A local Pootle.

This is a pootle that begins on the Stevens Creek Trail in the middle of the Santa Clara Valley/Silicon Valley area. A bike trail is being(slowly) built from the hills to the bay along the seasonal creek. It is a pleasant ride with lots of shade and greenery.

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/1TrailView.jpg?t=1214181347

The trail is connected to the surrounding areas with various bridges over the creek.

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/2BridgeandBike.jpg?t=1214181400

Well, we don't have an Area 51(at least not that we know of!), but we do have Moffet Field which contains the NASA/Ames Research Center. This is one end of the huge wind tunnel there, the largest in the world.

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/3WindTunnel.jpg?t=1214181439

Moffet Field also has Hangar One, built to house dirigibles in the '30s and '40s. This thing covers the area of ten football fields and can even have its own weather inside. Because of its huge, flat, undisturbed space, the TV show Mythbusters has used it for several of its episodes. It can be overwhelming to stand inside of this thing.

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/4HangarOne.jpg?t=1214181502

Commuter and freight trains(always late at night, it seems) run on these tracks. Some of us will be riding this train to SF next month for the FolderFest. Should be fun!

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/5TrainTracks.jpg?t=1214181530

Off the trail now - this high tech area has sidewalks that are great for pootling - shady, curvy, inviting and low speed.

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/6CurvySidewalk.jpg?t=1214181556

This is the only speed indicator I've ever found that actually registered me on my bike. Blazing/pootling along at 10mph, one handed whilst pointing the camera!

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/7SpeedSign.jpg?t=1214181590

Google is everywhere here. To the best of my knowledge this is the main campus of the Googleplex, but they occupy many buildings in the area. Merely the beginning of their plans for world domination I suppose, one building at a time. Yahooplex, eBayplex and a multitude of others are not too far away.

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/8Googleplex.jpg?t=1214181626

Cool! I have no idea what these things are, but they sure are interesting. Three wheels, obviously electric, parked in the Google lot. Amazingly enough they have their own recharge stations. Let's see more of this!

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/10ElectricCar.jpg?t=1214181666

Stevens Creek Trail runs all the way to the Shoreline Recreation Area on the bay. There is an enclosed lagoon of sorts that is used for sailing and windsurfing. A nice spot really. It’s windy so it also used to be known as a kite flying location. But the kites got too big and too high and apparently freaked out the pilots on their approach to the Palo Alto airport which is just upwind from here.

The twin peaks in the distance are part of the canvas roof over the Shoreline Amphitheater. It is built on the site of a former landfill. When first opened there were instances of escaping methane gas being ignited by smokers during the concerts. A personal light show!

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/11Sailboat_Amphitheater.jpg?t=1214181722

Doesn’t look like much, but this is the southern end of S.F. Bay. On most days you can easily see the hills on the other side, but not today. We’ve had a number of fires and there is a lot of smoke in the air.

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/12SFBay.jpg?t=1214181756

Well, from perusing the other posts it appears that an important ingredient for the true pootle is a pic of local quadrupeds. I rode well out of my way to take a shot of some local celebrity hoofers, but they weren’t there! So, what can I do but post the sign that describes them? It sure isn’t the same, but it’ll have to do for now. The claim to fame is that Perry, the smaller of the donkeys, was the inspiration for the character “Donkey” in Shrek. The company that did the animation had their original offices nearby. Full story http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/09/16/PNG7FEKUAB1.DTLhttp://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/09/16/PNG7FEKUAB1.DTLhere (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/chronicle/archive/2005/09/16/PNG7FEKUAB1.DTL).

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/13DonkeySign.jpg?t=1214181793

And there is no better way to end a long pootle than a cup of tea, a pastry and a good read at my favorite coffee shop. Just for the record, I spend way too much time(and money) at this place.

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/14CoffeShop.jpg?t=1214181856

It’s great to see other folders around. This guy brought his Tikit inside the coffee shop. He was duly invited to the upcoming FolderFest.

http://gi249.photobucket.com/groups/gg229/37CEJOB734/15Tikit.jpg?t=1214181881

So, where to pootle next? Not sure, but I think I hear the S.F. waterfront calling me....

