but this year, they can both go in the trailer and it's been brilliant. A really good day out, it's free and what a way to see London!"

Richard McNeill and daughter Emily (6) from Whitham in Essex, had already been round the route once, and Emily was keen to report on the performance of her new bike.

"Today is the first time I've ridden it, and its really good, and I like it but I've got to look after it so that I can pass it into my sisters. They're at home with Mum because they're too small to come with us, but I love riding my bike."

Making my way back towards the start by Buckingham Palace, I came across sisters Muchaneta and Yeuki Kapifunde who had ridden in from Camden. They were feeling exceptionally pleased with themselves, as Muchaneta explained.

"Well we're not riders. Not at all. But we've been round once and we didn't fall off - we're delighted! We wanted to sign up for the Mayor's bike hire thing, but we couldn't get our keys and we were a bit fed up, so a friend told us to come on this. We had to hire the bikes from a shop but because we weren't very confident about getting here, we tried to sneak on a bus from Camden, but the driver wouldn't let us on, so we had to ride anyway. We were very wobbly and we didn't know where we were going, but then we saw people in yellow, so we followed them. Luckily they were coming here and not to the tip or something! We've got to find our way back now though, and I had to leave my passport as a guarantee, so we'd better not get too lost!"

But my long distance prize for attendance today must go to Michael and Yvonne from Wiltshire, who'd brought their two boys, Sam (10) and Ben (8) all the way to the Sky Ride just so that they could all experience the sights of London together. They had driven up, and then ridden in on the Fulham led ride.

"We've had a great time today. We saw Tower Bridge, we watched the Navy service, we've had a good look at all the big London landmarks, and it didn't rain - but it did cost me eight quid for four ice creams! But I don't mind as the day was well worth the effort, and well definitely be doing it again next year!"

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