LONDON FRIDAY NIGHT SKATE TM
& SUNDAY STROLL TM

From: Week on Wheels <wow /at/ lfns.co.uk>
Subject: [wow] Week on Wheels: West Ken, Primrose Hill and Camden
Date: Wed, 05 Sep 2007 16:08:23 +0100

This week, on wheels

* This week: Camden, Holland Park, Primrose Hill
* Last week: Weapons of (Critical) Mass Distraction
* London Inline Marathon: roundup of the round-and-round
* Lost and found
* Pubwatch
* Commuting on skates
* The Agony (Aunt) and the ... er, cough

== THIS WEEK ==

TONIGHT the LondonSkate are doing the CAMDEN route tonight, and again
we will be helping out with the FireBrox in attendance with the
tunes. There are only a few more skates left of the LondonSkate season
(they finish at the end of this month) so get going whilst you can.

FRIDAY: WESTWARD HO! Fresh from her triumph at the London Inline
Marathon, Sol will be leading us westward with visits to West
Kensington (that's Fulham in real life) and Olympia before climbing
the west face of Holland Park. Half time (and you'll welcome the
break!) will be at Holland Park tube. The black section will start
with a reward for the climb as we shoot down Kensington Church
Street. We'll head south down to Chelsea and home along the Kings
Road, with a quick loop round Buck House just to make sure the Queen's
OK.
                            http://www.lfns.co.uk/route.php/20070907

And on SUNDAY, it's the Primrose Path to somewhere or other. After
last weeks north London trip to Maida Vale, Kensey found himself
pining for his old haunt of Primrose Hill, so he's decided to take
everyone along there this Sunday. Pretty streets, oh-so-trendy
residents and, more importantly, close proximity to London's finest
ice cream outlet are promised. We even get to show off to the tourists
along Camden High Street on the way.

                            http://www.lfns.co.uk/route.php/20070909

== LAST WEEK ==

FRIDAY saw Natasha leading a Best of London skate. These skates keep
the same sensible speed in the second half as the first and are
therefore a good introduction to Fridays for people who haven't done
one before. They also try to take in some of the sights for the
benefit of tourists with skates (and we do seem to get a lot of
them). This week we enjoyed a tour round Theatreland, a quick visit to
Covent Garden, and then on through Lincoln's Inn Fields to St Paul's
Cathedral. After that, we left the City to cruise beside the river
before crossing over Waterloo Bridge to the London Eye. Our final
stretch took us into Parliament Square, where we ran into Critical
Mass so the finish was not quite the relaxed beginner-friendly trip we
had planned. Still, we made it back to Hyde Park and the cyclists
certainly added some colour to the evening.

With so many marshals away at the London Inline Marathon (see below)
we have to thank Ruth for taking control of the SUNDAY STROLL and
leading just over 150 skaters on a tour up to Maida Vale and back.


== LONDON INLINE MARATHON ==

Over 120 skaters took part in the London Inline Marathon, held last
Sunday at its new venue of the Hillingdon Cycle Circuit near
Heathrow. Less hilly than last year's event, the crosswinds added a
bit of spice to the fact that skaters had to complete a monotonous 28
laps of the circuit to complete the 26.2 mile marathon.

Congratulations to LFNS marshals and medal winners Tanya, Tammy and
superwoman Sol (who also did all the catering for the event). Other
marshals did well but no one is sure yet quite how well. (Technical
problems, leaves on the line, that sort of thing).

Let's hope that the backaches and blisters are healing well, and well
done to all those skaters who took part. We're still waiting for
people to post photos of the event, but here are some from BigSteev,
showing an unusual fascination with lycra-clad skaters.

      http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigsteev/sets/72157601845203679/


== LOST & FOUND ==

A key on a very distinctive chain was handed in to the marshals after
the skate last Friday, If you found yourself locked out of home that
evening we may be able to help. Contact us using the feedback form if
you think it's yours.