I knew someone from Delaware, once. Great to see the place, and from the saddle of Twenny. How old is that bike, VC? Have you fixed the wound?
Tiny Delaware, second smallest state in the U.S. Not uncommon to hear "Where's Delaware, is that part of Pennsylvania?" Next week our local club is holding its annual Delaware Double Cross ride. Ride accross Delaware and back again at one of its narrowest points, 14 miles out, 14 miles back. Longer rides are included also.

I've owned the Twenty for about a year. It is a 1972 model. I pulled the chainguard out enough to make the ride home. A better repair awaits.

Nice report, Sahadev! :thumb:

Great to see SF area. I always wondered why I never made it to SF, look at the climate, already! And, in true pootle style, tea and buns are included..

Pleased to see you didn't exceed the 12mph 'Pootle Limit'. :-)

Pleased to see you didn't exceed the 12mph 'Pootle Limit'. :-)

*cough* my average speed was inadvertently higher than the pootle limit. Peak speed on my pootle, 34 mph. Oops.

*cough* my average speed was inadvertently higher than the pootle limit. Peak speed on my pootle, 34 mph. Oops.


I made it up to 13 miles on the bike today, after my illness, and was pleased to see the bike pooter had recorded 28 mph peak. Yay! Had to retire for tea and buns mid-trip to bring my average SOG (speed over ground) down to pootle limits.

... I just have one question - Do you really ride with a 6" drop between your saddle and the bars :eek:? You must be either really young or really flexible... Yes, I do! This position seems more efficient to me, and of course it's much better aerodynamics. I'm 46, BTW.

I rode 25 miles and about 1500 ft of climbing today on the Mini. Got to a top speed of 35.9mph on a downhill and ran out of gears to pedal. (Does that disqualify the ride as a Pootle? ;)) I was riding through redwood trees and then along the Pacific Ocean on a beautiful day. ... Sounds wonderful! Your speed is duly noted as the Mini's top speed. I'll get back to you if I better it (but don't wait up for me, it might not be until tomorrow).

Pleased to see you didn't exceed the 12mph 'Pootle Limit'. :-)
Oh. NOW you tell me. Sir, I cannot ride a bicycle at 12 mph, no matter how hard I try, unless it's on a prolonged incline, and we don't have any of those around here. For me, 15 mph is a leisurely pace. Today I was riding up 8th Ave on my Mini, I was going about 22 mph, and a guy on a yellow Brompton pulled out in front of me. Yes, really, he rode down into the street off the sidewalk into the traffic lane, and I had to slow down to 20, very annoying. And then, before I could pass, he accellerated to 25! I kept up with him for about 15 blocks, but he was still in front of me when a light went red and he got through and I didn't, and I didn't see him again. Whew! I sincerely wish I could let guys like that go by without feeling the need to keep up... but it doesn't seem to be in my character. Perhaps the thing to do is to flip my handlebar right-side-up again, trade in my helmet for a Homburg, and ride like a gentleman... any advice?

"Perhaps the thing to do is to flip my handlebar right-side-up again, trade in my helmet for a Homburg, and ride like a gentleman... any advice?"

I should think a large iron ball with spikes in it, on the end of a piece of motorcycle chain, would take care of any bounders on Bromptons, should they dare to pull out in front of a Pootler going like a giddy kipper in search of buns.

We may have to lobby the UN to elevate the International Pootle Speed Limit, due to popular demand and the need to avoid wack-a-doo Bromptonauts... Or add a class of Competitive Pootling, leaving the Touring Pootle Class limit at 12 mph.

Heaven knows what we can do if a Bromptonaut posts a Pootle.

whats the meaning of this term 'pootle'?
is it just farting around on the bike with too much time and boredom and using the bike for complete, no-holds-barred recreation?

whats the meaning of this term 'pootle'? ...

