The first task on Monday morning was to edit the Dulwich snaps taken at Champion Hill yesterday. You never can fail with the S Ldn Tuscany sun lighting up your lens. I got lucky with the first goal celebration.
The ONS mailed the latest Covid shit test results: unknown, test failure. I don’t know what the chuff I’m doing wrong here. Three years of tickling my tonsils with a swab, and it’s only been in recent months that I’ve managed to mess it up.
No worries. The voucher dropped yesterday. £20, Decathlon, ta very much.
Speaking of which: To Decathlon! I’ve built up sufficient ONS vouchers to go on a sports spending spree. I fired up the Velo Beeline and told the little fella to take me on the quietest route from Sunny Stockwell over to Surrey Quays.
I was guided through the backstreets of Camberwell. It’s always joy cycling past the submarine of SE5. Soon I was directed towards Burgess Park. Oh dear. I’ve deliberately avoided this side of town ever since departing SE17 almost 18 months ago. Whatever.
It looked like summer in SE17, yet it felt like spring. My kinda weather. I kept on cycling, cutting through a Quietway adjacent to the Old Kent Road. And then I reached destination Decathlon. Door-to-door in 24 minutes.
Chapeau!
I bloody love Decathlon. The OCD within means I have to walk up and down EVERY aisle, just in case I miss something. There was an incredible game of table tennis taking place on the demonstration tables.
Forty five minutes later and I came out with two new pairs of running shoes, some 4G football trainers, a pair of rowing gloves and a wet sports bag for the bloody Estuary Wilds. Oh, and some LUBE. I spent far too long in the cycling section.
The LUBE was for the BTWIN bicycle locked up outside. The chain hasn’t seen any love in the past couple of years. It was starting to jump ever so slightly on the bicycle ride over. A quick LUBE UP and all was fine for the return leg.
The Beeline Velo took me back through Burgess Park. By now there was actually some January sunbathers soaking up the lunchtime rays. The weather is fucked.
It was good to see yet more table tennis action on the public table. A and I aren’t the only park wiff waff WEIRDOS.
Another quick turn around back in the flat, and then: To LS!
Oh dear.
My Transpontine holiday by mistake was over. I was summoned back to the bloody Estuary Wilds.
I was carrying far too much weight on both the front and rear bags for the Brompton. I told myself no more CD buying in London. Oh, go on then. Let’s stack 20 of them in the rear bag. It led to a rather gingerly ride up to LS.
It didn’t help with the SIX layers of clothing. I was’t cold, but it was easier to wear recent wardrobe editions in London, rather than pack them up.
I passed a couple of Bobbies on bicycles at Elephant. I don’t like to criticise, fellas, but that was some poor cycling etiquette. They straddled two lanes around the Elephant roundabout. Brave, but a little stupid.
The latest Garibaldi Red podcast kept me awake for the train journey. It was recorded too early in the day to capture the #lolleeds sacking story. The Forest win yesterday was all the more glorious as it led to Leeds falling apart. Again.
Back in the bloody Estuary Wilds and the Elephant’s Feet flowers are out. They seem to thrive in the microclimate around these parts.
The Postman Had Delivered a waistcoat I bought by mistake. That will be back on eBay first thing in the morning.
More reflections from The World Famous City Ground followed with BBC Nottingham’s round up of the weekend action.
Links for Monday 6th February, 2023
Review: B’Twin Tilt 900 folding bike | road.cc
Pretty much spot on. My bicycle of choice for out and about in Ldn.
