As part of the attempt at encouraging more cycling in London, The Barbican opt out by placing angry notices on their bike racks, keenly observed and adhered to by all law-abiding cyclists...
Today was a day out-of-the-saddle and my entire being thanked me for that, a swift return home to get washing and grounding and back to London by train to the Guildhall where various members of our party were given ‘The Freedom Of The City Of London’ by various be-cloaked luminaries, flanked by the Portsoken Volunteers, a uniformed, highly trained private army, armed to the teeth and ready to snap into action at the drop of a sweety wrapper in the square mile that is The City Of London.
For services to cycling beyond the call of duty: Grp. Capt. Phil Saunders stands flanked by the great and the good and a private army of crack-troops.
Whilst working on the last Madness album The Liberty Of Norton Folgate I steeped myself in London history and, by learning how close to The Vatican the this square mile City really is- (its own Police Force, it’s own currencies, it’s own handshakes) I found that all that was missing is the Swiss Guard and the strong feelings against homosexuals. A colourful and humorous ceremony passed without so much as a bon mot, our be-decked members only slightly disappointed that the right to drive sheep across Tower Bridge has been withdrawn. It was a good thing to find a society nearly as cranky as The League Of Ordinary Gentlemen, indeed. Group Captain Phil Saunders put on a fine show and spread, all went happily home, if a little unsteady.
A copy of the book closely guarded by Tigger: a savage big cat.
The ceremony easily eclipsed my awarding four of our fellows with a hand-made copy of ‘A Tale Of Two Cities’ (by Dickens: Charles). I made 5 copies, leather-bound with a ribbon cut from a French Tricoloeur of 1795. Unsurprisingly I awarded one to myself, the others went to Gary and Irene Saunders for battling through the trip with heads full of cold, to Glynn Norcliffe for carrying the flag from Liverpool to Canada and back, to Wing. Co. Bob Taylor for his ability to put both legs over his bars, remove his hands from the handlebars all whilst speeding down hill at enormous speed (and up the other side at slightly less vitesse,) and to Ron Miller, another Canadian who invented (and gave me ..hem, hem) a set of rear-view mirrors for Penny riders that work a treat.
and tomorrow: let battle commence..