Sometimes, you just gotta go back to the first post in a thread... I should have, before I thought I could do it:
... pootling (verb: to cycle at a peak speed of no more than 12mph unless downhill) ....

while swinging one of those iron ball with spikes and chain doodads, doubtless sold in quantity on ebay....

the Touring Pootle Class limit at 12 mph.

Reaching speeds above 12mph is actually called 'Velocitating'
:speedy:

Reaching speeds above 12mph is actually called 'Velocitating'
:speedy:



If it has a legal-sounding name, somebody will ban it.....:(

using the bike for complete, no-holds-barred recreation?

Oh no, not that! What a waste of a bike!;)

Oh no, not that! What a waste of a bike!;)

i only gots 1 gear, dude.. im tired of always being slow... pootling would be what im always doing on two wheels if that were the case!

an urban pootle in Manchester this Sunday am...

this is at Manchester University, alma mater, where even bike have their own dept.

HH7 is the Dean

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll111/billfrankitty/CIMG0168.jpg



these guys were a long way from home:

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll111/billfrankitty/CIMG0167.jpg



My love is history: this is on what was Chorlton Town Hall. People pass by without looking up. Not me.



http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll111/billfrankitty/CIMG0180.jpg



HH7 he say "there I was restin' against the rail, and this birdy came nuzzling up..... chick magnet, thats me..."


http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll111/billfrankitty/CIMG0185.jpg


the Midland Hotel is where on May 4 1904 the engineer Mr Royce met the financier Mr Rolls (source: wikipedia).
Local myth is they sat in the car and Mr Rolls said "you can turn the engine on now Mr Royce" and Mr Royce said "it is turned on already".

Impressed with the silence and smoothness of the running, Rolls struck the deal, and Rolls-Royce was born.

An amazing coincidence really, because Rolls-Royce is the term used to denote high quality luxury items.

Anyway, one night I had a few beers there, next day, Mr Hammer met Mr Head.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll111/billfrankitty/CIMG0189.jpg

At the Free Trade Hall in Manchester 1976 there was a famous concert featuring the Six Pestols.

If everyone who now says there were there was there it would have had to have been at Old Trafford. (A soccer game establishment, m'lud).

A guy had a market stall in front of the town hall , he wouldn't let me take a pic of the t-shirt feature poster for said show, but allowed me to get a smidgen of it in this picture of his logo'd bag


http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll111/billfrankitty/CIMG0192.jpg

Finally, our American cousins will recognize this guy, the great Abraham Lincoln, his statue is in Lincoln Square, on the plinth is his letter to the working men of Manchester thanking them for their boycott of southern cotton during the Civil War.

http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll111/billfrankitty/CIMG0195.jpg

I love my city, will pootle and post anon.

Aaargh! It's one of those mad potty Hammerheads. Aaarrghhhh! And Abe Lincoln rides one!

Thanx G_G. My HH was out today, but nowhere interesting. I was at the gig with the Six Pistoleros. (Not)

a short beamish pootle

I live at No Place so not far from home
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/BobnTrish/beamishpootle026.jpg

a cow next to the path
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/BobnTrish/beamishpootle011.jpg

through a tunnel
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/BobnTrish/beamishpootle014.jpg

over a bridge looking back along the path
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/BobnTrish/beamishpootle017.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/BobnTrish/beamishpootle018.jpg

good pub lovely food not open at 5am unfortunately!
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/BobnTrish/beamishpootle021.jpg

towards the museum
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/BobnTrish/beamishpootle022.jpg

museum gates
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/BobnTrish/beamishpootle023.jpg

give way
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/BobnTrish/beamishpootle025.jpg

back home towards No Place
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y284/BobnTrish/beamishpootle030.jpg

just out for an hour

yay Beamish.... I once taught a course for Durham CC there, do they still have that big country house? Bet its been sold off.... happy memories. And you can't beat that 5am on a cycle vibe.

yay Beamish.... I once taught a course for Durham CC there, do they still have that big country house? Bet its been sold off.... happy memories. And you can't beat that 5am on a cycle vibe.

