Cycling for Mental Health London - CMHL

On my way to Deal from St Pancras. Marshall Middleton speakers queued up the Beat, ‘Mirror in the Bathroom ‘ from the Vive Le Rock Christmas playlist by DJ Paula Frost. Her tunes are going to make the journey fly by.

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Starting week eight in a cast… Hopefully only about 14 days left to go before I get my moon boot. I feel I want to keep this kawaii cast though. They better be careful when they cut it off!

Sorry for the complete lack of posts. Six weeks I got assaulted by some random at London Bridge Starbucks (for once I had nothing to do with it) completely random attack by a nutter I hadn’t even spoken to.

Was on the way to catch a train for a South Coast hike from Seaford to past Seven Sisters country park. 7.45am.

The guy slammed me into the floor twice after taking offence at how long I was taking to order my coffee. First time inside Starbucks and a big laceration to my head, the second outside and a badly twisted ankle. Anyone that’s ridden with me knows a few scrapes and bruises won’t put me off of my intended destination.

Police called, statement given, they recommend I go to hospital. Of course not, I’m going on a hike! 🤔🙃

Limp to train, limp off train at Seaford and limp up and down the South Coast path for about 4/5 miles. I fall over a few times on the beach, I fall over a few times on the flint and chalk when my foot twists and I fall over along the riverside at Seven Sisters walking to A259.

We stop for a breather at the pub by the Seven Sisters Country Park car park and I tell the group to go on by themselves and I’ll catch a bus to Brighton and get a train home. They leave, I limp to bus stop, get to Brighton > Victoria > Tube to Maida Vale > limp home. Another 2 mile walk in all.

Neat freak that I am I put everything away as soon as I get home. Sit on the bed, take walking boot off, roll down walking socks and f**k, I should probably go to hospital. Panic knowing I can’t walk there without my hiking boots so come up with the inspired idea of cycling there. Another mile and a half. 😬

X-Rayed within half an hour of checking into A&E and then a fifteen hour wait for the orthopaedic specialist to come in for the day. Turns out I’ve broken the fibia which dislocated the tibia. Spent three weeks in hospital. Two waiting for the swelling to go down before they could operate. Turns out my ankle was probably stamped on while I very briefly lost consciousness from having my head slammed on the floor the second time.

Just starting week four at home 😭 Totally non weight bearing.

Spot the Brompton…

How many do you have? Right this minute I’m on four…

Went to er, Edinburgh for three hours to buy a Brompton. Mental? But no, the only place I could find exactly what I was looking for. A 6 gear, black edition, high in Black Lacquer. Out of stock across the country as far as I can tell. But was well worth spending over 11 and a half hours on the train for.

Will help my physiotherapy, no more going to the physio only to undo what he spent an hour doing by riding home on a gravel bike and will help my mental health; no more arguments trying to take my gravel bike into supermarkets or shopping in general.

Thank you to Cannonmills for supplying and to for helping find my first few personal accessories for her.

Great ride out for the 34th anniversary of the 8888 uprising in Burma. I love the Burmese community! Some hired Boris bikes, some hired Bromptons and the rest rode their own bikes of every description. Couldn’t have been a nicer day for a ride up the river Lea to the White Water Centre and back to Green Park for a Burmese cookout and gathering in solidarity for the imprisoned and recently executed by the Military Government of Myanmar.

Friends of mine would be executed just for going home… 😮😭 How could I have possibly said no when asked to lead this ride? I rode, sang and stood in solidarity myself. Not only Black Lives Matter! ALL lives matter as the 100,000 plus that have ‘er’ gone missing since the 8th of the 8th 1988 proves. Tell me I’m wrong? 🤔😐

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If you can’t cycle… Rollerblade!

Back on the rollerblades after a break of maybe 15 years 😱 Started on grass but finished on tarmac. Absolutely adrenaline inducing fear but enjoyed every moment. Going to keep going until I can roll with the weekly Friday skate around London.

It’s the next day and I feel completely dead. Only ever ridden to Hampstead Heath to ride one hill. TWR decided we were riding three. Fitzroy Park, Hillway and Swains Lane. I needed some encouragement and you can see I Kind of cheated on Hillway by zig-zagging up the first part to regain some strength but I amazingly made it up all three without walking at all. Pleased myself but hella feel the pain today. Thank you again to TWR for the ride. Great to get out and great group of peeps.

Great CMHL ride with TWR on Thursday. One day we’ll be big enough to host our own group rides… This ride was a bit of an odd one for me from the start. I got the start time wrong so turned up 20 mins of so after the main group had left. Read the description as Greenwich-Stratford loop so figured as on previous group rides I’d led or been on that Greenwich would be a stop point before crossing under the Thames footpath, riding the Isle of Dogs and out to Stratford coming back loosely on the CS2 maybe ending at Brick Lane.

No. A TWR loop rides to Greenwich, up the steepest road hill to Blackheath, circles Blackheath Common then rides back to Tower Bridge to ride the North Thames path to Stratford and yep, the CS2 back to Brick Lane to refuel on Bagel (Apple Turnover) and coffee. Doubling what I thought would be the standard loop. At pace sometimes and the climb to Blackheath thrown in for good measure. One thing is for sure. Riding with TWR will absolutely see my hill climbing, average speed and general fitness improve.

CMHL with Together We Ride riding on the Regent’s Park inner circle. 7pm for a 7.15 roll most Tuesday nights. More of a structured evening for building stamina, road etiquette, confidence in newer riders and group riding experience. Two groups, one averaging 12mph and one at 18mph for the faster more confident riders. Definitely a great night for beginners and confident riders looking to improve. Absolutely the best and most productive session I’ve ever had on the inner circle and really great to see so many riders on a not-so-warm February evening. Ending the night with a small social at Kensington was a treat. Kalak Chaii is a drink to die for. Especially warming in the cold and dark.

Have you ever had a pelican try and eat your bike or is it only me?