LFNS this week#

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 13:00:00 +0000

It's my turn to lead the skate this week. After last week's ascent (and descent) of Hampstead Hill we're sticking a bit closer to home this week. Partly just for the contrast, partly because I wasn't skating last week and so didn't have time to research very much new.

So I drew up a route by working backwards from the end: I wanted to do some of the roads around Victoria that we missed when we cut my last lead short (Victoria St has fairly recently been resurfaced along its entire length), and I wanted to do the long fast roads by the river (Embankment SW of Westminster Bridge, and Millbank), and Whitehall is a good way to get to Westminster. Then, hey, we can do Haymarket (short but steep) and Trafalgar Square to get to Whitehall. And that gives us most of the second half.

Still needed a first half, though. Starting from Wellington Arch, I appropriated bits of the really nice smooth route to Hammersmith that Etienne originally found in 2004, then looped back around on Craven St to come past Paddington, cross Edgware Road and through some of the Marylebone/Fitzrovia area, round two sides of Manchester Square (I like Manchester Square) then eventually down to Oxford St. That's 5 and a half miles or so, so then we just need to connect that up with the black route - preferably in some way that takes in Hanover Square (greenery is an important part of a balanced diet) - and hey presto, we have a route.

Went out after work last night to skate the bits that I didn't already know. Turns out that the lovely smooth bit of Marylebone Lane is at the other end (and a one-way in the other direction) from the part that we were skating, which is grotty and lumpy. So, strike that out and head down Marylebone St instead. Other than that, I was pleasantly surprised at just how skateable most of it was. Then off to the official route check where we did the full thing with the scout (who'll be directing marshals at junctions and side roads on the night) and six or seven other marshals who came along for a chat and some extra exercise - or so that they know where they're going on the night (allegedly this is the purpose of a route check, but most do it just because it's fun). [ 30k total? Give or take ]

And now I'm off to Tatem for a look around before the club race on Sunday