Don't know which house you mean unless Beamish Hall? I haven't lived here long and on the move again in a couple of months, nice area to cycle in but hilly:)

Oh-woo! I haven't been to Beamish (http://www.beamish.org.uk/) since I was about 10... I love the place - the 'Newcastle Brown Ale Tram', happy piggies, victorian shops - retro heaven...

...
I rode 25 miles and about 1500 ft of climbing today on the Mini. Got to a top speed of 35.9mph on a downhill and ran out of gears to pedal.
...

Just wanted to inform you, your record still stands. On a downhill yesterday I got up to 35.7 before I had to slack off a little as a car threatened to make a left turn in front of me. I need a better hill.

*cough* my average speed was inadvertently higher than the pootle limit. Peak speed on my pootle, 34 mph. Oops.

Poser! :D

http://i26.tinypic.com/16m4ydf.jpg





OH NO! They're Breeding!

I was out on the bike today and parked up at the end of the runway at RAF Brize Norton (http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafbrizenorton/). Ya sits there for five minutes; a set of nearby traffic lights turn red to hold back the traffic, then a Tristar full of armed troops whacks over your head ten metres off the deck and lands in front of you. All quite potty.

While I'm recovering my hearing and trying not to be sick with the huge noise, some sort of hopped up black jet fighter touches down, then takes off again without stopping. Meantime the sky is full of helicopters. The planes are all kitted out for air-to-air refuelling, with odd looking sticky-out bits you don't get on the civvy aircraft.

I'll try and grab some pix tomorrow. Last day of my cycling holiday. Should make a nice pootle.

I figured, I'll revitilize the "pootle" thread with some action from Toronto.

We have had to wait about 7 months for this awesome weather to finally hit. Sunny, Warm, and little wind! The pootle was the first on the daily agenda, followed with some errands, washing/waxing the car and hosting a bbq, so yah, pretty packed day, but totally worth every second of it!

I finally managed to source and mod my strida to accomedate 170mm cranks, something from an SRAM-Dual Drive setup from a local recumbant builder! the difference is certainly noticible.

No real direction for this extended jaunt, just a good ride to explore a bit of toronto on bike, as I found that cities are so much different experienced on 2 wheels other than 4. Combined with the fact that downtown toronto is rather nice to bike thru, you are joined by many other cyclists that are also enjoying the weather. The current gas prices has turned many recreational cyclists into daily commuters and panniers, packs, etc are quite common on anything short of a fixie or multispeed racer.

To give the internationals a better idea of my run, I have googlemapped it so you guys can explore along with me from the bird-or sattlite-view

http://img133.imageshack.us/img133/9224/mapze5.jpg (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=12827665997211831041,43.653619,-79.398180&saddr=77+king+st+w,+toronto&daddr=305+Spadina+Avenue,+Toronto,+ON+M5T+2E6,+Canada+(Ledgers+Chinatown)+to:kensington+market+to:ro gers+center+to:1+cherry+st+to:waterfront+park+to:dundas+square&mra=pi&mrcr=5&sll=43.647575,-79.369565&sspn=0.049561,0.086346&ie=UTF8&ll=43.647814,-79.371929&spn=0.024781,0.076475&t=h&z=14)


Click on the map for full googlemap details!

OK, well, the ride was mainly inner-city and this i found was the stridas REAL HIGH POINT. I always complain that strida is too slow. actually with the pace that most cyclists use in the city, the strida is bang on with great gearing. inclines are easy-peasy, and coasting speed is on par or even a bit easier than the average bike riding along with you.

I found i could keep up easily with most riders and only this FELT carbon/spandex-clad roadie sprinted away with me without drama, leaving me, well, far behind. The 16" wheels are perfect for city roads and I would actually feel quite naked/dangerous to be riding anything smaller at any decent speed. An eccentric gentlemen in a mobiky genius was farting along at a relaxed pace and for good reason - a pothole would turn his morning ride into a visit to the hospital!


genius, but maybe only for a road where potholes are non-existant!