                        http://www.lfns.co.uk/feedback.php#contactus


== A WORD TO THE WASTED ==

The "Vic" occupies a hallowed spot as everybody's favourite skater
pub, and never more so than now, as everybody's other favourite skater
pub the Wilton no longer let us in (complaints from local
residents). This has led, it seems, to an increase in noise outside
the Vic, and the council are now threatening to write sniffy letters
to the managers.

If (as is fashionable in this atypical warm weather) you are drinking
outside the Vic of an evening, we have two words for you: PIPE
DOWN. Because if the actions of an unrepresentative minority result in
this favourite bolthole also being lost to us, There Will Be A
Reckoning. We reckon it'll involve blunt words escalating to blunter
objects.

Besides, it's a residential area and it really isn't fair on the locals.


== SKATE TO WORK OR WORK TO SKATE? ==

The Tube strike may well have had some of you looking at your skates
as a way to get to work. We know it's over now but there'll be more
strikes ahead [Ed: are you sure? Hapless reporter: Are you kidding?]
and skating to work is not only cheap and good for you but it can be
kinda fun.

If you're considering skating for commuting but haven't tried it
before, here are a few pointers -

* Skating on the road, if you're good at it, is usually faster and
safer than the pavement. The surfaces are generally better, and
there's not the same need to give way when crossing side
roads. Skate predictably, obey traffic signs and lights, give
signals when turning.

* If you prefer the pavement or if your skating is not up to "road"
standards - and we'd suggest that for most London roads you need to
be comfortable skating at LFNS speeds before you should really
consider it - give way to pedestrians. In a collision it's almost
always the party with more momentum who bears the moral shame.

* A hiviz vest (like our marshals wear) may help attract attention to
you, as will lights at night. Making yourself noticed is not just
about clothes, though: it's about putting yourself where vehicles
can see you. For example, if they can't overtake safely, put
yourself in the middle of the lane so they don't want to try
anyway. (Conversely, if they can, it's polite to let
them). Cyclecraft (link below) has a lot of good advice.

                                        http://www.cyclecraft.co.uk/

* For a guide to quiet roads and cycle paths, get the TfL London Cycle
Guides for your area (free, available from bike shops and Tube
stations)

    http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/roadusers/cycling/cycleroutes/#cycleguide

* And to end on a cheery note, if it all does go horribly wrong and
you end up dead, in hospital, or the cause of a major accident: we
didn't tell you to. Skating is an inherently risky endeavour,
skating in traffic doubly so. We accept no responsibility, please do
your own research and make your own mind up instead of trusting
random people on the Internet. Even us.


== WHAT YOU DID ON YOUR HOLIDAYS ==

We know that quite a few of London's skaters take their blades with
them wherever they go. If you went skating somewhere exotic on your
hols, we'd love to know where you went and what it was like.

If you think you don't have what it takes to be Bill Bryson, send us
the details (via our comments page) and we'll write it up for you.

Go on. Your chance to tell a thousand people what you did on your
hols. You know you want to.


== YOUR LOVE LIFE SORTED... ==

We've never run an agony column in WoW before but we recently received
this heartfelt message and we felt that perhaps we needed one:

A skater wrote:

I said I'd go out with me julie, but you know what? LFNS will be more
fun!

Dear Skater

Do you think that your julie might be more fun if you gave her the
attention she needs? Have you thought of going with her to a skate
shop and helping her choose her very own wheels? Helping her on those
first uncertain steps can be an intimate experience and, if she falls,
she will welcome your big strong arms lifting her back to her
feet. Eventually, you will find yourselves doing the LFNS together and
afterwards you can clean away the sweat in a companiable shower. If
you train regularly and eat lots of red meat, you might find you have
enough energy after a skate to make your evening even more fun!

Skating and girlfriends don't have to be mutually exclusive. Give your
julie a special night: bring her skating with you.

Best wishes
Marge


== THE END IS NIGH ==

Like summer, this issue is drawing to an end.

Comments? Questions? Offers of holiday skating stories? Don't reply to
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