The strida's quick-handling has been said to be compared to with track-cycles. I am not 100% sure if that can be a fair comparison, but i did find the quick steering to be quite helpful in china town and kensington market, where people are in the streets and organization means nothing. I didn't have to SLAM the brakes a single time on the trip, but the avid bb7s provided great feel, repeatedly, confidently. Oh and the Champion Flyer? Best investment ever.. esp after upping the rear tire specs to accomdate 100psi!!!

well enough with my blabber, here are the pics of my journey.. sorry they are 1024px.. enjoy!

http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/6728/tdcenterid7.jpg (http://img395.imageshack.us/my.php?image=tdcenterid7.jpg)

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/1659/td2uz4.jpg (http://img376.imageshack.us/my.php?image=td2uz4.jpg)

Ride started out around the financial district in toronto downtown...

http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/9347/img5864largezr0.jpg (http://img378.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img5864largezr0.jpg)
http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/3650/kensingtonjw7.jpg (http://img235.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kensingtonjw7.jpg)

Then hit chinatown for some quick eats... and Kensington Market. The fence leads to PARTS UNKNOWN - a bike shop that is wall to wall full of random bike parts, all hanging, burried, and, just everywhere. its creepy and run by a guy named george. It was just listed for sale in craigslist for $10,000 and that gets 10,000lbs of random bike bike stuff.

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/8610/img5866largeno9.jpg (http://img376.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img5866largeno9.jpg)
http://img395.imageshack.us/img395/3776/img5862largeis4.jpg (http://img395.imageshack.us/my.php?image=img5862largeis4.jpg)

More Kengsinton market, and finally arrive at the Rogers Center and the foot of the CN tower. Fantastic to travel here by bike, its really nice, safe, slow and quiet - in the heart of the city

http://img371.imageshack.us/img371/2466/beachmr6.jpg (http://img371.imageshack.us/my.php?image=beachmr6.jpg)

One of torontos beaches... there is the Martin Goodman trail here, its quite nice, and many avid cyclists are testing themselves and their equipment here.

http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/3494/cherrytm5.jpg (http://img369.imageshack.us/my.php?image=cherrytm5.jpg)

Cherry st, and gives you a good perspective of how far I got away from the CN TOWER.

http://img378.imageshack.us/img378/4859/dundasgv3.jpg (http://img378.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dundasgv3.jpg)

Decided to wrap up at DUNDAS SQUARE. took the subway back up to north york!

Strida performed quite admirably, and NOTHING BROKE! yippie!!

Inspired by all the great pics posted, here's moving the focus from West to East. Cambodia, Phnom Penh to be precise.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/TikitfoldedCentralMktR.jpg
Central Market - constructed in mid 1930s

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/marketR.jpg
Their version of a supermarket - fresh as fresh can be. Fishes still gasping, even...


http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/TukTukdriverR.jpg
Traffic is bad so overheating is a great concern. Note ingenious water cooling system via a leaking container on this motorbike taxi. Gates of the Royal Palace.

this is possibly one of the greatest threads in the history of online forums, let alone bikeforums, let alone the folding section of bikeforums. Where else do you get Toronto and Pnom Penh in one day. I love cities, I love folders. Thanks so much the both of you, what great pootles.

this is possibly one of the greatest threads in the history of online forums, let alone bikeforums, let alone the folding section of bikeforums. Where else do you get Toronto and Pnom Penh in one day. I love cities, I love folders. Thanks so much the both of you, what great pootles.


+1 gazillion. Thanks to both of you. Phnom Penh looks much the same as when I was there, without the fried spiders, but I don't got been to Torrono, and it's great to see it, and all the other places the Pootlers get to.

London Chinatown & Soho by night begs to be 'done' - next time I'm up there perhaps, or Nigel-Yellow-Jersey will beat me to it.. :-)

Hi Gringo Gus,

THIS is why I love foldies - they help us explore all these exotic places so effortlessly. Now you got me going, here's more pics about Phnom Penh. It is truly 3rd world in many sense eg poor roads, corruption, guns still available, might is right etc but it is certainly an experience that is a must-do. The people are exceptionally warm and friendly too. I hope you guys can pop in one day, foldies in tow, of course.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/ZBromyRPNMuseumR.jpg
The Royal Palace and Royal Museum

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/TuolSleungR.jpg
Tuol Sleung S21 - Khmer Rouge Torture Centre - a grim reminder of Cambodia's dark past

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/ZPPMnmtR.jpg
Phnom Penh Monument - inspired by the ruins of Angkor Wat

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/BophaBikeR.jpg
Bopha, one of many orphans. HIV is rampant. Taking donations for a new foldie for her :)

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/ZbugsR.jpg
Not quite fried spiders but fried bugs. Crickets I think. My Cambodian friends say they are delicious. I dare not try, yet.


Speaking of Angkor Wat, I did a race there 2 years back on a Brompton. It was unforgettable!

http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/Mike/villagefocus.pdf

I better STOP here! Delighted to answer any questions you may have... if I can.

this is possibly one of the greatest threads in the history of online forums, let alone bikeforums, let alone the folding section of bikeforums. Where else do you get Toronto and Pnom Penh in one day. I love cities, I love folders. Thanks so much the both of you, what great pootles.

I second the sentiment!! Great thread and great submissions!

Now, I've got to get my @ss out there and Pootle some...

Very cool thread, enjoy the pictures.

One more pic that I think is a classic - Phnom Penh. Forgive my indulgence :)

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/WeddingBromyR.jpg

One more pic that I think is a classic - Phnom Penh. Forgive my indulgence :)

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/WeddingBromyR.jpg

:roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2:

That guy would fit right in on Bike Forums!!!

One more pic that I think is a classic - Phnom Penh. Forgive my indulgence :)

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/WeddingBromyR.jpg

Dont keep us in suspense, did he marry the girl or take off on the bike? :)

snafu is your bike a boardwalk, and is it any good?, ive seen 1 on ebay :)

truena, was it hard to install those disk breaks on that strider and also put a rack on it?, also is the strida durable and any good and would u recomend the mark 1 or 2? and last question is it comfortable?

"snafu is your bike a boardwalk, and is it any good?"

It's a 2006/7 Dahon Speed D7, similar thing, I believe. It was a nice bike, stable, easy to fold, well made, and reasonably compact. Sold it to buy a Downtube IX FS (http://www.velochocolate.co.uk/)which is more tinkerable - I can waste time and money upgrading the already capable components. The Downtube is a bit more nimble, a little quicker, and feels lighter, so accelerates better. I think the fold is a bit larger though.

ohh thanks now i know what that bike is, someone told me it was a boardwalk :), also wat model is it, 2006, 2007, 2004 etc? :)

Dont keep us in suspense, did he marry the girl or take off on the bike? :)

Dont know... I was busy trying to get my Brommie back. But it wd make a wonderful wedding present ya?
:)

I have a Pootle question -

If you Pootle and have no pictures, it is still a Pootle?

I did a quintessential Pootle ride on my Merc today. Slow, lingering ride through pretty neighborhoods and towns. Did not knowingly exceed 12mph :innocent: . But alas, my wife has our camera with her on her trip to Europe. So no pics :(.

So, did I Pootle today? :)

I have a Pootle question -

If you Pootle and have no pictures, it is still a Pootle?

I did a quintessential Pootle ride on my Merc today. Slow, lingering ride through pretty neighborhoods and towns. Did not knowingly exceed 12mph :innocent: . But alas, my wife has our camera with her on her trip to Europe. So no pics :(.

So, did I Pootle today? :)

Nope!! :lol: You're like the falling tree in the forest with no one around to hear...

No pictures? It didn't happen! ;)
Can you draw what you saw maybe?

A pootle without pictures could be merely a Vile Subterfuge. We must be vigilant against such obfustication. Do you have an Etch-A-Sketch?

:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

:roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2:

You guys are FUNNY!

This is the best thread ever in the history of Bike Forums!!!!

I was reading Jerome K Jerome's Three Men on a Bumme published 1900.

A bummel, what's a bummel I hear you ask, perhaps fearing more butt-buddy humor...

"A 'Bummel'," I explained, "I should describe as a journey, long or short, without an end; the only thing regulating it being the necessity of getting back within a given time to the point from which one started. Sometimes it is through busy streets, and sometimes through the fields and lanes; sometimes we can be spared for a few hours, and sometimes for a few days. But long or short, but here or there, our thoughts are ever on the running of the sand. We nod and smile to many as we pass; with some we stop and talk awhile; and with a few we walk a little way. We have been much interested, and often a little tired. But on the whole we have had a pleasant time, and are sorry when it's over."

A cycle journey, that is. So a bummel is a pootle, no less?

I have noticed that most of these 'Poots' are through exotic and interesting terrain. In contrast I thought I would take you on, what is, my monthly Streatham>Waterloo commute; a 'Com-mootal.

Here is 'One Man on a Brommie!'

Brom waiting and eager to kick off in Streatham

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Backstreet Streatham. Property DNA? Mutant Houses! How does it work? I'll tell you.

If a burglar breaks in, the building takes a DNA sample, analyses it and then using a heuristic algorithm talks to the intruder, "I can't let you do that, Dave!" and proceeds to starve the room of oxygen whilst singing "Daisy, daisy, give me your answer do!"

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Brom waits to cross the 'Sarf Circular'; part of the ring of pollution encompassing London.

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Brom likes pubs. He takes me to many but we resist the Windmill on Clapham Common.

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The cycle lane through the common.

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A cycle-lane, of sorts on a sensitive bridge.

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Can you guess what this is? The Thunderbird II launch pad, a ski jump or solar panels to power a train station?

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I'm not at liberty to tell you what goes on in this building; hush, hush, official secrets act and all that.

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Woman on a racer; lovely calfs - Embankment, Lambeth. I whizz past her, because I can.

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The corridors of corruption. The clock at the end is Saint Stephen's Tower which contains Big Ben, a bell.
Spiney Norman is still looking for Dinsdale.

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nice brommie i wish i could afford 1 :D, that building has a ramp!, rawr hedgehog!

PART II already!

What do you get if you cross an elephant with a giraffe and then stick a pointy pyramid on it's back? - Surrealism!

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Superheroes (from left) Batman, Superman, err..Nachoman and Madonna. What have they to do with Aquariums?

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What do get if you cross a women.....?

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The London 135 metre tall Ferris wheel. ( it's not really an eye )

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The strange concrete underbelly of the Southbank complex with extensive seating and a pot-plant

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I like this. Under the Imax Cinema. I call this 'Brom: In Blue'

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Waterloo Station. My train is at 13:39, so i'm in good time, hurrah!
Concourse Clock, known for being a blind-date meeting place. Ah! if only she had turned up.

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Do South West Trains allow folders on board? Well no one seems to mind. Shall I just leave Brom here in the doorway? No I'm considerate.

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There! tucked out of the way. There's a challenge - Can any other folder fit in this space (let's see pictures).

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I actually asked Southwest trains about their carriage makers, and was told that all the rolling-stock is designed specifically to accommodate Brompton owners, and also they would be only too pleased to lay a red carpet for my next journey, so that my tyres don't have to touch the disgusting platform - which is nice of them!

...and to end with I hope to start a trend with this pic, 'My packed lunch'; sod the bikes, what nosh did you bring?
[ Note the healthy veg, offset by the sugary yumminess of Yog Digestives ]

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Well there you have it, Streatham to Waterloo.
If you were half as entertained by this as I was, then I was twice as entertained as you. Goodnight!

woah nice journey! i wish my bike journeys would be that interesting!, your brompton fits very snug under that seat. if you cross a elephant with a giraffe and a pyramid you get a elephant on stilts balancing a pyramid on its back! :D genius :D

nice brommie i wish i could afford 1 :D, that building has a ramp!, rawr hedgehog!

Yes indeed! I cannot recommend a Brommie enough - It's like riding ART! If Michelangelo were alive, what would he pootle about on?

Sonic!